The Knitted & Felted Heart Decoration: Free Beginner Knitting Pattern!

An easy-to-knit, super simple heart knitting pattern for a decorative ornament using chunky yarn and any type of knitting needles — felted for extra fun!

– JUMP TO PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS –

This felted heart decoration is a quick, satisfying knitting project designed for beginners and confident knitters alike. It’s knitted flat using garter stitch and a simple increase technique, then felted to create a sturdy, super-cute ornament. Use it as a festive decoration, gift topper, keyring charm, lovey-dovey mini-gift for Valentine's Day, or stitched onto bags and garments for a handmade touch.

This pattern is designed to be a way to practise essential knitting skills on a low-pressure project and because the heart is felted at the end, small mistakes won’t matter. How great is that?!

Pattern Information:

The felted heart is worked flat from the bottom point upwards.

The lower half of the heart is shaped using simple yarn over increases. The top is then formed by shaping and binding off each heart wing separately. The finished piece is felted to compact the stitches together and firm up the fabric.

Important note: This pattern uses yarn over increases, which normally create visible holes in knitting. However, because the heart is felted at the end, those eyelets completely disappear. That makes this the perfect project for practising yarn overs without worrying about mistakes, uneven tension, or additional accidental holes because felting smooths everything out!

Skills Used in This Pattern

You’ll use the following techniques:

• Basic cast on

• Knit stitch (garter stitch)

• Yarn over (YO) increases

• Knit two together (K2TOG) decreases

• Binding off

• Working stitches separately

• Basic wet felting

If any of these are new to you, I recommend reading these 5 tutorials first:

• Knitted Cast On Tutorial | An Easy Step-by-Step for Beginners

• How to Do the Knit Stitch: Step-by-Step for Absolute Beginners (Videos Included!)

• How to Yarn Over in Knitting (YO): Decorative Increases Made Easy

• How to Knit K2TOG (Knit Two Together): An Easy Decrease Explained

• Knitting Bind Off: Easy Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Materials Needed

• 7 mm, 7.5 mm, or 8 mm knitting needles (any will work)

• 10–15 g super-bulky yarn per heart (must be feltable, so 100% wool)

• Large safety pin or scrap yarn (to hold stitches)

• Tapestry needle

• Scissors

• Pillowcase or laundry bag and a tea towel (for felting)

• Optional: 15 cm gold yarn or thread for hanging

Finished Size

Size will vary depending on yarn, needle size, and felting, but expect a small palm-sized heart once felted. If you wish to make a larger heart, you can double all stitch counts!

Pattern Instructions

Bottom of the Heart

Cast on 3 stitches.

Row 1 (WS): Knit 1, yarn over, knit to last stitch, yarn over, knit 1

Row 2 (RS): Knit all stitches

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 10 times (20 rows).

You should now have 23 stitches.

Dividing for Wings of Heart

Next row (WS): Knit 11 stitches, bind off 1 stitch, knit remaining 11 stitches.

Turn work.

You will now work one wing at a time.

Shaping the First Heart Wing

Row 1: Knit until 3 stitches remain, K2TOG, knit 1.

(Suspend the other 11 stitches, which come after the bound-off stitch, on a safety pin or scrap yarn for later)

Repeat row 1 on every row (RS and WS) until 3 stitches remain.

Next row: K2TOG, knit 1

Bind off remaining 2 stitches.

Second Heart Wing

Return the suspended 11 stitches to your needle. Join new yarn starting closest to where you bound off the central stitch and repeat all shaping instructions exactly as written for the first heart wing.

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Neatness is not important because felting will hide imperfections, but avoid distorting the shape and aim to keep both sides symmetrical.

Here you can see the knitted heart attached directly to the tea towel with a safety pin. This did not work and was felted into the heart, hahah! Don't do it like this...

Felting the Heart (Front-Loading Washing Machine)

Felting makes the loose garter stitch fabric dense and sturdy.

1. Place the heart inside a pillowcase or laundry bag.

2. Add a tea towel for extra agitation.

3. Wash on a regular 40 °C cycle with a normal spin (around 1000–1200 rpm).

4. Check the heart after one cycle and if not felted enough, repeat the wash. The second time it is advisable to check halfway through.

5. While damp, gently reshape the heart and lay flat to dry.

   • If your heart is over-felted, you can submerge it in warm water with a drop of hair conditioner for 5 minutes and afterwards gently stretch it to slightly re-shape. Results may vary.

Important: Felting is irreversible, so peek at the heart while it is in the spin phase. If it looks felted enough, interrupt the washing machine cycle and set it out to dry.

Final Touches

Once dry, thread 15 cm of gold yarn or thread through the top and knot to hang.

Alternatively, the heart can be:

• Attached to key rings

• Sewn onto gift wrapping

• Used as a decorative applique

• Embroidered for extra detail

Where to go next:

• Check out my other available patterns, beginner-friendly and full of support and help as you go!

• How to Start Knitting for Total Beginners: The Ultimate Guide

• Knit vs. Purl Stitches: An Easy Beginner’s Guide (with Tips & Fixes)