One

Height: 6 inches
Width: 4 inches

Fleece Artist Merino 2/6 [100% merino wool; 383yd/350m per 115 gram skein]; 1 skein each color
[MC] Ruby Red (dark variegated red)
[CC] Brick (bright red)
Note: 1 skein of each colour will provide enough yarn to make 3 hearts, with yarn left over.

Recommended needle size:
1 set of four US #1.5/2.5mm double-point needles

Waste yarn
Yarn needle
Polyfil stuffing
Small amount of red wool fleece or batting (optional)

28 sts/30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

HEART BODY

Using MC, CO 6 sts. Divide sts between 3 needles, placing 2 sts on each needle. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Round 1: [Kfb, k1] three times. 9 sts.

Round 2: [K2, kfb] three times. 12 sts. Each needle holds 4 sts.

Round 3: [Kfb, k to end of needle] three times. 15 sts.

Round 4: [K to last st on needle, kfb] three times. 18 sts.

Rounds 5-14: Work as for Rounds 3-4. 48 sts: 16 sts on each needle.

Round 15: K all sts.

Round 16: Work as for Round 3. 51 sts.

Round 17: K all sts.

Round 18: Work as for Round 4. 54 sts.

Rounds 19-30: Repeat Rounds 15-18 three times. 72 sts: 24 sts on each needle.

Round 31: K all sts.

FIRST VALVE
Place first 36 sts of round on hold on waste yarn. Divide remaining 36 sts between needles, placing 12 sts on each needle. Join to work in the round.

Rounds 1-6: K all sts.
Round 7: [K2tog, k7] four times. 32 sts.
Rounds 8-9: K all sts.
Round 10: [K2tog, k6] four times. 28 sts.
Rounds 11-12: K all sts.
Round 13: [K2tog, k5] four times. 24 sts.
Round 14: K all sts.
Round 15: [K2tog, k4] four times. 20 sts.
Rounds 16-21: K all sts.

Divide Valve:
Next Round: BO 10 sts, k remaining sts onto one needle. 10 sts.
From this point, divided valve is worked back and forth.

Row 1 [WS]: CO 8 sts, p to end. 18 sts.
Row 2 [RS]: CO 8 sts, k to end. 26 sts.
Continue in stockinette st until divided portion of valve measures 2 inches. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

Fold divided portion of valve in half, so that BO edge meets CO edge, forming a tube. Sew edges together, ensuring that upper end of main valve tube remains open.

SECOND VALVE
Before proceeding, stuff first valve and heart body.
Place 36 held sts on needles, placing 12 sts on each needle. Join CC, leaving a tail approx. 10 inches long. This tail will be used to sew valve in place once piece is complete.

Important: Stuff this valve as you knit. When it is complete, it will be too narrow to stuff easily.
Round 1: K all sts; using last needle of round, pick up and k 6 sts in gap at base of first valve. 42 sts.
Rounds 2-6: K all sts. Redistribute sts so that there are 14 sts on each needle.

Round 7: [K2tog, k to end of needle] three times. 39 sts.
Rounds 8-9: K all sts.
Rounds 10-30: Repeat Rounds 7-9 seven times. 18 sts.
Continue in stockinette st until valve measures 8 inches.

Divide Valve:
Place first 9 sts of round on hold on waste yarn. Divide remaining 9 sts between needles, placing 3 sts on each needle. Join to work in the round.

Round 1: [K1, kfb] four times, k1. 13 sts.
Rounds 2-7: K all sts.
BO all sts.

Place 9 held sts on needles, placing 3 sts on each needle. Join CC.
Work Rounds 1-7 as for first half of divided valve. BO all sts.

Weave in ends, except for CC tail at joining point between valves.

Wrap second valve around first valve from front to back as shown in photos, then tuck divided end of second valve into space between valves, so that ends protrude at front of heart. Use CC tail to sew valves in place.
Stuff ends of valves with red fleece or batting if desired.