The Heart Cat Story

The Heart Cat (Hjärtekatten) is a Swedish Craft Project that I joined when it started this spring. It started when two Swedish women in Gothenburg sent out a call for crocheted softies to give to children that suffers from some kind of heart disease. Something that will remind the child and their family of that time, and to let them know they are unique and special, not just sick. Something to hold onto when you’re worried or scared.

Each cat is lovingly crocheted and put together by volunteers all around Sweden, people like who likes to crochet and do something nice for someone at the same time.

Their first goal was to collect 100 handmade cats to distribute at a local specialist hospital (Children’s heart ward at Queen Silvia’s Children- and Youth Hospital), but as I’m writing this I see my crocheted contribution, named Heffa, in the pile in this post and the count was at 461 cats! Now it’s probably a lot more than that – and the pile is growing!

At first I was thinking of the heart on the softies chest as a sad “broken heart”, but really, if you look closer, you can tell it’s a mended heart with a scar. Each cat will be a reminder of the hospital stay and the experiences there.

I used to free-hand crochet a lot of amigrumi animals a few years ago. I love creating the parts and seeing the softie being born when I sew the parts together. It’s been a while since I did the last one, so I really enjoyed creating a cat and I become quite attached to him. Maybe I liked him even more because I knew he was not going to stay around very long?
I named the heart cat that I crocheted, Heffa, and attached a note around his neck before he left. It’s says “Hello my name is Heffa, do you want to be my friend?” and on the back is my name and email. I am hoping I will receive a note back once Heffa finds his new parents, maybe even a photo of him together with his new child? That would be fun.

The cat and I had a few adventures together that I documented before he left. I got quite attached to him, and his funny ways! His stay here was short but sweet – and creative of course, as always around here.

Heffa photos

Outside the bird feeder house.

Meditating in the grass.

Playing hide-and-seek with me.

Fooling around in the yarn bowl at work. – Look at me! I can stand on my head!

Heffa, did you know that’s the bowl where I found the purple yarn that I crocheted you from? It’s your origins and siblings in there.

Indoors, resting. He is very good at finding a spot good enough for napping (like most cats), becaue that’s his favorite activity, though he also enjoys drawing and painting and sewing etc.

Time to take out the pens and go draw something.

I’ll miss you kitty!

Hjärtekatten links

* The Swedish Project Hjärtekatten
* English pattern
* Swedish pattern

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