Cotton Candy Heart Square Crochet Free Pattern
Introduction
The Cotton Candy Heart Square is a sweet, beginner-friendly crochet project that turns two simple shapes into one adorable 12-inch block. It's perfect for anyone who has just learned single crochet and wants a finished piece that looks polished and cute. The baby blue background is dense and even, while the little pink heart in the center adds a soft pop of color that feels like a bite of cotton candy. Use it as a pillow front, a baby blanket square, or a handmade gift that's as fun to make as it is to give.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn in baby blue (approximately 100 yards) and cotton candy pink (approximately 20 yards)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H/8) crochet hook
- Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors, rust-proof pins, and a stitch marker (optional)
- Finished size: 12 inches x 12 inches
Abbreviations
- ch – chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook
- sc – single crochet: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops
- sl st – slip stitch: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round: a complete circle of stitches worked around a center point
- [ ] – repeat the instructions inside the brackets the number of times stated
Gauge
16 single crochet x 18 rows = 4 inches. To check your gauge, crochet a small swatch in single crochet and measure a 4-inch section; if you have more stitches than 16, try a larger hook, and if you have fewer, try a smaller hook.
Tips Before You Start
- Keep your single crochet tension relaxed and even so the square stays flat and measures a true 12 inches.
- Count your stitches at the end of every row; the square should stay at 48 stitches all the way up.
- Work the border stitches evenly spaced along the sides so the edge doesn't ripple or pull in.
- Pin the heart in place before sewing so it sits perfectly centered and doesn't shift while you stitch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Square (baby blue)
Row 1: Ch 49, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (48 sc).
Rows 2-48: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (48 sc).
Do not fasten off.
Border (baby blue)
Border rnd: Ch 1, turn, sc evenly around the entire square, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Heart (pink)
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with sl st to first sc (6 sc).
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join (12 sc).
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. Join (18 sc).
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, sl st in next st. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Assembly and Finishing
Pin the pink heart to the center of the blue square, checking that it sits evenly on all sides. Thread the long pink tail onto a tapestry needle and whipstitch the heart in place all the way around, keeping your stitches small and neat. Weave in all remaining ends on the wrong side of the square. Block the finished square by misting it lightly with water, pinning it to a 12-inch square, and letting it dry flat so the edges lie straight and the heart stays flat.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the baby blue for mint green or lavender and the pink for white for a different candy-color palette.
- Make several squares and join them into a baby blanket or a set of pillow covers.
- Add a second border round in pink single crochet to frame the square and tie the colors together.
