How to Crochet a Flower

Have you ever had a boring solid color that needs to be jazzed up? Make a flower like this, sew it on, and there's a fix! With basic crochet skills, you can make these flowers in minutes and add a touch of flair to anything.

Your Materials

1. Choose your yarn. There are many to choose from and each will render a different type of flower. What look are you going for?
   • Consider the color, weight, fiber, and washing instructions.
   • If you have a thick crochet hook, it's best to go for a thick yarn. Thick is also easier to work with for beginners.
2. Pick your hook. Hook sizes are measured in millimeters or fractions of an inch. If you are learning, choose a solid color so you can see how the stitches are made-patterned yarn makes this more difficult.
   • If you have a pattern on hand, use the hook (and yarn) size recommended.

Making the Flower

1. Start by chaining six stitches. This is the first step to all crocheting projects.
   
   
   • This is abbreviated as "ch" in most crocheting pamphlets.
   • If you don't know how to crochet or how to hold a crochet hook, practice before making this flower.
2. Make a slip stitch in the first chain (make a loop). This stitch is used to join work, bind off stitches, reinforce edges or carry yarn to a different working position without adding extra height.
   
   
   • "Sl st" is the abbreviation for "slip stitch."
   • In this project, the slip stitch creates the initial ring of the flower.
3. Chain 3. This counts as your first double crochet. It'll be the base to your petals.
   
   
4. Make 14 double crochets into the loop. You should see the next ring start to form.
   
   
   • "Double crochet" is abbreviated to "dc."
5. Make a slip stitch in the first chain of 3. The first part is done. Wahoo!
   
   
   • That slip stitch joins the second circle into a ring. That's the center of your flower!
6. Chain 1. You're onto the petals!
   
   
7. Make a half double crochet into the first stitch. The abbreviation you'll find on patterns or crocheting websites is "hdc."
   
   
8. In the same 1st stitch make a double crochet and a triple crochet. The petal is starting to come to life!
   
   
   • "Dc" and "tc," respectively.
   • You may find that you want to vary the triple or double crochets, depending on the weight of your yarn and the size of your crochet hook. Three can be a bit wide for a smaller yarn.
9. In the next stitch make a triple crochet, double crochet, and a half double crochet. This will round out the shape of your petal.
   
   
10. Make a slip stitch in the next stitch. Do you see the distinct shape of the petal?
    
    
11. Repeat steps 7-10. Start in the next stitch every time you finish a slip stitch, until you have 5 petals.
    
    
12. Make a slip stitch in the last stitch. Voila! That's the last petal!
    
    
    • If you want a smaller flower, next time choose a smaller hook and a finer yarn. It's a little more difficult to work with and requires a bit more expertise.
13. Tie off. Run the yarn tail through a few stitches on the backside of the flower with your crochet hook and trim.
    
    

• Spray some shimmer mist on your flowers to make them sparkle.
• Every crocheting pamphlet uses abbreviations. Familiarize yourself with them:
  
  • hdc=half double crochet
  • ch=chain
  • dc=double crochet
  • Use the size crochet hook the label on the yarn recommends
  • sl st=slip stitch
  • tc=triple (or treble) crochet
• Start out with thin yarn for smaller flowers, thick yarn for bigger ones.

• Yarn
• Crochet hook
• Scissors