Crocheted daffodil & pansy

I've never been that big on crocheted flowers.  There's a few reasons for it... one, no matter what you do, they're chunky looking and they don't look anything like a real flower.  They also remind me of bad crochet toilet paper covers from the 70's, the ones that little old ladies loved to decorate with....  Right up there with those crocheted dolls... pardon me while

cold shivers run down my spine...

But I have a particular project in mind, and it requires crocheted flowers.  So, I bit the bullet.  I had to look through about every crochet book in the house and several online sources, but I finally came up with something I could work with. 

 

 

 

 

The daffodil actually looks ok.  I put on the mesh simply because I was trying to figure out how it was going to attach to my project... that's not how I'm gonna use it though,  the pansy... well I went through about a dozen patterns before I came up with one that finished up pansy-ish enough for me, and this one will look better when it's got a yellow knot in the center sewing it to the project.  

I spent too long looking for those patterns and I don't want to misplace them,  so I'll be copying them  along with sources, and designers... we must give credit where credit is due. 

 

The daffodil was  originally part of a trio of patterns to be used as refrigerator magnets.   published in the April 1998 issue of Crochet With Heart (basically its a red heart yarn pattern) and designed by Terry Kimbrough.  (She had a pansy pattern also that is definitely acceptable, but I prefer the other one I found.  don't ask me why.  I'm just picky.)

 

Originally she recommended South Maid Cotton Thread, Lemon  Peel.  I don't know that it's manufactured anymore.  I used Aunt Lydias Bedspread Cotton in a pale yellow, I don't know the actual name of the color as the label is long gone... it's a size 10 thread though.  The  designer used a size 6 hook, I used a size 7, as I tend to crochet a little loose.  Whichever you're comfortable with. 

 

 

CENTER

Rnd 1 (right side)  ch 4, 11 dc in fourth ch from hook;, join with slip st  to top of beginning ch:  12 sts.

 

Rnd 2:  Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, (dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc) around; join with slip st to first dc:  16 dc

 

Rnd 3:  Ch 3, dc in next dc and in each dc around:  join with slip st to first dc. 

 

Rnd 4:  Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 2, (sc in next dc, ch 2 ) around;  join with slip st to first sc, finish off. 

 

PETALS

Rnd 1 (right side):  *ch 11 loosely, working in back ridge of each ch, sc in second ch from hook and in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 6 chs, sc in last ch; repeat from * 5 rimes more; join with slip st to free loops of first ch on first ch-11:  6 petals.

 

Rnd 2:  Working around Petals and in free loops of each ch-11,  * # sc in next ch, hdc in next ch,dc in next 4 chs, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, slip st in next ch, slip st in end of Petal and in next sc, sc in next sc, hdc in next hdc, dc in next 4 dc, hdc in dc, sc in next dc  #, slip st in next 2 sts; repeat from * 4 times more, then repeat from # to # once, slip st in last sc; join with slip st to joining slip st, finish off. 

 

sew center and petals together.  using paintbrush apply a light coat of glue inside Center and let dry;   apply a light coat of glue to back of Petals and let dry. 

 

 

Believe me... it's actually a little bit easier than it looks...

 

 

The Pansy was  originally worked in knitting worsted, with a size G hook.   Again I executed it with Aunt Lydias Bedspread Cotton, and a size 7 hook.  each flower uses less than a yard of black thread, and a small amount of the color of your choice, 

 

I pulled this pattern from Liesure Arts, leaflet 2938 published in 1997, and Titled A Year of afghans, book eight... this is the March afghan.  (side note... I don't know if Leisure arts still does this Year of Afghans series, but they definitely should.  There's some very interesting  patterns and techniques in these books, and very clear directions)  The March design is credited to Carol Alexander and Brenda Stratton.  I don't know which actually came up with the pansy, but it's an interesting afghan altogether, although I didn't much care for the tweedy colors that were in style at the time... regardless, lets get on with it...

 

Materials: 

 

Bedspread cotton;  small amount of black and lt blue, or color of your choice

size 7 crochet hook

 

special stitches...

 

tr - (treble) YO twice, insert hook in st, YO and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times.

 

tr tr- (triple treble)  YO 4 times, insert hook in sp indicated,m YO and pull up a loop (6 loops on hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 5 times. 

 

With black, ch 5; join with slip st to form a ring. 

 

Foundation Row:  (right side) :  (ch 3, 2 tr, ch 3, slip st) 3 times in ring; finish off. 

 

Rnd 1:  with right side facing, join color with slip st in beginning ring: (ch 5, 4 tr tr, ch 5 slip st) twice in ring, ch 4, 4 tr in each of next 2 tr on foundation Row, ch 4, (slip st in next slip st, ch 4, 4 tr in each of nest 2 tr, ch 4) twice (bottom petals completed): join with slip st to first slip st. 

 

Rnd 2:  Ch 2 # (slip st in next ch, ch 2 ) 5 times, working in Back loops only (slip st in next tr tr, ch 2) 4 times, (slip st in next tr tr, ch 2 ) 4 times, (slip st in next ch, ch 2 ) 5 times #, sk next slip st, repeat from # to # once (top petals completed) slip st in next slip st, leave remaining sts unworked: finish off leaving a long end for sewing. 

 

With Yellow, add 5 straight stitches to Black on center bottom Petal of Foundation Row.  (note : not pictured, as I'll use those to sew to my project later.)   

 

And there we are.