Hello Everyone!

For a while now, I have not posted an Instructable - my last one dates back in summer! I've been wanting to build something for a while but the question is: what? I then stumbled upon the Valentines Day Contest and then thought a bit, and began building a K'nex Valentine Heart!

In this Instructable, you will be guided on building a small or big K'nex Valentine Heart for your loved one! Showing both creativity and love for them.

I know that in the past, other K'nex hearts have been posted, but unlike mine, theirs isn't filled in and I mean.. what good is a heart if is isn't filled in with love and happiness - the 2 most important ingredients for a heart. Also, this is the only K'nex heart completely made out of one single type of connector: red connectors!

So get your K'nex and lets make some love. < hearts that is ;-)

If you want to build the big heart shown, the piece count is on step 1 and the instructions follow on: step 2, step 3 etc...And if you want to make the small Valentine heart, then the piece count again is on step 1 and the instructions begin at step 7.

Also if you haven't already guessed, this is for the Valentines Day Contest. It would make my day if just one person votes :-)

Step 1: Piece Count

Firstly, lets begin by gathering the pieces. Gather the pieces for the heart that you want to build below:

Big Valentine Day Heart

Rods

Blue - 4
White - 94 + 10 extra but those 10 look better if black
green - 2 + 58 black green sized rods again they look better (see photos)

Connectors

Red - 175

Other

'Y' Clips - 20

Small Valentine Day Heart

Connectors

Red - 25

Rods

Blue - 3
White - 11
Green - 1 + 2 black rods (green sized) for better looks

Other

'Y' clips - 6

Right got those, good then lets get building! :-)

Step 2: The Big Valentine Heart: Beginning the Centre

Okay, good choice, you picked the big heart! Over the next few steps, we will be making the frame of the heart but in this particular step, we will be making the centre of the heart.

Pictures

1) This is what you will be building over the next few steps
2) Begin by making this.
3) Another view.
4) A view from the side.
5) Another view.
6) And another view.
7) A final view of the centre again.

Yay! Step 2 complete, lets move on! :-)

Step 3: The Sides of the Heart: Part 1

In this step, we will be beginning the sides of the heart and attaching them to the centre of the heart that you made in the second step

Pictures

1) Make this - nice and easy :-)
2) Another view.
3) Repeat pictures 1 and 2 so you have two of them.
4) Another view of what you should have.
5) Get one of them and attach it to the centre of the heart like so.
6) Repeat for the other side - make sure that you are attaching the connector in the right position!
7) What you should have.

Great job, your getting there ;-)

Step 4: The Sides of the Heart: Part 2

Ok, in this step, we will be continuing and finishing the sides of the heart. Wish you luck! :-)

Pictures

1) Build this.
2) Another view.
3) Another view - ignore that other thing in the bottom left of the photo.
4)Another view.
5) Another view.
6) Another view - make sure that the 'Y' clips are in the correct position.
7) Repeat it again so that you have 2 of them as shown.
8) Get one of the sides and connect it to the side which is connected to the centre.
9) What you should have done previously.
10) Repeat for the other sides.

Onwards and Upwards!

Step 5: The Bottom of the Heart

In this step, you will build the bottom of the heart. Pretty self-explanatory.

Pictures

1) Build this.
2) Close up of the right side.
3) Another view.
4) A view of the left side.
5) Another view.
6) Another view of the bottom.
7) Connect it to the rest of the heart as shown.
8) Another view.
9) Another view.
10) And yet another view.
11) What you should have.

Yay! Now we have an.... empty heart. Lets fill it with joy - proceed to the next step :-)

Step 6: Filling the Heart In!

In this step, yes, you will finally be filling in the heart - pay attention, this is is the hardest part!

Pictures

1) Fill in as shown.
2) Another view.
3) A view of it all - be careful with the placement of white rods.
4) Another view.
5) A close up of the filling in.
6) A view off the bottom.
7) This is one of the panels that I used.
8) Find this empty gap.
9) Slide it through the white rods as shown.
10) This is what I used for the middle.
11) Slot it in as shown.
12) Repeat as shown for the other side.

Whoppeee! Your done! Unless you want to build the small heart now, go to the next step of otherwise, go to step 10! :-)

Step 7: The Small Valentine Heart: the Middle and the Sides

Right, so you have gone for the piece efficient heart. Wisdom I see :-) In this step, we will be beginning and finishing the middle and sides of the heart.

Pictures

1) Build this - easy.
2) Another view.
3) Another view.
4) Repeat so that you have 2 of them.
5) Another view.
6) Attach like so.
7) Another view.
8) Yet another view.
9) You see that red connector, take it off like so from the previous picture.
10) Clip it back the opposite way so that it is symmetrical.
11) Final view of what you should have.

Nearly there, keep it up! :-)

Step 8: The Bottom of the Heart

In this step you will make the bottom of the heart!

Pictures

1) Make this - easy.
2) Another view.

Great job! That sure was hard. ;-)

Step 9: Connecting the Bottom and Filling in the Heart

Okay, the final step! Here, you will be connecting the bottom of the heart and filling it in!

Pictures

1) Connect the bottom as shown.
2) Repeat making this and link them together.
3) Connect as shown.
4) Do the same and keep repeating - use the last picture for referance.
5) What you should have at the end of it!

Hurray you have finished the heart! :-)

Step 10: Your Done!

WELL DONE!!!

You have completed the heart(s). Now give it to your loved one and watch their expression.

I hope the instructions were easy to follow and you had fun making the heart. Also, if you take a picture, I will add it to this step. :-)

And if you liked this, then why not follow, favourite and vote for it at the top :-)
'Till next time

Hunter999