by Creating a crochet heart placemat and coaster set is a charming project that adds a touch of handmade warmth and love to any table! This set is perfect for special occasions, gifts, or simply to brighten your everyday dining. While it involves making two different sizes of the same basic shape, the techniques are beginner-friendly for anyone comfortable with working in the round and basic stitches.
For placemats and coasters, especially in warm Phnom Penh, 100% cotton yarn is an excellent choice. Cotton is durable, absorbent, and easy to wash, which is ideal for items that will see spills and regular use. It also provides great stitch definition, making your heart shapes crisp and beautiful.
How to Crochet a Heart Placemat & Coaster Set
This tutorial will guide you through making a standard-sized coaster and then scaling up the pattern for a matching placemat. The core of this project lies in crocheting two separate “bumps” and then joining them to form the heart shape.
1. Essential Materials You’ll Need
- Yarn:
- Main Color: Choose a color you love for your hearts – traditional red, pink, or white, or something unique like blue or green! Worsted Weight (Aran / Medium / Category 4) Cotton Yarn.
- For one placemat and one coaster, you’ll likely need about 200-300 grams (approx. 350-500 yards) of worsted weight cotton yarn, depending on your tension and specific yarn.
- Crochet Hook:
- A 4.0mm (US G/6) or 4.5mm (US 7) hook. You want a hook size that creates a dense, firm fabric for both the placemat and coaster so they lay flat and protect surfaces well.
- Scissors: For cutting yarn.
- Yarn Needle (Tapestry Needle): Essential for weaving in ends.
- Stitch Markers (at least 2, optional but helpful): To mark specific stitches or the beginning of rounds.
2. Basic Crochet Stitches You’ll Use
This project utilizes fundamental crochet stitches:
- Magic Ring (MR) / Adjustable Ring: (Highly Recommended!) Creates a tight, hole-free center for your initial “bumps.” Alternatively, you can
ch 2, then work all stitches of Round 1 into the 2nd ch from the hook. - Chain (ch): For starting stitches and forming loops.
- Slip Stitch (sl st): For joining rounds.
- Single Crochet (sc): Creates a dense fabric, ideal for borders or smaller sections.
- Half Double Crochet (hdc): A versatile, medium-height stitch, often used for the main body.
- Double Crochet (dc): A taller stitch, good for expanding quickly.
- Treble Crochet (tr) / Triple Crochet: An even taller stitch, used for expanding larger pieces.
- Increase (inc): Work 2 stitches into the same stitch.
- Fasten Off: To securely end your work.
- Weaving in Ends: Hiding yarn tails for a neat and professional finish.
Crochet Heart Pattern (for both Coaster & Placemat)
The core pattern for each heart is similar; you’ll just adjust the number of rounds to make a coaster or a placemat. We’ll start with the “bumps” (the two rounded top parts of the heart) and then join them to form the full heart shape.
Abbreviations (US Crochet Terms):
- MR: Magic Ring
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet (triple crochet)
- st(s): stitch(es)
(...): work stitches into the same stitch or space[...]: repeat instructions in brackets- FO: Fasten off
Part 1: First “Bump” of the Heart (Make 1)
This forms one of the rounded top sections.
- Start with your chosen yarn.
- Round 1: Create a MR. Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch). Work 9 dc into the MR. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 2. (9 dc)
- Gently pull the tail of the MR to close the center hole tightly.
- Fasten Off, leaving a tail about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long for weaving in. Weave in the starting tail from the Magic Ring.
Part 2: Second “Bump” of the Heart (Make 1)
This forms the second rounded top section.
- Repeat all steps for Part 1 exactly.
- DO NOT Fasten Off this second bump. You will use the yarn still attached to your hook to join the two bumps.
Part 3: Joining the Bumps & Shaping the Heart
Now we’ll connect the two bumps and work around them to form the rest of the heart.
- With the second bump still on your hook (do not chain or turn), insert your hook into the last dc of the first bump (the one you fastened off earlier).
- Make a sl st to join the two bumps together. This creates the top center dip of the heart.
- Ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc).
- Work 8 hdc into the remaining 8 dc of the first bump. (9 hdc total for this half of the first bump).
- Work 9 hdc into the 9 dc of the second bump.
- You should now be at the point where the two bumps originally joined. Work 2 hdc into the joining sl st from Step 2.
- Now work back along the underside of the first bump: Work 9 hdc into the 9 dc of the first bump (the ones you haven’t worked into yet from the underside).
- Work 9 hdc into the 9 dc of the second bump (the ones you haven’t worked into yet from the underside).
- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 2. (40 hdc)
Part 4: Expanding for Coaster or Placemat
This is where you determine the size. We’ll add more rounds, increasing evenly to keep the heart flat.
For the Coaster (Continue from Part 3):
- Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc). Hdc in the same st.
*Hdc in the next 3 sts, inc hdc in the next st.*Repeat 9 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 2. (50 hdc)
- Round 5 (Optional Border): Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (50 sc)
- Fasten Off, leaving a tail for weaving in. Weave in all ends.
- Your coaster should be about 4-5 inches wide.
For the Placemat (Continue from Part 3):
You will work more increase rounds, likely using taller stitches (dc, tr) to expand more quickly.
- Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc). Hdc in the same st.
*Hdc in the next 3 sts, inc hdc in the next st.*Repeat 9 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 2. (50 hdc)
- Round 5: Ch 2. Hdc in the same st.
*Hdc in the next 4 sts, inc hdc in the next st.*Repeat 9 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 2. (60 hdc)
- Round 6: Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc). Dc in the same st.
*Dc in the next 4 sts, inc dc in the next st.*Repeat 11 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (72 dc)
- Round 7: Ch 3. Dc in the same st.
*Dc in the next 5 sts, inc dc in the next st.*Repeat 11 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (84 dc)
- Round 8: Ch 3. Dc in the same st.
*Dc in the next 6 sts, inc dc in the next st.*Repeat 11 times around.- Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. (96 dc)
- Round 9 (Optional Border): Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (96 sc)
- Fasten Off, leaving a tail for weaving in. Weave in all ends.
- Your placemat should be about 10-12 inches wide. For a larger placemat, add more increase rounds, following the same pattern of increasing stitches between increases.
5. Finishing Your Heart Set
- Weave in ALL Ends: This is crucial for a clean and professional look. Use your yarn needle to carefully hide every single yarn tail on the backside of your pieces. Go back and forth through stitches several times to ensure they are secure and won’t unravel with use or washing.
- Blocking (Highly Recommended!): Blocking makes a significant difference for flat crochet pieces like placemats and coasters. It helps:
- Even out your stitches.
- Flatten the pieces so they lay perfectly flat on your table.
- Define the edges and shape of the heart.
- Method:
- Gently wet your finished heart pieces (you can submerge them in cool water with a tiny bit of mild soap, then gently squeeze out excess water, or simply mist them thoroughly with a spray bottle).
- Lay them flat on a blocking mat or a clean towel.
- Gently stretch and shape each heart to its perfect form. Use rust-proof pins to hold the edges in place, especially around the curves of the heart.
- Allow them to air dry completely. This might take several hours or overnight. Do not use heat (like a hairdryer) as it can distort the yarn.
Tips for a Beautiful Heart Set
- Consistent Tension: Maintaining even tension throughout your work is the most important factor for flat, well-shaped hearts that don’t curl.
- Yarn Choice: Cotton is ideal for its absorbency and stiffness, making it perfect for items that will be used for drinks and meals.
- Stitch Count: Always count your stitches at the end of each round to ensure you have the correct number of increases and don’t accidentally add or drop stitches.
- Learning Curve: The shaping of the heart, particularly joining the bumps, can be a little tricky the first time. Don’t be afraid to unravel and try again until you get the hang of it!
- Gift Sets: These make wonderful gifts for Valentine’s Day, housewarmings, weddings, or just because! Consider making a set of 2 or 4 coasters, or a placemat for each person at the table.
Enjoy crocheting your lovely heart placemat and coaster set. They’re sure to bring warmth and joy to your home!
