Here is a free pattern to help you create a little crochet envelope – perfect for sending someone a little valentine with a love note!
This pattern makes a crochet valentines envelope that is A6 (UK paper size), the traditional size for a postcard. It’s easy as it only uses one stitch but the fair isle style edging is slightly trickier but with a bit of practice and the help of YouTube you should be able to get the hang of it!
This pattern is also available in Afrikaans at Hekel Idees courtesy of the very talented Monica.
The pattern uses DK yarn and a 4mm crochet hook. It is written using US crochet terms.
Abbreviations:
Slip – insert hook into next stitch and pull yarn though
Sc – single crochet – insert hook into next stitch, yarn over (yo), pull through stitch (st), (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through both loops.
Crochet Valentine Materials
Size 4mm crochet hook
Cream, red and blue DK yarn – I used Rowan hand knit cotton
Scrap of red felt
Larger piece of white or cream felt
Black and cream or white embroidery floss – use all 6 strands or I used DMC Petra crochet cotton
Suitable sewing needles for embroidery thread
Buttons for decoration if you fancy it!
Make the crochet valentine front
1. Chain 21 in cream (20 + 1 turning chain) using a 4mm hook and single crochet throughout and 1 chain for turning at each end make 19 rows or until you have the desired height of your envelope front.
2. Starting 2 stitches from a corner single crochet around the edge making 2 sc in each corner to turn the corner. At the sides use each row end as a guide on where to make your sc. Fasten off by slipping into the first sc of the edge.
3. Take the cream yarn and make a sc in a stitch from the previous round. Take the blue yarn and holding the cream yarn from the previous stitch on top of the blue make a sc. Make a sc using the cream yarn, taking care to ‘carry’ the blue with you by laying the yarn on top of cream yarn from the previous stitch.
4. Now add the red and lay the cream and blue yarns over the red yarn to carry it.
Carry on making sc around the edge using the colour combination ‘cream, blue, cream, red’.
You need to carry the unused yarn with you as you edge – it’s the principle of fair isle knitting if that helps? Finish off by slip stitching into the first sc and weaving the loose ends in. Don’t worry too much about how neat it is as you won’t be able to see it!
Decorate your crochet valentine front
I have added a rectangular postage stamp and used pinking shears to add a crinkly edge and a pretty button and a simple message of ‘I heart U’ in free hand embroidery – an air erasable pen is really handy here to give you something to work from if like me you aren’t that confident about embroidery. You could do any design you like though or perhaps put the recipient’s name? Also, you could go crazy with embellishment! Why not have fun and raid your button box?
Make the crochet valentine envelope
1. This bit is super simple. Take an C6 envelope and open it up carefully. Take the large piece of felt and draw around the envelope and cut out the shape. If the envelope shape doesn’t quite match trim it to fit. If you don’t have an envelope handy you can download the shape freely from the internet! There is one here.
2. Stitch the front of the envelope to the felt envelope back carefully around the edge using simple straight stitch through the back loops of the edging only.
3. Fold the envelope sides in and fasten each side into the middle together with a cross stitch.
You should now have a beautiful handmade envelope for your valentine love note.
If you make something from this pattern I would love to see it! Please send any photos to millie@rubyandcustard.com. You might also be interested to check out some of my other free patterns 
Millie x
Like this pattern? Buy the Ruby and Custard Crochet book! Available on Amazon and in all good book shops!
Copyright – Melissa Masterton 2014
