Crochet Leggy Heart: Free No-Sew Valentine Plushie Pattern for Beginners

This little crochet heart has a face, a pair of floppy arms and two long dangly legs, and it is hard not to smile at it. Made in chunky blanket yarn, it works up quickly into a soft, squishy plushie that can sit on a shelf, hug a matching heart or go in a gift bag for Valentine's Day, an anniversary or just because.

The best part for anyone who dislikes finishing work is that it is a no-sew pattern. The two heart pieces are joined with your hook, and the arms and legs are crocheted right off the edge during the joining, so there are no limbs to attach at the end. The design and video tutorial are by Anita Louise Crochet, who walks through every round on camera at a relaxed, beginner-friendly pace.

Images and patterns courtesy of Anita Louise Crochet

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Leggy Crochet Heart at a Glance

• Designer: Anita Louise Crochet
• Level: beginner friendly
• Yarn: size 6 (super bulky) chunky blanket yarn, plus small amounts of pink and black yarn for the face and a contrast color for an optional bow
• Hook: 6 mm
• Stitches: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet, with increases to shape the top of the heart (US terms)
• Construction: two flat heart pieces joined with the hook, arms and legs added while joining, stuffed before closing
• Video length: about 29 minutes

What You'll Need

• Chunky blanket yarn (size 6) in your heart color
• A small piece of pink yarn and black yarn for the cheeks and mouth
• A small piece of yarn in another color if you want to add a bow
• 6 mm crochet hook
• 10 mm safety eyes
• 3 stitch markers
• A handful of polyfill stuffing
• Yarn needle and scissors

How the Heart Comes Together

1. Rounds 1 to 3 (01:57)

The heart starts as a small flat piece built up over the first three rounds. Chunky blanket yarn can make stitches hard to see, so this is a good moment to slow down and count. Anita shows exactly where each stitch goes, which helps a lot if you have not worked with this kind of yarn before.

2. Round 4 shapes the heart (05:47)

The fourth round is where the shape really appears. A mix of single, half double and double crochet stitches, with increases in the right places, builds the two rounded lobes and the point at the bottom. Stitch markers mark the key spots. You make two of these pieces; the second one is not fastened off, because you keep using that working loop for the joining later on.

3. Add the face (09:24)

Before the pieces are joined, the safety eyes go into the front heart while the back is still open and easy to reach. A few stitches of black yarn make the mouth, and two short strands of pink become the rosy cheeks. Placing the face now means you can lock the safety eye backs securely.

4. Join the hearts and make the limbs (12:22)

This is the longest section and the most fun. Holding both hearts together, you crochet around the edge to close them up, and at the right points you work the arms and legs straight out from the seam. That is what keeps the whole pattern no-sew: the limbs are part of the joining round instead of separate pieces.

5. Stuff and finish (23:00 and 25:40)

Leave a gap, add a handful of polyfill and push it into the lobes and the point so the heart keeps its shape, then finish the joining and hide the tail. A small bow in a contrast color is a sweet extra, especially if you make a pair.

Tips for Working with Blanket Yarn

• Feel for the stitches. Chenille-style yarn hides the V of each stitch. Run a finger along the top of the round to find the loops, and use markers generously.
• Do not frog too often. Blanket yarn can shed or worm when it is pulled out repeatedly, so check your stitch count at the end of each round instead of after the whole piece.
• Stuff gently. A handful is enough. Too much polyfill stretches the stitches and lets the stuffing show through.
• Keep safety eyes for older kids. If the heart is for a baby or a toddler, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead.
• Make a couple. Two hearts in different colors with their arms around each other make a lovely Valentine's or wedding gift, just like the pair in the video.

Enjoy the Video Tutorial

Source: Anita Louise Crochet

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to sew anything for this crochet heart?

No pieces are sewn together. The two hearts are joined with the hook and the arms and legs are worked during that joining. You only use the yarn needle for the small face details and for weaving in ends.

Can I use regular yarn instead of blanket yarn?

The video uses size 6 chunky blanket yarn with a 6 mm hook. Thinner yarn will give you a smaller heart and a different stitch look, so you may need to adjust the hook and the safety eye size to match.

How long does it take to make?

The video runs about 29 minutes from start to finish, and chunky yarn grows fast, so many makers can finish a heart in an evening.

More from Anita Louise Crochet

• How to Make a Crochet Christmas Light Garland
• Decorate Your Home with Crochet Hanging Chrysanthemums
• How to Crochet a Blanket for Beginners