Knitted Heart Gifts: Free Patterns for Garlands, Bookmarks, and Keychains
There is something undeniably special about a handmade gift. Whether it is the time invested, the care taken in choosing colours, or the simple joy of creating something with your own two hands, a handcrafted present carries a warmth that no shop-bought item can quite replicate. And when that handmade gift takes the shape of a heart — one of the most universally recognised symbols of love and affection — it becomes something truly memorable.
If you have been looking for a charming, beginner-friendly knitting project that yields gorgeous results without requiring hours of work, you have come to exactly the right place. Today we are sharing a free pattern for knitted hearts that you can transform into three delightful gifts: a decorative garland, a sweet bookmark, and a practical yet adorable keychain. These little knitted hearts are perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, teacher appreciation gifts, friendship tokens, Christmas stockings, or just because — because sometimes the best gifts are the ones that arrive on an ordinary Tuesday with no occasion needed at all.
Whether you are an experienced knitter or someone who has just discovered the satisfying click of needles, this project is well within reach. We will walk you through the materials you need, the basic knitting techniques involved, and the step-by-step pattern for each gift idea. We will also share plenty of tips for customising your hearts and making them truly your own.
Why Knitted Hearts Make Such Wonderful Gifts
Before we dive into the pattern itself, let us take a moment to appreciate why knitted hearts are such a brilliant craft project, especially when you are making gifts for children, friends, or family.
First, they are small. This is a tremendous advantage when you want to make something heartfelt but do not have weeks of spare time. A single knitted heart can be completed in under an hour once you have the pattern memorised, which means you can batch-make a whole collection in an evening. This makes them ideal for classroom Valentine’s exchanges, party favours, or wedding confetti alternatives.
Second, they are versatile. The same basic knitted heart shape can be assembled into a beautiful hanging garland for a nursery or child’s bedroom, threaded onto a ribbon to mark the pages of a beloved book, or attached to a keyring so someone carries a little token of love wherever they go. Three gifts, one pattern — the efficiency is deeply satisfying.
Third, they are meaningful. In a world of fast fashion and mass production, a handknitted heart communicates something that money genuinely cannot buy. It says: I sat down, I picked up my needles, and I made this specifically for you. For a child in particular, receiving something handmade by a parent, grandparent, or teacher is a memory that tends to stick.
Finally, they are a fantastic project to do with children. Older children who are learning to knit will find hearts an exciting and achievable goal. Younger children can help by choosing the yarn colours, threading garlands, or decorating the finished pieces with embroidery or fabric paint. This is the Red Ted Art spirit at its core — making creativity accessible, joyful, and inclusive for kids of all ages.
Materials You Will Need
One of the best things about this project is that the materials list is refreshingly short and inexpensive. Here is what you will need to get started.
Yarn: Double knitting (DK) weight yarn works beautifully for these hearts and produces a finished piece that holds its shape well. Red and pink are the obvious choices for a classic heart aesthetic, but do not be afraid to explore burgundy, coral, lilac, mustard yellow, or even a variegated yarn for something a little unexpected. You will not need much yarn per heart — scraps and leftover balls from previous projects are perfect for this.
Knitting needles: A pair of 3.5mm or 4mm knitting needles will suit DK yarn well. Bamboo or wooden needles can be particularly helpful if you are a beginner, as they have a slight grip that keeps stitches from sliding off too easily.
Stuffing: A small amount of toy stuffing or polyester fibrefill gives each heart a lovely plump, three-dimensional appearance. You can also use small wool scraps for a more sustainable option.
Tapestry needle: For sewing up seams and weaving in yarn ends.
Scissors.
For the garland: A length of twine, ribbon, or thin cord, plus additional yarn for attaching the hearts.
For the bookmark: A piece of ribbon approximately 20cm long, or a length of cord, plus a small amount of embroidery thread if you wish to add decorative stitching.
For the keychain: A keyring finding, available very inexpensively from craft stores or online marketplaces. A lobster clasp or simple split ring both work perfectly.
Optional extras: Small buttons, beads, embroidery thread, fabric glue, and tiny charms can all be used to personalise and embellish your finished hearts.
Understanding the Basic Knitted Heart Shape
The knitted heart is created in a way that might surprise you if you have not made one before. Rather than trying to knit the entire heart in one complex piece, the most common and beginner-friendly method involves knitting two small lobes separately, joining them on the needle, and then continuing to knit down to form the pointed base of the heart. The result is a flat or lightly stuffed shape that is firm, neat, and unmistakably heart-shaped.
If you are completely new to knitting, you will want to be comfortable with the following techniques before you begin: casting on, knit stitch (or garter stitch), purl stitch (so you can work stocking stitch if preferred), casting off, and basic increases and decreases. None of these are difficult, and there are wonderful tutorials available in video format if you would like to see the movements demonstrated before you start.
The Free Knitted Heart Pattern
This pattern creates a small, approximately 6–7cm wide heart worked flat in garter stitch, which means you simply knit every row. Garter stitch is wonderfully forgiving and has a lovely texture that suits the softness of a handmade gift perfectly. If you prefer a smoother finish, you can substitute stocking stitch by purling the wrong side rows, but garter stitch is recommended for beginners.
Abbreviations used:
CO = cast on, K = knit, K2tog = knit two stitches together (decrease), M1 = make one stitch (increase), BO = bind off / cast off, RS = right side, WS = wrong side.
First lobe:
CO 2 stitches.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: K1, M1, K1. (3 stitches)
Row 3: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1. (5 stitches)
Row 4: K2, M1, K1, M1, K2. (7 stitches)
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K3, M1, K1, M1, K3. (9 stitches)
Rows 7–9: Knit.
Cut yarn and leave these 9 stitches on the needle.
Second lobe:
On the same needle, cast on 2 new stitches using the backward loop or knitted cast-on method. Work the same increases as above until you have 9 stitches for the second lobe sitting alongside the first.
Joining the lobes:
Row 1 (joining row): Knit across all 18 stitches (9 from second lobe, then 9 from first lobe).
Row 2: K1, K2tog, K12, K2tog, K1. (16 stitches)
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: K1, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K1. (14 stitches)
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: K1, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K1. (12 stitches)
Row 7: Knit.
Row 8: K1, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K1. (10 stitches)
Row 9: Knit.
Row 10: K1, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K1. (8 stitches)
Row 11: Knit.
Row 12: K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1. (6 stitches)
Row 13: K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1. (4 stitches)
Row 14: K2tog, K2tog. (2 stitches)
Row 15: K2tog. (1 stitch)
Pull yarn through the final stitch and fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing up.
Making it three-dimensional: Fold the heart in half along the central vertical axis, matching the two lobes together. Using your tapestry needle and the yarn tail, sew around the edges with a simple whip stitch, leaving a small gap. Push a small amount of stuffing inside before closing the seam completely. Fasten off and weave in all ends. You now have one beautifully plump little knitted heart.
How to Make the Knitted Heart Garland
A garland of knitted hearts makes an absolutely enchanting decoration for a child’s bedroom, a birthday party, a nursery, or a cosy living room corner. They are also lovely strung across a mantelpiece for Valentine’s Day or hung above a gift table at a baby shower.
To make a garland you will want to knit between ten and twenty hearts depending on how long you would like the finished decoration to be. Mixing colours is highly recommended here — alternate between deep red and blush pink, or create a rainbow sequence using every colour in your yarn stash. A garland of mismatched colours has a joyful, handmade quality that feels particularly special.
Once your hearts are made and stuffed, cut a length of twine, ribbon, or thick cord to your desired length, adding an extra 20cm or so at each end for hanging loops. Lay your hearts out along the cord in your chosen colour order before attaching them, so you can adjust the spacing and sequence before committing.
To attach each heart, thread a length of matching yarn onto your tapestry needle and sew through the top of the heart (between the two lobes at the centre top, which is naturally the best attachment point) and around the cord, repeating two or three times to secure it firmly. Tie off on the back of the heart where the knot will not be visible. Space your hearts evenly — approximately 8 to 10cm apart tends to look balanced and generous without the garland feeling too heavy.
Tie a loop at each end of the cord for hanging, and your garland is ready to brighten any space it graces.
How to Make the Knitted Heart Bookmark
A heart bookmark is one of those gifts that is small in size but enormous in thoughtfulness. It is practical, it is personal, and every single time the recipient opens their book, they will find your little handknitted heart waiting for them.
To make a bookmark, knit one heart using the pattern above. You can make it flat rather than stuffed if you prefer a slimmer, more page-friendly result, simply by skipping the seaming and stuffing steps. A flat heart lies nicely between book pages without creating bulk.
Cut a length of ribbon approximately 20 to 25cm long — satin ribbon in red, pink, or gold looks particularly lovely. Fold the ribbon in half and attach the folded end to the top of the heart (between the two lobes) using a lark’s head knot or by sewing it securely with your tapestry needle. The two ribbon tails will hang below the heart, creating the perfect bookmark shape that sits at the top of a page with the heart visible above the book cover.
If you want to embellish further, you can thread small wooden beads onto the ribbon tails and knot them at the ends to prevent them from slipping off. A little personalisation with embroidery — perhaps the recipient’s initial worked in backstitch onto the front of the heart — transforms this simple bookmark into something truly one of a kind.
Wrap your finished bookmark around a postcard or small piece of cardstock tied with a bow, and you have a gift that requires almost no packaging but looks genuinely lovely.
How to Make the Knitted Heart Keychain
A keychain is perhaps the most everyday of all the three gift options, which is precisely what makes it so touching. Keys are something we handle multiple times a day, and attaching a small, handmade heart to a keyring means the recipient will think of you every single morning as they leave the house and every evening as they come home.
To make the keychain, knit and assemble one heart as per the main pattern, stuffing it firmly so that it holds its shape well and feels satisfyingly chunky in the hand. Durability matters slightly more for a keychain than for a garland or bookmark, since it will be handled frequently and may knock against keys, bags, and hard surfaces, so make sure your seams are secure and your yarn ends are woven in thoroughly.
Attach the heart to your keyring finding by threading a short length of strong yarn or narrow cord through the top of the heart between the two lobes, threading both ends through the keyring, and knotting firmly. You can also use a small lobster clasp rather than a fixed ring, which makes it easier for the recipient to swap the heart between different keys or bags as they wish.
If you want to add a personal touch, a tiny initial charm or a small bead in the recipient’s favourite colour can be threaded onto the cord before attaching it to the keyring. These small details are what elevate a simple craft project into a genuinely treasured keepsake.
Customising Your Knitted Hearts
One of the great joys of a free pattern like this is the creative freedom it gives you. Here are some of our favourite ways to make these hearts completely your own.
Change the yarn weight. A chunky yarn worked on larger needles will produce a big, bold heart perfect for a statement garland or a baby gift. Fingering weight yarn on fine needles creates a delicate, miniature heart with an almost jewellery-like quality.
Add texture. Try working the hearts in a textured stitch like seed stitch or moss stitch instead of garter stitch for a different visual effect. Cables are trickier to incorporate into a small shape like this, but a simple twisted stitch can add beautiful definition.
Experiment with colour. Two-colour hearts, where you switch yarn at the midpoint to create a gradient or contrast effect, are eye-catching and make a garland particularly dynamic. Striped hearts are also charming and a great way to use up very small leftover scraps.
Embellish with embroidery. Once your hearts are made, they become a perfect small canvas for simple embroidery. A tiny flower, a star, a letter, or a simple cross-stitch pattern worked in contrasting thread can completely transform the finished piece.
Use novelty yarn. Fluffy bouclé yarn gives hearts a soft, cloud-like appearance that is irresistible for baby gifts and nursery decorations. Glittery or metallic yarn adds a festive sparkle perfect for Christmas gifting or party decorations.
Tips for Success
If this is one of your first knitting projects, keep these tips in mind as you work.
Tension matters, but do not stress about it unduly for a small decorative item like a heart. If your hearts turn out slightly larger or smaller than the measurements given, that is perfectly fine — they will still be beautiful.
Keep your increases and decreases neat by working them one stitch in from the edge where possible. This creates a tidy selvedge that makes seaming much easier.
When stuffing your hearts, less is often more to begin with. Add stuffing gradually and assess the shape as you go. Overstuffed hearts can look lumpy and distorted, while a modest, even amount of stuffing creates a smooth, pleasing shape.
Block your finished hearts if you want them to be perfectly shaped. Simply dampen them with a water spray, pin them into shape on a blocking board or folded towel, and leave them to dry completely. This makes a surprising difference to the final result.
Finally, make more than you think you need. Once you get into the rhythm of this pattern, the hearts will stack up quickly, and you will find yourself making them as spontaneous small gifts for everyone in your life. There are far worse habits to develop.
A Note on Making With Children
At Red Ted Art, we believe that crafting with children is one of the most valuable ways to spend time together — not because the finished product is always perfect, but because the process of making is where the real magic lives. Conversations happen over a craft table that do not happen anywhere else. Confidence grows with every stitch completed. And a handmade gift given by a child is one of the most genuinely precious things a person can receive.
For children aged roughly eight and above who are beginning to knit, these hearts make a brilliant first real project. They are small
