These Heart Houses will form the corners of your blanket, and because I find them super cute, I decided to use them as the gauge motif for the Universe in Bloom CAL 2025, hosted by Scheepjes.  Not only are they an accurate predictor of gauge, they also offer an opportunity to see how your colours play together.  I think this will be very helpful for those of you who are still deciding on which colours to use.

Because we will be using them when we create the corners in Part 11, you will need to make four of these motifs, but you don’t have to do that right now – unless you want to! 

Let the fun begin!!!

Resources

• Universe in Bloom Information Post
• Universe in Bloom on Ravelry
• PDFs – these contain Information about the CAL, Special Stitches and Techniques, and a less photo-heavy version of the Heart House pattern:
  • English Tips and Tricks PDF (US and UK Terms)
  • Dutch Tips and Tricks PDF

Videos for the Heart House Motif

• English Right-handed
• English Left-handed
• Dutch Right-handed
• Dutch Left-handed

Abbreviations, Special Stitches, Chart Legend

The photo tutorial below uses US Terminology.

Please see the Special Stitches and Techniques Post HERE for photo tutorials, or the Tips and Tricks files above for written instructions.

Materials

Colour Crafter

• 3.75mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Colour Crafter (100% acrylic, 100g/300m/328yds)

Cotton Create

• 3mm crochet hook
• Scheepjes Cotton Create (100% cotton, 50g/170m/186yds)

Gauge

Blocked, your Heart House should measure:

Colour Crafter

• Sides 1 and 5: 17.5cm/6.9”
• Sides 2 and 4: 16cm/6.3”
• Side 3: 25.5cm/10”
• Weight: 34g – 37.5g*

Cotton Create

• Sides 1 and 5: 16cm/6.3”
• Sides 2 and 4: 14cm/5.5”
• Side 3: 23.5cm/9.2”
• Weight: 30.5g – 33.5g*

* These weights are only important if you are using the official kits, and there is a little bit of wiggle room. 

Colours Per Round

Instructions

You will need to make four of these Heart Houses, one for each corner of the blanket.  To start with, just make one to check your gauge!

Round 1

Working into a Magic Ring:  Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch-1), (dc, ch 1) 9 times.  Join to the third ch of the beg ch-4 with a sl st.

Stitch Count:  10 dc and 10 ch-1 sps

 

Round 2

(Sl st in the next ch-1 sp.  Ch 3, make a 3-tr Bobble in the same ch-1 sp {Photos 1 and 2}, ch 4, sl st in the same ch-1 sp and the next ch-1 sp {Photos 3 and 4}) 5 times.

Stitch Count:  5 Petals, each consisting of a 3-tr Bobble, a ch-3 sps, and a ch-4 sp.

Round 3

(Make 4 sc in the next ch-3 sp, [hdc, dc, ch 2, dc, hdc] in the next 3-tr Bobble {Photos 1 and 2}.  [Hdc, 3 sc] in the next ch-4 sp, sl st in the next ch-1 sp of Round 1, which already contains a sl st {Photos 3 and 4}) 5 times.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count Per Petal:  7 sc, 3 hdc, and 2 dc, not including ch-2 sps.

 

Round 4

Join your yarn by making a standing sc in any ch-2 sp around.  Ch 8, sc in the next ch-2 sp {Photo 1}.  Ch 5, make a dc in the next ch-1 sp of Round 1, working over the sl sts, here and throughout this round.  Ch 8, make a dc in the same ch-1 sp {Photo 2}.  (Ch 5, sc in the next ch-2 sp of Round 3, ch 5, dc in the next ch-1 sp of Round 1) twice{Photo 3}.  Ch 8, make a dc in the same ch-1 sp {Photo 4}.  Ch 5, sc in the next ch-2 sp of Round 3 {Photo 5}.  Ch 8, join to the first sc with a sl st {Photo 6}.

Stitch Count:  5 sc, 5 dc, 6 ch-5 sps, and 4 ch-8 sps

Round 5

[Ch 1, sc, hdc, ch 2, hdc, sc] in the same sc.  Mark the ch-2 sp with a SM.  Make 8 sc in the next ch-8 sp.  FPsc around the next sc {Photo 1}.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, sc in the next ch-8 sp.  Working into the same ch-8 sp:  (ch 3, sc) 3 times {Photos 2 and 3}.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, FPsc around the next sc {Photo 4}. 

Make 5 sc in the next ch-5 sp, sc in the next dc, make 5 sc in the next ch-5 sp, FPsc around the next sc {Photo 5}.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, sc in the next ch-8 sp.  Working into the same ch-8 sp:  (ch 3, sc) 3 times.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, FPsc around the next sc {Photo 6}. 

Make 8 sc in the next ch-8 sp.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count: 37 sc, 4 FPsc, 2 hdc, 1 ch-2 sp (corner), 6 ch-3 sps, and 4 ch-5 sps

Round 6

The next two rounds are going to look a bit wonky.

Join your yarn by making a standing hdc in the (marked) ch-2 corner at the pointy end of the heart.  Remove the SM.  [hdc, dc, ch 2, dc, 2 hdc] in the same ch-2 sp.  Skip the first (hidden) st, sc in the next 10 sts {Photo 1}.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp.  ([Puff st, ch 1, Puff st, ch 1] in the next ch-3 sp) twice.  [Puff st, ch 1, Puff st] in the next ch-3 sp {Photo 2}. 

Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, sc in the next 6 sts {Photo 3}.  FPtr around the next dc from Round 4, skip the next 2 sts of Round 5, sc in the next 5 sts {Photos 4 and 5}. 

Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp.  ([Puff st, ch 1, Puff st, ch 1] in the next ch-3 sp) twice.  [Puff st, ch 1, Puff st] in the next ch-3 sp {Photo 6}.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-5 sp, sc in the next 11 sts.  Join to the first hdc with a sl st.

Stitch Count: 32 sc, 4 hdc, 2 dc, 1 FPtr, 12 Puff sts, 10 ch-1 sps, 1 ch-2 sp (corner), and 4 ch-5 sps

Round 7

Sl st in the next 2 sts and the ch-2 corner sp.  Ch 2, [hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc] in the same ch-2 sp.  Hdc in the next 13 sts, make 5 hdc in the next ch-5 sp {Photos 1 and 2}. 

(FPhdc around the next Puff st, hdc in the next ch-1 sp) 5 times {Photo 3}.  FPhdc around the last Puff st, make 5 dc in the next ch-5 sp {Photo 4}. 

Make 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next 2 sts.  Make 4 dc in the next st {Photo 5}.  Skip the next 2 sts, make a FPsc around the next st, which should be the FPtr {Photo 6}.  Skip the next 2 sts, make 4 dc in the next st, dc in the next st, make 2 dc in the next st {Photo 7}.  Make 5 dc in the next ch-5 sp {Photo 8}. 

(FPhdc around the next Puff st, hdc in the next ch-1 sp) 5 times.  FPhdc around the last Puff st, make 5 hdc in the next ch-5 sp {Photo 9}.  Hdc in the last 14 sts.  Join to the top of the beg ch-2 with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count: 1 FPsc, 51 hdc, 12 FPhdc, 25 dc, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 8

Join your yarn by making a standing sc in the ch-2 corner at the pointy end of the heart.  [Ch 2, sc] in the same ch-2 sp.  Skip the first (hidden) st.  Sc in the next 5 sts, hdc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next 10 sts.  The last st should fall in the first FPhdc from the previous round {Photo 1}. 

(Make 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next 4 sts) 4 times {Photo 2}.  Make 3 hdc in the next st {Photo 3}.  Skip the next st, sc in the next st.  Sl st in the next 2 sts, the first of which will be the FPsc.  Sc in the next st, skip the next st, make 3 hdc in the next st {Photo 4}.  (Dc in the next 4 sts, make 2 dc in the next st) 4 times {Photo 5}. 

Dc in the next 10 sts, hdc in the next 5 sts, sc in the last 5 sts {Photo 6}.  Join to the first sc with a sl st. 

Fasten off and work away your ends if you are going to change colours for the next round, otherwise sl st into the next ch-2 corner sp.

Stitch Count:  12 sc, 16 hdc, 68 dc, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 9

• If you are using the same colour: [Ch 1, sc, ch 2, sc] in the ch-2 corner sp.
• If you are using a new colour: Join your yarn by making a standing sc in the ch-2 corner at the pointy end of the heart.  [Ch 2, sc] in the same ch-2 sp. 

Sc in the first 5 sts, hdc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next 15 sts {Photo 1}.  (Make 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next 5 sts) twice {Photo 2}.  Make 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 5 sts, make 2 hdc in the next st {Photo 3}.  Sc in the next 5 sts {Photo 4}.

Make a FPhdc around the FPsc from Round 7.  Skip the next 2 sl sts of Round 8 and sc in the next 5 sts, the first of which should be the sc after the sl sts {Photo 5}.  Make 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 5 sts, make 2 hdc in the next st {Photo 6}.  (Dc in the next 5 sts, make 2 dc in the next st) twice {Photo 7}.  Dc in the next 15 sts, hdc in the next 5 sts, sc in the next 5 sts {Photo 8}.  Join to the first sc with a sl st. 

Fasten off and work away your ends if you are going to change colours for the next round, otherwise sl st into the next ch-2 corner sp.

Stitch Count:  22 sc, 28 hdc, 1 FPhdc, 58 dc, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 10

• If you are using the same colour: [Ch 4, hdc] in the ch-2 corner sp.
• If you are using a new colour: Join your yarn by making a standing hdc in the ch-2 sp at the pointy end of the heart.  Ch 2, hdc in the same ch-2 sp. 

Hdc in the next 8 sts, dc in the next 15 sts {Photo 1}.  (Make 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next 4 sts) 3 times.  Make 2 dc in the next st {Photo 2}.  (Hdc in the next 4 sts, make 2 hdc in the next st) twice {Photo 3}. 

Sc in the next 4 sts.  Skip the next st, FPhdc around the next FPhdc {Photo 4}.  Skip the next st, sc in the next 4 sts.  The last sc should fall in the sc before the hdc increase {Photo 5}.

(Make 2 hdc in the next st, hdc in the next 4 sts) twice {Photo 6}.  (Make 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next 4 sts) 3 times.  Make 2 dc in the next st {Photo 7}. 

Dc in the next 15 sts, hdc in the last 8 sts {Photo 8}.  Join to the first hdc (or the second ch of the beg ch-4) with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count:  8 sc, 42 hdc, 1 FPhdc, 70 dc, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 11

Join your yarn by making a standing dc in the ch-2 corner sp at the pointy end of the heart.  [Dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the same ch-2 sp.  This is your corner made.

BPdc around the next 45 sts, BPhdc around the next 15 sts.  FPhdc around the next st, which should be the FPhdc.  BPhdc around the next 15 sts, marking the fourth BPhdc with a SM.  BPdc around the next 45 sts.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count:  30 BPhdc, 1 FPhdc, 4 dc, 90 BPdc, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 12

Join your yarn by making a standing tr in the ch-2 corner sp at the pointy end of the heart.  [Ch 1, tr, ch 2, tr, ch 1, tr] in the same ch-2 sp, marking the first ch-1 sp with a SM.  This is your corner made.

Skip the first (hidden) st, make a V-st in the next st {Photo 1}.  (Skip the next 2 sts, make a V-st in the next st) 10 times {Photo 2}.  (Skip the next st, make a V-st in the next st) 14 times {Photo 3}.  Skip the next 2 sts, make a FPtr around the next FPhdc {Photo 4}. 

Skip the next 3 sts and make a V-st in the next (marked) st {Photo 5}.  Remove the SM.  (Skip the next st, make a V-st in the next st) 14 times {Photo 6}.  (Skip the next 2 sts, make a V-st in the next st) 10 times.  The last V-st should fall in the last st.  Join to the first tr with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count:  4 tr, 1 FPtr, 50 V-sts, 2 ch-1 corner sps, and 1 ch-2 corner sp

Round 13

From this point on, I have broken the instructions up so that it is easier to count stitches and keep track of where you are.  This round will have a fair few landmarks, but it is much easier to stop and check than to frog this round!!!  In fact, my original note (to myself) said:  “This is tedious counting!  Put in landmarks”.

First Corner:  Join your yarn by making a standing Popcorn in the marked ch-1 sp from the previous round.  Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next ch-2 sp.  Go ahead and mark the ch-3 sp with an SM before you continue.  Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next ch-1 sp {Photo 1}. 

First Side:  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 9 times {Photo 2}.  Before you continue, go ahead and count your Popcorns.  There should be 11 Popcorns after the SM, including 2 of the corner Popcorns.

Second Corner:  [Ch 1, tr, ch 1, tr, ch 1] between the last dc of the same V-st and the first dc of the next V-st {Photo 3}. 

Second Side:  Make a Popcorn in the next V-st.  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 7 times {Photo 4}.  Check that you have 8 Popcorns on this side.

Third Corner:  [Ch 1, tr, ch 2, tr, ch 2, tr, ch 1] in the next V-st {Photo 5}. 

Third Side:  Make a Popcorn in the next V-st.  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 5 times {Photo 6}.  Ch 3, sl st in the next V-st.  [FPdc, ch 1, FPdc] around the next FPtr.  Sl st in the next V-st, ch 3 {Photo 7}, make a Popcorn in the next V-st.  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 5 times {Photo 8}.  Check that you have 12 Popcorns on this side.

Fourth Corner:  [Ch 1, tr, ch 2, tr, ch 2, tr, ch 1] in the next V-st {Photo 9}. 

Fourth Side:  Make a Popcorn in the next V-st.  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 7 times {Photo 10}.  Check that you have 8 Popcorns on this side.

Fifth Corner:  [Ch 1, tr, ch 1, tr, ch 1] between the last dc of the same V-st and the first dc of the next V-st {Photo 11}. 

Fifth Side:  Make a Popcorn in the next V-st.  (Ch 3, make a Popcorn in the next V-st) 8 times.  Ch 3, join to the first Popcorn with a sl st {Photo 12}.  Check that you have 10 Popcorns between the last corner and the SM.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Stitch Count:  10 tr, 2 FPdc, 49 Popcorns, 11 ch-1 sps, 4 ch-2 sps, and 46 ch-3 sps

 

Yay, you’ve finished the heart part of this motif.  Now we just need to square-ish it.

Round 14

Corner:  Join your yarn by making a standing sc in the marked ch-3 sp from the previous round.  [hdc, dc] in the same ch-3 sp.  Ch 2, [dc, hdc, sc] in the next ch-3 sp.  This is your corner made.

First Side:  (FPsc around the next Popcorn, make 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp) 9 times.  FPsc around the next Popcorn.  Sc in the next ch-1 sp, [sc, ch 2, sc] in the next ch-1 sp.

Second Side: Sc in the next ch-1 sp.  (FPsc around the next Popcorn, make 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp) 4 times.  FPhdc around the next Popcorn, make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp.  FPdc around the next Popcorn, make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp.  There should now be 2 Popcorns left before the next corner.  Ch 3, skip the next ch-3 sp and the next ch-1 sp.  [3-tr Bobble, ch 3, 3-tr Bobble, ch 3] in the next ch-2 sp, which will be between the first and second tr.  [3-tr Bobble, ch 3, 3-tr Bobble, ch 3] in the next ch-2 sp. 

Third Side:  Skip the next ch-1 sp and the next ch-3 sp.  Make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next (third) Popcorn.  (Make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next Popcorn) twice.  Make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp.  Ch 5, skip the next ch-3 sp, make a sc in the next ch-1 sp (between FPdc).  Ch 7, make a sc in the same ch-1 sp.  Ch 4, skip the next ch-3 sp, make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp.  FPdc around the next (second) Popcorn.  (Make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next Popcorn) twice.  Make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp.  There should now be 2 Popcorns left before the next corner. 

Ch 3, skip the next ch-3 sp and the next ch-1 sp.  [3-tr Bobble, ch 3, 3-tr Bobble, ch 3] in the next ch-2 sp, which will be between the first and second tr.  [3-tr Bobble, ch 3, 3-tr Bobble, ch 3] in the next ch-2 sp. 

Fourth Side:  Skip the next ch-1 sp and the next ch-3 sp.  Make 2 dc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next (third) Popcorn.  Make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, FPhdc around the next Popcorn.  (Make 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, FPsc around the next Popcorn) 4 times.  Sc in the next ch-1 sp, [sc, ch 2, sc] in the next ch-1 sp.

Fifth Side: Sc in the next ch-1 sp.  (FPsc around the next Popcorn, make 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp) 9 times.  FPsc around the last Popcorn.  Join to the first sc with a sl st. 

Stitch Count:  88 sc, 28 FPsc, 20 hdc, 2 FPhdc, 14 dc, 8 FPdc, 8 3-tr Bobbles, 3 ch-2 sps, 10 ch-3 sps, 1 ch-4 sp, 1 ch-5 sp, 1 ch-7 sp

That is the longest Stitch Count I’ve ever written!

Round 15

First Corner:  Sl st in the next 2 sts and the ch-2 corner sp.  [Ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the same ch-2 corner sp. 

First Side:  Hdc in the first 3 sts.  (Skip the next FPsc, hdc in the next 3 sts) 9 times.  Skip the next FPsc, hdc in the last 2 sts. 

Second Corner:  [Hdc, ch 2, hdc] in the ch-2 corner sp.

Second Side:  Hdc in the next 2 sts.  (Skip the next FPst, hdc in the next 3 sts) 5 times.  Hdc in the last 3 sts before the ch-3 sp.  (Make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next 3-tr Bobble) twice. 

Third Corner:  [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the next ch-3 sp.

Third Side:  (Make a FPdc around the next 3-tr Bobble, make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp) twice.  Hdc in the next 2 sts, sc in the next 4 sts.  Skip the next FPdc, sc in the next 6 sts.  Ch 3, skip the ch-5 sp, make a sc in the ch-7 sp.  Ch 3, skip the ch-4 sp, sc in the next 6 sts.  Skip the next FPdc, sc in the next 4 sts, hdc in the next 2 sts.  (Make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, FPdc around the next 3-tr Bobble) twice. 

Fourth Corner:  [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the next ch-3 sp.

Fourth Side:  (Make a FPdc around the next 3-tr Bobble, make 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp) twice.  Hdc in the next 6 sts.  (Skip the next FPst, hdc in the next 3 sts) 4 times.  Skip the next FPsc, hdc in the last 2 sts. 

Fifth Corner:  [Hdc, ch 2, hdc] in the ch-2 corner sp.

Fifth Side:  Hdc in the next 2 sts.  (Skip the next FPsc, hdc in the next 3 sts) 10 times.  Join to the top of the beg ch-3 with a sl st.

Stitch Count:  21 sc, 136 hdc, 12 dc, 8 FPdc, and 5 ch-2 corner sps

Round 16

Corner:  Sl st in the next st and the ch-2 corner sp.  [Ch 1, sc, ch 2, sc] in the same ch-2 corner sp.  Mark the ch-2 sp with a SM.  You will need it later when you are working all the way around the giant triangles (which aren’t really that giant). 

First Side:  Sc in the next 35 sts.  [Sc, ch 2, sc] in the ch-2 corner sp.

Second Side:  Skip the first st, which will be tricky to get into anyway.  Sc in the next 24 sts, hdc in the next 3 sts, dc in the next 3 sts.  [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the next ch-2 sp.

Third Side:  This side is asymmetric.  Hdc in the next 12 sts, sc in the next 10 sts.  (Make 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp) twice.  Sc in the next 12 sts, hdc in the last 10 sts.  [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in the next ch-2 sp.

Fourth Side:  Skip the first st.  Dc in the next 3 sts, hdc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next 24 sts.  [Sc, ch 2, sc] in the next ch-2 corner sp.

Fifth Side:  Sc in the next 35 sts, the first one of which will be tricky to get into because it’s an hdc.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your ends.

Counting from ch-2 corner sp to ch-2 corner sp, not including ch-2 sps:

• Stitch Counts Sides 1 and 5: 37 sc
• Stitch Counts Sides 2 and 4: 25 sc, 3 hdc, and 5 dc {33 sts}
• Stitch Count Side 3: 28 sc, 22 hdc, and 4 dc {54 sts}

Phew!  All done.  Remember to weigh your motif to see if you are on track with yarn usage.  I also suggest blocking it so that you can check that your measurements are close to the suggested ones.

Now you can relax until next week, when we start Part 1!

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