Heart and Soul Ornament

Heart and Soul Ornament by Maria Molodova

What Is Being Made

The Heart and Soul Ornament is a small decorative crochet piece designed by Maria Molodova, perfect for adding a handmade touch to holiday displays, gift packages, or year-round home décor. This finished ornament measures 6 cm (2.25 inches) wide by 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) high, making it an ideal size for hanging on Christmas trees, wreaths, or displaying in collections of small handmade treasures.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses the crochet craft, worked in the round with the right side facing throughout construction. The ornament is classified as an intermediateskill level project, suitable for crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to work with specialized techniques. The design incorporates a unique stitch variation called twisted single crochet, which adds visual texture and dimension to the finished piece. This technique involves inserting the hook into the indicated stitch, pulling up a loop, then rotating the hook counter-clockwise a full turn before completing the stitch—creating a distinctive twisted appearance that enhances the ornament's visual appeal.

Stitches Used

The Heart and Soul Ornament employs a focused selection of fundamental and specialty crochet stitches:

• Chain (ch): The foundation stitch used to create the base of the project
• Single Crochet (sc): A basic short stitch that creates a tight, dense fabric
• Twisted Single Crochet: A specialty variation of single crochet that adds decorative texture by twisting the stitch during construction
• Double Crochet (dc): A taller stitch that provides height and drape to sections of the design
• Treble Crochet (tr): An even taller stitch used for specific shaping elements
• Slip Stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds and create seamless transitions
• Back Loop Only (BLO): A technique where the hook inserts only into the back loop of the indicated stitch, creating a ridged texture effect
• Chain Space (ch sp): The openings created between chain stitches, often used for decorative spacing

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Heart and Soul Ornament requires minimal materials, making it an economical project. The pattern calls for 1 skein of Drops Muskat yarn in the Coral colorway (col 40). Drops Muskat is a DK weight yarn composed of 100% cotton, offering a lightweight, breathable fiber ideal for ornaments and decorative pieces. Each skein contains 100 meters (109 yards) and weighs 50 grams (1.75 ounces), providing ample yardage for this small project with yarn left over for future creations.

The recommended hook size is 4 mm (US G/6), which pairs appropriately with the DK weight yarn to create a fabric with good stitch definition. A tapestry needle is required for weaving in yarn ends and finishing the ornament neatly. The pattern notes that gauge is not important for this project, allowing crocheters flexibility in their tension without affecting the final result—a feature that makes this design particularly forgiving and suitable for intermediate crafters still refining their tension consistency.

Pattern Characteristics

This downloadable PDF pattern is offered as a free design ```