Celtic hearts and teardrops Infinity Loops, part 4

Here are two little Celtic hearts.  The left is knitted by standard Celtic knot technique.  The right has been transformed by the Infinity Loop method. What do you think when you compare at top and bottom? 

     ↑ Ordinary heart ↑    vs.     ↑ Infinity Loop heart ↑

If this difference impresses you enough to get really picky with your knitting, then welcome to part 4 of the Infinity Loop method for Celtic-style knitting. The first installment was simple rings; the second, the Bowen cross; third, Double Bowen (complex shapes) and today, we are at hearts. Hearts are one of the easiest forms to knit, so if some of the Bowen cross posts have seemed complicated, today's are easier--almost as easy as the simple rings. 

We start with the simple heart shown below under "resources," but scroll for many variations.

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RESOURCES

Here are the "action only" parts of Infinity Loops (keeps you from having to hunt around through previous posts). 

• Transformation, diagram only version
• Dupli-grafting, diagram only version
• Transforming an "under" when working transformations the long way (no shortcuts). 

Hearts are simple forms, but if you do choose to use shortcuts, here are printable PDF's 

• Shortcuts--Placeholder trick (tail-to-tail meeting, hidden under a cable arm)
• Shortcuts--Dental floss maneuver (head-to-head meeting, hidden under a cable arm)

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PLAIN HEART

If you've been following along with this series, you'll see that a heart doesn't look very complicated to transform, and it isn't. 

plain Infinity Loop heart

It's a simple form with all the arms exposed, and transformation will be be as it was in simple rings, meaning half the figure, per below map.

Transformation map:

Chart: With a three-stitch margin on both sides of the heart, the number to cast on is 23. This does not include any decorative borders you may choose to add outside of the margins. The figure is 24 rows high. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Written directions:

This is a traveling cable knit heart on a reverse stocking stitch (purl fabric face) background. The traveling cables are two stitches wide. 

row	Infinity Loop plain heart	st ct
bottom	co 23 (plus whatever side border stitches you choose). Work in garter stitch to make a bottom border to desired height. Switch to stockinette st and work a few rows, ending on a knit row. Turn work.	23
1	p11, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p11.	23+4 =27
2	in this and every even row, K the k’s and P the p’s.  In this particular row, k 11, p2, k1, p 2, k11	27
3	P10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10	27
4	k10, p2, k3, p2, k10	27
5	p9, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p9	27
6	k9, p2, k5, p2, k9	27
7	p8, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p8	27
8	k8, p2, k7, p2, k8	27
9	p7, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p7	27
10	k7, p2, k9, p2, k7	27
11	p6, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p6	27
12	k6, p2, k11, p2, k6	27
13	p5, R-p-T, p5, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p5, L-p-T, p5	27+4 = 31
14	k5, p2, k6, p2, k1, p2, k6, p2, k5	31
15	p4, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p4	31
16	k4, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k4,	31
17	p3, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p3	31
18	k3, p2, k6, p2, k5, p2, k6, p2, k3	31
19	p3, k2, p5, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p5, k2, p3	31
20	k3, p2, k5, p2, k7, p2, k5, p2, k3,	31
21	p3, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p3	31
22	k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4	31
23	p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-t, p1, R-p-t, p4,	31
24	k5, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5	31- 8  =23
top	p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.	23

For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where indicated on the map. 

BO TEARDROP HEART

Teardrops are a embellishment to add to any pointed figure. Here's one I call the "Bo heart" with teardrops below and inside. It is named for my friend Bo, currently fighting the good fight against her obscure and difficult disease. 😢

Infinity Loop Bo heart

Compared to the simple heart, the teardrops create sharp points at the bottom, as well as where the lobes meet.

The teardrops (loops) bring to mind shortcuts, as in the complex forms of the previous two posts. I have mapped out the transformation for the Bo heart the long way as well as the shortcut way. As shown on the map, both alternatives have an "over" transformation, but that is not nearly as fiddly as an under. With this heart, it really comes down to whether you would rather transform an under, or use the shortcut tricks to avoid that. Also, I have shown a right arm dominant transformation, but nothing stops you from doing a left cable dominant transformation: left and right both have the same number of overs and unders (one of each). 

Transformation maps:

Bo heart charted instructions:

With a three-stitch margin on both sides of the heart, the number to cast on is 23. This does not include any decorative borders you may choose to add outside of the margins. The figure is 32 rows high. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Bo heart written instructions:

row	Infinity Loop Bo teardrop heart	st ct
bottom	co 23 (plus whatever side border stitches you choose). Work in garter stitch to make a bottom border to desired height. Switch to reverse st st and work a few rows.	23
1	(base of lower teardrop) k11, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p11.	23+4 =27
2	in this and every even row, K the k’s and P the p’s.  In this particular row, k 11, p2, k1, p 2, k11	27
3	p10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10	27
4	k10, p2, k3, p2, k10	27
5	p10, k2, p3, k2, p10	27
6	k10, p2, k3, p2, k10	27
7	p10, L-p-T, p1, R-p-t, p10	27
8	k11, p2, k1, p2, k11	27
9	p11, LFC-5 on next 5 sts, p11.  NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow directions for tail-to-tail PLACEHOLDER trick instead of working the LFC-5.	27
10	k11, p2, k1, p2, k11	27
11	p10, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p10
12	k10, p2, k3, p2, k10	27
13	p9, R-p-T, p1, place first two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, place last two loops of placeholder onto L needle and work 1 K st into each, p1, L-p-T, p9	27+4 =31
14	k9, p2, k2, p2, k1, p2, k2, p2, k9	31
15	p8, R-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p8	31
16	k8, p2, k2, p2, k3, p2, k2, p2, k8	31
17	p7, R-p-T, p2, k2, p3, k2, p2, L-p-T, p7	31
18	k7, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, k7	31
19	p6, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p6	31
20	k6, p2, k5, p2, k1, p2, k5, p2, k6	31
21	p5, R-p-T, p5, LFC-5 on next 5 sts, p5, L-p-T, p5 NOTE: if working shortcuts, follow the directions for the head-to-head DENTAL FLOSS MANEUVER instead of working the LFC-5	31
22	k5, p2, k6, p2, k1, p2, k6, p2, k5	31
23	p4, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p4	31
24	k4, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k4,	31
25	p3, R-p-T, p5, R-p-T, p3, L-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p3	31
26	k3, p2, k6, p2, k5, p2, k6, p2, k3	31
27	p3, k2, p5, R-p-T, p5, L-p-T, p5, k2, p3	31
28	k3, p2, k5, p2, k7, p2, k5, p2, k3,	31
29	p3, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p7, L-p-T, p3, R-p-T, p3	31
30	k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4	31
31	p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p4,	31
32	k5, slip 2 p sts to holder. hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5	31- 8  =23
top	p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.	23

For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.

HEART WITH SCROLLWORK TOPPER

Here's a heart with a scrollwork topper. This is a sort of "top teardrop."

Transformation map:

On this heart, working the transformations the simple ("long") way makes the most sense--there are no "under" transformations to avoid. 

Charted directions:

With the topper added, the simple heart would be 32 rows high by 23 stitches wide. Width includes a 3 stitch margin either side. 

To enlarge chart in a printable window, click here.

Written directions for scrollwork heart topper:

row	Infinity Loop scrollwork heart topper	st ct
this a teardrop-like embellishment for heart tops. It works on the Bo heart, the cable bottom heart and the plain heart. Row directions are given for adding to the plain heart, but simply change the row numbers for the other hearts: the method of knitting remains the same.
bottom	Knit as for plain heart up to row 23
24	k5, p2, k1, p2, k11, p2, k1, p2, k5	31
25	p5, LFC-5, p11, LFC-5, p5	31
26	k5, p2, k1, p2, k11, p2, k1, p2, k5	31
27	p4, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p9, L-p-T, p1, R-p-T, p4	31
28	k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4	31
29	p4, k2, p3, k2, p9, k2, p3, k2, p4	31
30	k4, p2, k3, p2, k9, p2, k3, p2, k4	31
31	p4, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p9, R-p-T, p1, L-p-T, p4	31
32	k5, k5, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k11, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k1, slip 2 p sts to holder, hold to back, k5	31-8 =23
top	p23, then continue for an additional few rows in reverse st st, then add any top border you choose.	23

For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.

CABLE-BASE HEART

Here's a heart with a cable base, a sort of a double lower teardrop. The cable is actually a traveling one, although it does not travel very far--just one stitch in each direction, then one stitch back. This variation on the Bo heart has a double teardrop underneath and no teardrop inside (but nothing stops you from adapting this heart to contain a teardrop--just switch over the Bo heart above the cable base. More on this sort of mix n' match below).

Cable base heart, Infinity Loop style

Again, this one is up to you to use shortcuts or no. Transforming the long way would mean transforming the cable base. You'd have one "over" and one "under" on the cable base. With shortcuts, you get one placeholder trick and one dental floss trick, but never have to work an under or over. It's knitter's choice which way you'd like to go, both are mapped below. Again shown is a right arm dominant transformation for the long way option, but this has no advantage over a left arm dominant transformation: both have the same number of overs and unders. 

Transformation map:

Charted instructions are not needed because this is a mash-up of the Bo heart and the simple heart--cut and tape your charts together per written instructions, below

Written directions for cable-base heart:

row	cable-base heart	st ct
bottom	As Bo heart to row 8 (bottom of the cable-base is the same as the lower teardrop of the Bo heart).	27
9	p11, LFC-5, P11. NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow the directions for tail-to-tail PLACEHOLDER trick instead of working the LFC-5
10-16	as rows Bo heart rows 2-8.
17	p11, LFC-5, P11. NOTE: if working shortcuts, then follow the directions for head-to-head DENTAL FLOSS MANEUVER instead of working the LFC-5
heart	The heart above the cable detail is knit as the plain heart. Start with row 2 of the plain heart.

For finishing, the arms must be transformed and dupli-grafted, where shown on the map.

MIX N' MATCH

Here's a gallery of more mix-n-match shapes from all of the hearts above. Lots of possibilities. Either print out the relevant charts, cut them up and tape them together; or do the same with the written directions. Sketch out a transformation map before you start though, to see if you want to use tricks (shortcuts) or transform the long way, because the transformation maps shown for each figure might not hold true once you start mashing patterns together.

BONUS IDEA: MIX N' MATCH ON OTHER SHAPES

Teardrops and double teardrops, top and bottom could be adapted to any pointed figure such as diamonds. Diamonds and other hollow figures are often the frame for other Celtic knots. The possibilities are endless. Just save yourself a bunch of grief and make a transformation map before you set out knitting to see whether as-you-go shortcuts will save time, or whether it makes sense to transform the longer but simpler way. 

Remember, all you need to know to make a transformation map is that each figure starts with a tail-to-tail discontinuity where the stitches enter the fabric at the bottom on their scrap-yarn placeholder, the figure grows upward, row by row, and the arms meet head-to-head at the top. To get ride of these discontinuous meetings, some arms somewhere are going to have to be transformed. Either one-half of the figure needs to be transformed the "long way," in which case your map will show whether left- or right-arm dominant transformation results in fewer "unders." Alternatively, if using shortcuts, your map will show where to engineer head-to-head/tail-to-tail meetings by hiding them under a cable cross. 

Concept: not just hearts, but any pointed shape can have embellishment tops and bottoms applied. These shapes can be frames for other Celtic knots. Here, a diamond with a teardrop below + scroll topper above frames a simple Bowen Cross.

One last thought. There are other lobed forms in Celtic knitting besides hearts. Here is a lovely and complicated form where a lobed frame encloses a simple Bowen Cross. The frame--a sort of simplified batman logo--is more obvious on this project photo. 

black arrowheads show
original direction, green
hashes and arrows show
transformations

Transformation maps are your friend with complex lobed forms like these--and please don't think a transformation map needs to be all fancy like the diagrams in this series so far. Here is a half-minute sketch surely good enough to knit from. (And why do I suddenly want to knit a batman logo? Oh no! I have enough stray projects already!)

Another last thought:  Inspiration lurks everywhere. Here is a link to a hairstyle which would make a perfectly framed 3-heart motif. The talent and vision here are outstanding! I wish I knew who to credit--this was posted anonymously on Oddly Satisfying (Reddit)--but wouldn't this just look stunning in Infinity Loops? 

Next time: contrasting color motifs. (However, there will be a delay due to upcoming holidays.) 

Until we meet again, good knitting 

--TK

Questions? Feedback? Talk to me about this post on TECHknitting Ravelry forum.