• Find more info about this crocheted heart
• Get the free chart for crocheting this heart
• Browse through more free crochet patterns for Valentine's Day
• See more "Wordless Wednesday" blog posts on other topics at About.com
• Discover more "Wordless Wednesday" posts from all over the Internet

Photo © 2010 Amy Solovay, Licensed to About.com, Inc.

Congrats to Jewel for being the first brave soul to submit an entry for the crocheted heart challenge! You can see her entry here.

You're invited to play along too!

I found this yarn at the Dollar Tree store today for $1.00 per 2 oz skein. The name of the yarn is "Rhapsody" and it bears the Caron label. It's a medium-weight yarn. Fiber content: 80% acrylic, 20% polyester.

I just wanted to pass along the info, because I know many of you are Caron fans. I have no idea how widely this yarn is available, and I wouldn't advise going out too far out of your way to look for it. I am not sure if many stores have the yarn in stock. The store close to me didn't have all that much of it on the shelf when I arrived, and now they have even less.

• See more "Wordless Wednesday" blog posts on other topics at About.com
• Discover more "Wordless Wednesday" posts from all over the Internet

Photo © 2010 Amy Solovay, Licensed to About.com, Inc.

Think of this crocheted heart shape as not just a finished project, but also a crafty "building block." Sure, you can use it on its own, but you can artistically transform it into your own creation as well.

Crocheted Heart Shape - Photo © Amy Solovay.

This month, I'd like to challenge you to decorate a crocheted heart and make it into something useful. It could be either functional or decorative - art or craft, or somewhere in between. You could make it as simple or as complicated as you like.

You are more than welcome to use my heart pattern, heart chart, or beaded heart, or you could use any other heart pattern that appeals to you. (If you use one that isn't mine, please credit the pattern designer appropriately in your challenge entry.)

Use any supplies of your choice - yarns, threads, fibers, fabrics, ribbons, trim, beads, edgings, flowers, paper, chipboard, leather, acrylic, metal, plastic, or whatever else strikes your fancy. You can also incorporate your hearts into finished items like hatboxes or bags.

After you've made your project, you are invited to share your creations in a new "Show & Tell".

Creative Challenges at About.com

Some of the other Guides here at About.com do regular challenges:

• Ginny Wiehardt hosts fiction writing challenges.
• Marion Boddy-Evans hosts a painting project.
• Jennifer Kyrnin, the Guide to web design, has asked other designers to join her in an ambitious daily design challenge.

This isn't an exhaustive list. There are also Guides who do occasional challenges, quarterly challenges or annual challenges.

I have been giving some thought to the idea of doing monthly crochet challenges. I think it's a fun idea - do you? On the other hand, I am not sure how it will go, so let's just try one challenge for starters. If there is significant interest, we could continue with doing more. Also, if you have suggestions for future challenge themes you'd like to try, please be sure to leave a comment.

Ideas for Getting You Started With the Challenge

There are many different ways you could use this heart in various craft projects. I've thought of several ways:

• Use it as an applique.
• Crochet two hearts and stitch them together to make a potholder. (You could easily add a loop of chain stitches for hanging.)
• "Love note keeper" - Crochet two hearts. Decorate and embellish one of them lavishly. Leave one of the diagonal sides open but stitch the outside edges together. To the open side, add several buttons or toggles with loop closures. Store folded notes inside.
• Transform the heart into a baby bib.
• Crochet the heart in soft organic cotton and use it as a baby washcloth.

Now let's see your ideas! When you've finished your project, please be sure to post it to the challenge page. I can't wait to see what you will come up with!