Valeire Square Teardrop & Heart

Over a year ago, Georgia Seitz challenged me to create a heart pattern using the Valeire Square, but my brain just couldn't seem to pull it together. When we came in from our Independence Day activities last night, I suddenly felt inspired to work on it with thread and shuttle as well as paper and pencil. After ditching a few more complicated efforts that I just couldn't get to work, the simple design below was born. It is so simple you may wonder what took me so long! I certainly do.

Enjoy!

Valeire Square Teardrop & Heart by Eliz Davis: One second shuttle ring turns the square into a teardrop. Then two chain segments complete the transformation to heart.

Round 1: (Note that there are NO joins in this round.)
*R 8-8, cl. R 8-8, cl, rw.
Ch 5-5, cl, rw.*
Repeat from * to * until you have 4 pairs of rings and four chains.

Use the alligator join to climb out of round 1 and into round 2.

Round 2: (Note that you are joining adjacent rings together by joining into the picot of two rings at the same time.)
Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2+(join two adjacent rings together)

Without reversing work, tat a ring of 2-2-2-1—1-2-2-2 (to avoid the need for a second shuttle for one ring, I used the shoelace trick before and after the ring)
Ch 2-2-2-2-2-2+(join into the space at the base of the next pair of rings). Continue the progression of chains until you have joined back where you started this round. Finish as desired.

Round 3: Beginning at the second chain join past the ring of round 2, join and make a chain of 2 ds, 18 picots separated by 2 ds, 2 ds. Join to round two opposite the ring. Repeat the chain of 18 picots and join opposite to your starting point. The picture provided will be a helpful guide.

Note: Size 10 thread will produce a heart approximately 3 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches wide.