Hearts Scarf Pattern

This scarf is based on Heart by Stephannie Roy, published in Knitty, Fall 2004. It's not different enough to publish in a magazine, but it's different enough (in my opinion) to post here. Here's my pattern/recipe for my Hearts Scarf:

Needles: 6.5 mm (US 10.5)
Hook: 5 mm (US H8)
Yarn: KnitPicks Decadence, one ball (official specs: 100% Superfine Alpaca, Bulky Weight, 3-3.5 sts=1" on #9-11 needles, 121 yards/100 gram hank); and Noro Cash Iroha, two balls (official specs: 40% Silk, 30% Lambswool, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, Worsted Weight, 99 yards / 40 gram hank). The edging actually uses only a bit more than one ball, but a single ball will not be sufficient.

Heart Pattern:
Row 1 (RS): k3, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k3
Row 2 (WS): (and every wrong side row) purl
Row 3 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k2
Row 5 (RS): k1, k2tog, yo, k9, yo, ssk, k1
Row 7 (RS): k2, yo, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, k2 (17 stitches)
Row 9 (RS): k3, yo, [sl1kw, pnso, sl1pw, psso, sl1b, pnso, k1], yo, k3, yo, [sl2kw, sl1pw, psso, sl1b, pnso, sl1pw, psso, sl1b, k1], yo, k3 (15 stitches)

In that last row I used a bunch of non-standard abbreviations. Here are their expansions and explanations:

• sl1kw: slip one stitch knitwise
• pnso: pass next stitch over: like psso, but on the left needle... pass the second stitch in over the rightmost stitch on the needle.
• sl1pw: slip one stitch purlwise
• sl1b: slip one stitch back to left needle purlwise
• sl2kw: slip two stitches knitwise

What I'm doing with this bizarre set of instructions in the square brackets is decreasing four stitches down to one in such a way that I have nice rounded tops to the lobes of the hearts.

First Half of Scarf:
Cast on 15 stitches and work four rows of stockinette.
Set Up Row #1 (RS): k5, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k5
Set Up Row #2 (WS): purl
Set Up Row #3 (RS): k4, k2tog, yo k3, yo, ssk, k4
Set Up Row #4 (WS): purl
Work heart pattern, starting with row #1, and continue until you have 10 hearts. Place stitches on holder and break yarn.

Second Half of Scarf:
Work as for first half, but after completing the 10 hearts, continue in stockinette stitch until you have approximately two feet of yarn left. Graft both halves together and work in ends.

Border:
Row #1 (RS): Beginning near a corner, single crochet (sc) around the entire scarf, making sure the stitches are spaced so that they don't distort the scarf. Use a slip stitch (sl st) to join in round. Slip stitch to third stitch from corner.
Row #2 (RS): *Skip two sc, 6 dc in next sc, skip two sc, sl st in next sc, repeat from *. Near each corner, fudge numbers of sc skipped so that an 8 dc shell is worked at the corner. Slip stitch to join round, break yarn, pull through and weave in end.

Finishing: Block to remove curl.

Pattern copyright © 2007. This pattern may be distributed for free if source is cited. For distribution as part of a for sale publication, or to make item for sale, please contact me for licencing terms.