Hearts for Hospice was initiated in 2015 by the Greater Kansas City Needlepoint Guild to fulfill a need a local Hospice center. When a resident passes, a stitched heart is placed on the door which notifies those passing by to be respectful of friends and family in mourning. The embroidered heart is then given to a family member so it may become a cherished remembrance. In November of 2019, the guild reported that they had donated over 1,400 hearts, from 26 states, to three local Hospice Houses and one of which is a children's home.

The hearts are approximately 5” and can be cross stitched, embroidered, needlepointed or whichever way the stitcher would like to create the heart. Free heart patterns for stitching are provided below, can be found online or you may use your own design idea - favorite patterns from past projects may provide a source of inspiration.

Only finished heart-shaped ornaments should be donated to your local Hospice group. Chapters are responsible for finishing and making the donation, the Hospice organization will decide how they would like to distribute these hearts to their patients and families.

Repeating bargello long stitch needlepoint patterns, like those found on The Spruce Crafts, make great filling stitches for hearts - here is a heart-shaped template. 

Visit the Hearts of Hospice creator, Greater Kansas City Needlepoint Guild, where cool patterns like Hospice Hearts and Nobuko Heart can be found along with a heart-shaped template.

Rainbow Gallery has 12 wonderful designs. These are open patterns which will work up quickly and may even look nice on metallic canvas.

Corning chapter offers a felted wool heart design.

The National Academy of Needlearts offers four small heart patterns.

Rhodes Heart by The Enriched Stitch, complete with stitch guides.

Colour Compliments offer two delightful needlepoint designs, feel free to choose your own colors: Flower Garden Heart and Nobuko Heart.

Draw on your own creativity by visiting Needlepoint Pattern Collection 2 and Needlepoint Pattern Collection 3. And while you are there, check out Hearts Aligned. It's part of the Cross Stitch Pattern Collection 1 and Cross Stitch Pattern Collection 2.

Trailing Hearts by Terry Bay is a snazzy way to create hearts, originally available as an EGA Stitch-a-long project on Facebook.

Brazilian Style Heart by Jean Hubsch is ideal for learning basic Brazilian-style embroidery stitches and includes finishing instructions.

Rhodes Heart

Lucky at Love by SJ Designs

Needlepoint Heart by Laura Perin