Crocheted flowers are a pretty addition to many projects. Traditionally, most flower patterns are motifs for Irish crochet and made in fine thread, but they can be lots of fun in many yarns and gauges. I recently made several simple roses to attach to samples for a forthcoming hat pattern, and I realized that there was an easier way to make them.
If you look at a crocheted rose pattern, it will have you make the central layer of petals, work a series of chain stitch loops into the backs of those petals, work the second layer of petals into those chain loops, and so on for however many layers of petals you want. Those instructions will always have you keep the right side of your work facing you, which means that you make the chain loops by folding the petals down while you work behind them. This lovely, free pattern for flower hair clips is an example of having you stitch behind your work. The chain loops are attached to the first layer of petals using back post single crochets. I've always found that part fiddly and unpleasant.
When I made the roses for all those hats, I realized that the custom of keeping the right side facing was completely unnecessary. Instead, I made the round of chain loops into wrong side rows. Those rows are always hidden by the petals in front of them, so turning the work makes no difference in the finished appearance of the flower. However, having the side of the flower that I'm working on face me while I'm working on it makes the stitching significantly easier.
Here's the flower I made:
Basic Rose
Ch5 and join to form ring.
Rnd 1 (RS): (ch2, dc2 in ring, ch2 sl st in ring) 5 times.
Rnd 2 (WS): Turn. (ch3, sk 2, sl st in each of next 2 ch2 spaces) 4 times, sk 2, sl st in last ch2 space.
Rnd 3: Turn. Sl st in first ch3 space, *(ch2, dc4, ch2, sl st) in ch3 loop, sl st in next ch3 loop, rep from * 3 more times, (ch2, dc4, ch2, sl st) in last ch3 loop. Sl st in beg of rnd. Finish off, and use end to sew flower through brim and body of hat to hold brim in place.
This post has been linked to Busy Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Weekly Blog Party, Stitchin' Mommy, Wow Me Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Thursday Favorite Things, and Friendship Friday.
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