Heart Pillow

Knit Heart Pillow by SeeLoveShare

Project Overview

The Knit Heart Pillow is a charming two-sided plushie cushion designed by independent designer SeeLoveShare. This beginner-friendly knitting project creates a soft, huggable heart-shaped pillow perfect for gifting to a loved one. The pattern combines two distinct stitch techniques on opposing sides, creating visual and textural interest while remaining quick and accessible for newer knitters.

What Is Being Made

This project produces a stuffed heart-shaped pillow with dimensional depth. The finished piece features contrasting stitch patterns on each side—one smooth and one textured—that are knitted separately, then seamed together and filled with batting to create a three-dimensional plushie. The heart shape is achieved through strategic increases and decreases worked into the stocking stitch foundation.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Stocking Stitch (Stockinette Stitch): The primary stitch pattern for Side 1, created by alternating knit rows on odd rows and purl rows on even rows. This produces the classic smooth, V-textured fabric commonly seen in knitted garments.
• Ribbed Stitch (Knit 1 Purl 1): Used on Side 2, this alternating knit and purl pattern creates vertical ridges that add elasticity and textural contrast to the pillow.
• Increases: The pattern uses increases at edges to expand the stitch count, shaping the wider portions of the heart. Increases are worked at the beginning of rows to build the heart's distinctive silhouette.
• Decreases: Strategic decreases narrow the stitch count to form the pointed bottom of the heart shape.
• Seaming: After both sides are completed, they are sewn together using an embroidery needle, then stuffed before final closure.

Stitches Used

• Knit Stitch: The fundamental stitch forming the basis of both the stocking stitch and ribbed sections.
• Purl Stitch: Used in alternation with knit stitches to create both the stockinette texture and the 1x1 ribbing pattern.
• Cast-On: The pattern begins with casting on 8 stitches to establish the foundation row.
• Bind-Off: Stitches are secured at the end of each piece before assembly.

Materials Required

Yarn: One ball of super bulky weight yarn. The pattern specifically recommends Bernat Blanket Yarn in Race Car Red, though any super bulky yarn in your preferred color will work. Super bulky yarn allows the project to work up quickly, making it ideal for beginners and fast completion.

Needles: US #11 (8MM) knitting needles, sized appropriately for the chunky yarn weight to achieve proper gauge and fabric drape.

Notions: Fiberfill stuffing or batting to fill the pillow interior after seaming, and an embroidery needle with a large eye for sewing the two sides together and any embellishment work.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 7 stitches and 8 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch. Maintaining this gauge ensures the heart pillow reaches the intended finished size and maintains proper fabric density for stuffing.

Difficulty Level

This is a beginner-level project suitable for knitters new to the craft. The pattern uses only fundamental stitches and straightforward shaping techniques. With minimal pattern complexity and quick completion time—typically two hours or less—this project builds confidence while producing an adorable finished object.

Why Choose This Pattern

The Knit Heart Pillow combines accessibility with charm, making it an excellent choice for gift-giving or personal projects. The use of super bulky yarn and large needles means fast progress, while the two-stitch-pattern design teaches valuable knitting fundamentals without overwhelming complexity. The finished plushie is soft, huggable, and instantly recognizable as a handmade labor of love.