Crochet Ruffle Valentine Wreath-FREE pattern!

It's been a while since I've posted, but I have a good excuse *ahem* reason. I've been working on a ruffle wreath pattern! It was inspired by those gorgeous felt ruffle wreaths. I thought first that I could make a bunch of crocheted circles and pin them on a wreath form. But that would be very time consuming and... at two ends a circle that's a ton of weaving, so I came up with this :)
The basics of this pattern is a crocheted base with two rounds, one made in the back loops only. This creates three available ridges to fill up with beautiful ruffles.
Here goes! Enjoy!

Yarn-Red Heart Super Saver or a worsted weight with some "stiff-ness". Nothing like Simply soft or Bernat satin--It's a little to "limp" If you know what I mean :)

Hook-G

Scissors

Darning needle

Abbreviations:
Ch-Chain
Dc-Double Crochet
Tr-Triple crochet (also called treble crochet)
Dec3-*Yo, draw up a loop in next st, pull trough 2 loops* repeat from *to* a total of three times. Yo, draw through all loops on hook
sts-stitches


Pattern:

Ch 85

Row1: 3dc in 5th chain from hook, 1dc in each of the next 17 chains. *2dc in next, 1dc in next* repeat from *to* 4 times. 2dc in next, 1dc in next 2ch, 2dc in next, 1dc in next, 2dc in next 2ch, 1dc in next 3ch. Dec3, skip 3ch, Dec3. 1dc in each of the next 3ch, 2dc in next 2ch, 1dc in next, 2dc in next, 1dc in next 2, 2dc in next. *1dc in next, 2dc in next* repeat from *to* 4 times. 1dc in each of the next 17 dc. (3dc, 1tr) in last ch. Ch3, join to top of beginning ch4.
Use your tail end (coming from your slip knot) to seam your bottom piece together to form a heart shape. Be careful not to twist your shape when joining.

Row2:~Worked in Back Loops Only~ Ch3, 2dc in next, 1dc in next 19 sts. *2dc in next 2 sts, 1dc in next* Repeat from *to* 4 times. 1dc in next 9 sts. 2dc in next, 1dc in next 4 sts. Skip 2 sts. 1dc in next 4 sts, 2dc in next. 1dc in next 9 sts. *1dc in next, 2dc in next 2* Repeat from *to* 4 times. 1dc in next 19 sts. 2dc in next, 1dc in next, 1dc in front loop of next chain, 3tr in front loop of next chain, 1dc in front loop of next chain, join with sl st to beginning ch 3. Break yarn.
BASE FINISHED

RUFFLES BEGIN

Outside ruffle: ~Worked in Front Loops~ Join yarn in any stitch of Row2. Ch3, 2dc in same st. 3dc in next 2sts. 3dc around post of next dc. *3dc in next 3front loops, 3dc around post of next st.* Repeat from *to* until you get to either the heart point or the heart dip-follow directions accordingly
Heart Point- Continue with pattern, disregarding some stitches are triples.
Now continue with the 3dc in next 3 front loops, 3dc around next dc post pattern until you get to the dip in the heart.
Heart dip- Simple as this: SlSt in space of skiped sts from row2.
Now continue with the 3dc in next 3 front loops, 3dc around next dc post pattern until you get to the heart point.Break yarn

Middle Ruffle: ~Worked in front loops of round 1~ Join yarn in any front loop of Row1. Ch3, 1dc in same space. *2dc in each front loop* Repeat from *to* around.
This row of ruffles isn't imperative, so when you get to the dip and the point, just do your best to get 2dc in each space.Break Yarn

Inner Ruffle: ~Worked in opposite side of beginning chain~ This round is similar to the outer ruffles, except your dc's are worked in the beginning chain, and your posts are worked on the bottom of the dc's of Row 1. Did that make sense? Probably not. Let me explain...
If you look at the first pic, you see the scallops of the ruffles on the outer edge lean outwards. We're trying to make the inner row face inwards. ??? Yeah, that didn't clear it up much further. Let me know in a comment if you have any questions!
Anywho, back to the pattern....
Work your "3dc in next 3 front loops, 3dc around next dc post" pattern all around the inner edge. When you get to the inner point, just SlSt to make it point down. When you get to the inner dip, throw a few triple crochets in there to make it have a bit more 'point'.Break yarn

Weave in ends and *exhale* you're done!

Wow! That was tough to explain! I was going to add a few videos, but blogger isn't cooperating for some reason..... :( Maybe in a day or two. Fingers crossed!

But for now, go try and make yourself a heart! It's really not as confusing as I made it sound! You know how sometimes, something's easier to understand when you just do it? Yeah, that's it here.

Bye for now blogger friends,
Grace Ann

PS-Let me know if you see any mistakes! I had this all scribbled in my crochet journal as I was working, so there may be a couple! I've looked it over a few times and I didn't see anything, but you know how it is!Sorry bout that!

PPS-Oh! And please, please, please don't post this pattern as your own! I spent quite a while on it, and I really wouldn't want to log onto blogger tomorrow and see a million versions of my pattern! You ARE allowed, in fact encouraged, to sell what you make! Just post a link here if it's online so I can see! :)
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Edit:

Some people have been having trouble with their stitch counts... if the above version doesn't work out for you, try this one:

Row1: 3dc in 5th chain from hook, 1dc in each of the next 17 chains. 2dc in next, 1dc in next repeat from to 4 times. 2dc in next, 1dc in next 2ch, 2dc in next, 1dc in next, 2dc in next 2ch, 1dc in next 3ch. Dec3, skip 3ch, Dec3. 1dc in each of the next 3ch, 2dc in next 2ch, 1dc in next, 2dc in next, 1dc in next 2, 2dc in next. 1dc in next, 2dc in next repeat from to 4 times. 1dc in each of the next 17 dc. (3dc, 1tr) in last ch. Ch3, join to top of beginning ch4Join with 1st dc instead of chain 4.
Use your tail end (coming from your slip knot) to seam your bottom piece together to form a heart shape. Be careful not to twist your shape when joining.

Row2:~Worked in Back Loops Only~ Ch3, 2dc in next, 1dc in next 19 sts. 2dc in next 2 sts, 1dc in next Repeat from to 4 times. 1dc in next 9 sts. 2dc in next, 1dc in next 3 sts. Skip 2 sts Skipping 3 stitches instead of 2. 1dc in next 3 sts, 2dc in next. 1dc in next 9 sts. 1dc in next, 2dc in next 2 Repeat from to 4 times. 1dc in next 19 sts2dc in next. Working in back loop of ch, 2dc in next ch, ch 1, Tr in next ch, ch 1, 2dc in next ch. Join in top of first dc. Break yarn

Thank you to Amy for writing up this version :)

Edit again:

I made some chainges up there ↑ that may help... just be sure to follow the pattern to the letter. (I just followed my own pattern and it didn't make sense, so I added some things that may help). Those things typed in green are things that have tripped some people up... make sure you take a good look at those :)

I also added a few pics of the backside by itself. Hopefully they'll make things clearer... :)

This is right before I did my first decrease of three... see the chain I still have to work into?

Finished row 1--Note, I DID have to flatten this to get it to lay flat. It's was all curly by itself..

This is my join of row 1 (it's at the very end). Where you chain 3 the join to the chain in the beginning. You can kinda see that I took the end tail and used it to join the two sides of the inner edge together... that made zero sense, even to me...

Finished base :) Nice even heart shape! Yay!

Edit: A lovely reader of mine suggested making the base out of plarn (plastic bag yarn) to make the heart stiff. That way, you don't need to use starch, and the heart still holds it's shape.