Anatomical heart

 This life-sized heart is part of a series of patterns I'm gradually releasing that make up all the organs of the human body.

Difficulty:

Medium

You will need:

• A 2.5mm crochet hook
• anchor essentials creativa 4ply cotton in signal red, light orange, lemon, and dark blue 
• #10 cotton or embroidery thread in blue and red
• Polyester toy stuffing
• A darning needle
• An embroidery needle
• A pair of scissors

Note:

• 'Fasten off neatly' refers to a special way of fastening off which is neater and makes it easier to see where you should be crocheting on the next round (also known as invisible fastening off). This involves pulling up your yarn through your stitch, threading the yarn underneath the second stitch from where you pulled your yarn up, then threading your yarn back through the top of this stitch and down through the back of the work. There is a very helpful site that explains it clearly found here. Just make sure when you do this that you thread your needle through the SECOND stitch after the last stitch you made, otherwise you will end up with an extra stitch which may mean that all of the following rounds are out of line with each other. The false stitch that you create is referred to in this pattern as the 'new' st.

For the ventricles:

With light orange ch3
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, then make 3sc in the first chain st you made. Make 2sc in the back of the previous chain st you crocheted into (6sc)
Round 2: Make 2sc in each st (12sc)
Round 3: Make 2sc in the first st, sc3, make 2sc in each of the next 3 sts, sc3, make 2sc in each of the next 2sts (18sc)
Round 4: Sc in each st
Round 5: Make 2sc in the first st, sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, (sc, make 2sc in the following st) 3 times, sc4, make 2sc in the next st, sc (24sc)
Round 6: Sc in each st
Round 7: Sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc7, make 2sc in the following st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st,sc7, 2sc, sc (28sc)
Round 8: Make 2sc in the first st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc7 make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc7, make 2sc in the following st, sc2 (34sc)

Round 9: Sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc10, make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc10, make 2sc in the following st, sc (40sc)

Round 10: Sc in each st
Round 11: Sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, make 2sc in the following st, sc11, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, make 2sc in the following st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st, sc11, make 2sc in the following st, sc2 (46sc)

Round 12: Sc in each st
Round 13: Sc5, make 2sc in the next st, sc15, make 2sc in the following st, sc6, make 2sc in the next st, sc15, make 2sc in the following st, sc (50sc)

Round 14: Sc in each st
Round 15: Sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc4, make 2sc in the following st, sc14, make 2sc in the next st, sc4,make 2sc in the following st, sc4, make 2sc in the next st, sc14, make 2sc in the following st, sc3 (56sc)

Round 16: Sc in each st
Round 17: Sc5, make 2sc in the next st, sc19, make 2sc in the following st, sc7, make 2sc in the next st, sc19, make 2sc in the following st, sc2 (60sc)

Round 18: Sc in each st
Round 19: Sc5, make 2sc in the next st, sc21, make 2sc in the following st, sc7, make 2sc in the next st, sc21, make 2sc in the following st, sc2 (64sc)

Rounds 20 - 22: (3 rounds) Sc in each st
Round 23: Sc4, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc16, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc16, sc2tog, sc (58sc)
Round 24: Sc4, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc13, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc13, sc2tog, sc (52sc)
Round 25: Sc3, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc12, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc12, sc2tog, sc (46sc)
Round 26: Sc3, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc9, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc9, sc2tog, sc (40sc)
Round 27: Sc3, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc8, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc8, sc2tog (34sc)
Round 28: Sc3, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog (28sc)
Round 29: (note that this is slightly over 1 round) Sc3, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog (22sc)

Round 30: Sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog (16sc)
Round 31: Sc2tog 3 times, sc2, sc2tog 3 times, sc2 (10sc)

Stuff
Round 32: Sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog (8sc)
Fasten off


For the right atrium:
With light orange ch6
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 3 chain sts. Make 3sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in the back of the previous 3 sts you crocheted into. Make 2sc in the back fo the first chain st you crocheted into (12sc)
Round 2: Make 2sc in the first st, sc3, make 3sc in the next st, sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc, make 2sc in the following st, sc, make 2sc in the next st, sc (18sc)

Round 3: Sc, make 3sc in the next st, sc5, make 3sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc (25sc)

Round 4: Sc2, make 3sc in the next st, sc7, make 3sc in the next st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, make 2sc in the following st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st, sc2 (32sc)

Round 5: Sc3, make 3sc in the next st, sc9, make 3sc in the next st, sc5, make 2sc in the next st, sc4, make 2sc in the following st, sc4, make 2sc in the next st, sc2 (39sc)

Rounds 6 - 9: (4 rounds) Sc in each st
Round 10: Sc22, sc2tog, sc12, sc2tog, sc (37sc)
Round 11: Sc21, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog (34sc)
Round 12: Sc20, sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc5 (32sc)
Round 13: Sc2tog, sc20, sc2tog, sc6, sc2tog (29sc)
Round 14: Sc2, sc2tog, sc15, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc2 (26sc)
Round 15: Hdc, hdc2tog, sc16, hdc2tog, hdc3, hdc2tog (23sts)
Round 16: (Note that this is slightly more than a full round) Sc2, hdc2, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog (17sc)
Round 17: Sc, sc2tog 3 times, sc3, sc2tog 3 times, sc (11sc)
Round 18: (Once again this is slightly more than a full round) Sc, (sc2tog, sc) 3 times, sc2tog (7sc)

Round 19: Sc2tog (6sc)
Fasten off

For the left atrium:
With light oragne ch10
Round 1: Sc in the 2nd st from hook, sc in the next 2 chain sts, make 3sc in the next chain st, sc4, make 3sc in the first chain st you made, in the back loops of the chain sts you previously crocheted into: sc3, sc3tog, sc, make 2sc in the back of the first chain st you crocheted into (20sc)
Round 2: Make 2sc in the first st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 2sc in the following st, sc2, make 2sc in the next st, sc, make 3sc in the following st, sc2, sc2tog, sc2, make 3hdc in the last st (27sts)
Round 3: Make 2hdc in the first st, sc6, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, make 2sc in the following st, sc3, make 2sc in the next st, sc2, make 3sc in the following st, sc3, sc2tog, Sc, make 2sc in the next st, make 2hdc in the last st (34sts)

Round 4: Make 2hdc in the first st, sc27, sc2tog, sc4 (34sts)
Rounds 5 - 7: (3 rounds) Sc in each st
Round 8: Sc20, sc2tog 3 times, sc6, sc2tog (30sc)
Round 9: Sc2, sc2tog, sc6, sc2tog, sc6, sc6tog, sc4, sc2tog (22sc)
Round 10: Sc, Sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc4, sc6tog, sc2 (15sc)
Round 11: Sc, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, Sc (12sc)
Round 12: (Sc, sc2tog) 4 times (8sc)
Fasten off 

Sew the atria to the top of the ventricles, as shown in the image below

For the aorta:
With red 4ply yarn ch14

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st to make a loop (14sc)

Rounds 2 - 3: (2 rounds) sc in each st

Round 4: sc7, hdc7

Rounds 5 - 6: (2 rounds) sc in each st

Round 7: hdc, sc7, hdc6

Round 8: sc in each st

Rounds 9 - 10: (2 rounds) hdc6, sc7, hdc

Rounds 11 - 13: (3 rounds) hdc7, sc7

Rounds 14 - 16: (3 rounds) sc, hdc7, sc6

Rounds 17 - 19: (3 rounds) sc2, hdc7, sc5

Rounds 20 - 22: (3 rounds) sc3, hdc7, sc4

Rounds 23 - 25: (3 rounds) sc4, hdc7, sc3

Rounds 26 - 30: (5 rounds) sc in each st
Fasten off neatly

For the blood vessels (make 3):

With red yarn ch6

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then in every following chain st (6sc)

Rounds 2 - 4: (3 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off neatly

Sew these to the centre of the aorta, as shown in the image below

Sew the cast-on edge in between the lef tand right atria

For the pulmonary artery:
With blue 4ply yarn ch13

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st to end (13sc)

Rounds 2 - 3: (2 rounds) hdc7, sc6
Round 4: hdc8, sc5

Round 5: sc4, hdc5, sc4

Round 6: sc, hdc7, sc5

Round 7: sc2tog, sc2, hdc7, sc2 (12sts)

Round 8: hdc6, sc6

Round 9: sc in each st

Round 10: sc4, hdc7, sc

Rounds 11 - 13: (3 rounds) sc in each st

Round 14: sc, ch8, skip8, sc*, sc2

Rounds 15 - 29: (15 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off neatly

Rejoin yarn to the same st you crocheted when making st*

Round 15: sc in this st, sc in the back of the next 8 chain sts, sc in the same st as you crocheted into when making the first st of round 14, sc in the next 8sts (18sc)

Round 16: sc3tog, hdc6, sc3tog, slip6 (14sts)

Round 17: sc2tog, hdc6, sc2tog, sc4 (12sts)

Rounds 18 - 23: (6 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off neatly

Sew the cast-on edge of this in front of where you attached the aorta, as shown below

For the vena cava:

For the upper section:
With blue 4ply yarn ch13

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st (13sc)

Rounds 2 - 7: (6 rounds) sc in each st

Round 8: sc5, ch5, skip3, sc5 (15sts)

Round 9: sc4, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, hdc3 (13sts)

Rounds 10 - 12: (3 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off neatly

Rejoin yarn to the same st as the first one you crocheted into after making the chain sts on round 8. 

Round 9: Sc in this st and the back of the next 5 chain sts. Sc in the same st as the last st you crocheted into before making the ch5 on round 8, then sc in the next 3sts of round 7. (10sc)

Rounds 10 - 15: (6 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off neatly

Sew the cast-on edge to the top of the right artium, as shown below

For the lower section:
With blue 4ply yarn ch14

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in the next 3 chain sts. Hdc in the next 3 chain sts, sc in the following 4 chain sts, then slip the last 3 chain sts. This should form a loop (14sts)

Rounds 2 - 3: (2 rounds) sc4, hdc3, sc4, slip3

Rounds 4 - 12: (9 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew this to the back of the right atrium, as shown below (the heart has been flipped from the previous images)

For the pulmonary veins (make 4):

With red 4ply yarn ch5

Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made and the next 4 chain sts

Rounds 2 - 3: (2 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew these to the left atrium, as shown in the images below

For the fat patterns:
Left side of front:
With lemon 4ply yarn ch23
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 7 chain sts, ch7, sc in the 2nd loop from hook and the next 5 chain sts, in the next chain sts of the original ch23 you made: sc3tog, sc10, make 2sc in the next chain st, in the back loop of the chain sts you just crocheted into: slip3, sc4, hdc2, make 2hdc in the back of each of the next 3 chain sts, sc3, slip6
Fasten off neatly

Right side of front:
With lemon 4ply yarn ch21
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and next 2 chain sts, sc2tog, sc3, hdc, ch1, sc3, ch3, sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next chain st, in the next chain sts of the original ch21 you made: sc4, hdc3, make 3sc in the next chain st, in the back loop of the chain sts you just crocheted into: sc, hdc5, sc3, hdc2, sc3, ch4, sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 2 chain sts, slip the back of the next 5 chain sts of the original ch21 you made
Fasten off

Sew these fat patterns to the front of the heart, as shown below. After this  use blue and red embroidery thread/ #10 cotton to embroider blood vessels on approximately over where the fat patterns are located.

Back of heart:
With lemon 4ply yarn ch32
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, ch8, sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next chain st, hdc in the next 3 chain sts, hdc2tog between the next 2 chain sts, dc in the same st as the first chain st you crocheted into, hdc2tog between the next 2 chain sts of the original ch32 you made, sc in the next 2 of these chain sts, ch19, in these chain sts: hdc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 6 chain sts, make 2hdc in each of the next 2sts, hdc6, hdc2tog, hdc in the same st as you crocheted into before you made the ch19, hdc in each of the next 2sts of the original ch32 you made, sc in the next 2 of these chain sts, ch8, sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 6 chain sts, sc in the same st as you crocheted into before the ch8, then sc in the next 4sts of the ch32, sc3tog, sc5, ch18. Sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 4 chain sts, hdc7, sc3, hdc2, dc in the last of the ch32 stitches you crocheted into, in the next of these sts: hdc2tog, hdc4, sc3, 2sc, slip the back of the previous 29 chain sts of the original ch32 (effectively you'll be slipping the back loop of each of then except the turning st and the very end sts)
Round 2: make 3hdc into the first st you made on the previous round, in the back of the next chain sts:(hdc4, sc3), make 2sc in the next st, sc2, hdc3, hdc2tog, sc, sc2tog between the next st and the back of the following chain st, in the back of the next chain sts: (hdc5, sc11). Slip the next st, make 2sc in the following st, sc8, make 2sc in the next st, sc3, hdc4, hdc3tog, hdc3tog between the next st and the back of the following 2 chain sts, in the back of the next sts: (hdc3, sc2). Sc in the next 6sts, sc3tog, sc3, sc2tog, hdc2, ch3, hdc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next chain st, hdc in the same st as you crocheted into before making this chain, hdc3tog in the next 3 sts and back of the following chain st. In the back of the next chain sts: (hdc5, sc5, hdc2, sc4). Sc in the next 5sts, slip2, sc3, slip6, sc3tog, sc4, slip4
Fasten off

Sew this to the back of the heart, then add blood vessels in the same way as you did for the front.

That's all from this pattern - I hope you have enjoyed it! If you have you might be interested in checking out some of my other organ patterns. If you have any questions please feel free to get in contact - the best way is to email lhodginscrochet@gmail.com, but you can also leave a comment below or on my Ravelry or Instagram pages. As always you're very welcome to sell finished products but I do ask that you don't re-post this pattern or claim it as your own. Thank you!

Also here's some photos of the heart integrated with a set of life-sized lungs (pattern will be released at some point in future), and in the chest cavity of the life-sized skeleton I've made (patterns for various parts of this skeleton are being gradually released)