How to Make an Easy Yet Decorative Crochet Flower: Perfect for Beginners Learning How to Crochet in the Round :)

This is a project that will teach you how to make a beautiful crochet flower that you can use to decorate just about anything, hang from your bag as an ornament, or surprise your friends with a lovely flower-y gift.

Difficulty for Starters (people who are only just starting to learn crochet): 2/5 (on average 20-40 mins making time)

Difficulty for Beginners: 1/5 (on average 15-30 mins making time)

Difficulty for Intermediates: Piece of cake! (on average 10-20 mins making time)

Difficulty for Advanced: No time required (on average 5-10 mins making time)

Materials needed:

1. 8 ply yarn (preferably acrylic as that's what I am using)

2. A crochet hook (preferably 5.0 mm as that's what I am using)

3. Scissors to trim your yarn at the end!!

Serving suggestions aka places for use:

- Crocheted beanie

- Crocheted scarf

- Handbag (as a keyring)

- Gift for your superamazing friends!!

A note from the author: The pictures were super hard to take because I'm using a computer with a built in cam so...if you can't see anything clearly I'm really sorry.

And now...

LET'S GET STARTED!!!

Make a slip knot. If you know how to do this *umm* do it and skip to the next step.

- Hold the tail of the yarn in your fingers and rest the yarn over your thumb.

- Wrap the yarn around your thumb.

- Pull the yarn loop over the outer strand.

- Now pick up the strand and pull it through the loop.

- Take the loop off your thumb.

- Insert the hook through the top loop and pull the yarn to tighten.

Chain 4. If you already know how to do this please do it and move on (I'm sorry if you're an advanced person reading this, I know I'm too detailed)

- Start with a slip knot on your hook. Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front.

- Snag the yarn on your hook and turn the hook downwards.

- Pull your hook through the loop already on your hook...!

And there's your first chain! You should have one loop on your hook!!

Now repeat 3 times.

Experienced peeps! Slip stitch into your first chain to make a ring.

Part 1: You see that first victorious chain stitch you made?? (smiley face smiley face) Well, none of your hard work was wasted at all. Insert your crochet hook into the stitch. You should now have two loops on your hook, one from the far end of your chain and one from the near end.

**Important Tip** Make sure the yarn that is attached to your ball of wool is in front of your hook, not behind. BUT WAIT!!! We're not done yet...

Part 2: Bring your yarn that is attached to your skein or ball of wool (an orangey red in my illustration) to the sharp curve at the end of of your hook and *hook* this strand through BOTH the loops on your hook. (See second picture above)

Again I will give you awesome crocheters a summary. Double crochet into the centre of the ring as many times as you can fit into the loop (it varies with chain size and hook size and gauge). Happy crocheting!! :) Then just slip stitch into your first stitch again!!

Now, I myself have had trouble understanding books, videos, and instructions on how to crochet in the round. (But hey, maybe that's just me.)

FEAR NONETHELESS!! Today I will teach you...for real.

So again, we are going to work with the yarn attached to your ball/skein of wool (hooray...?). Bring it OVER the top of your ring (but NOT over the top of your hook, you may sidle it to the left a little so you can avoid this.)

Then...use your hook to reach through the centre of your ring to try and pull it through the ring. Then pull your hook back up so it is resting on top of your ring.

**Important Tip** Please resist the urge to use your fingers to pull it through. (I know it's hard). It will be a lot quicker later on with your hook, trust me.

Now you have two loops on your hook, correct? (Smiley face smiley face) Then, bring up the yarn that's attached to your skein and use your hook to pull it through BOTH your loops.

And we're DONE!!!... Or not.

Repeat the above steps until you have covered your entire ring and have no chain showing through at all. Congrats!! You've done your first working in the round!!!

And after you've covered your circle, simply insert your hook into the first stitch (both loops of it!) and pull the yarn through all of the loops again.

Ok now for the superamazing crocheters who don't need an explanation: Ch 3, insert hook into 2nd stitch from start of round, slip stitch. Repeat as many times it takes for you to get around the ring (for me about 5-6)

Chain 3, everyone!! Then place your hook into the loop 2 places ahead of the one you started on.

**Important Tip** Make sure you insert your hook into BOTH loops of the stitch, instead of just one.

Then pull your yarn through all of the strands on your hook like we did before - that's it!!

Then repeat about 5 or 6 times - simple :D

If your flower looks squished you're doing it right - don't worry!! We'll make those petals bigger in the next step.

So with each of your petals, act like you're crocheting in the round! Fit as many stitches in each petal as you can, but try not to squeeze *too* many in ;)

After you've done the circle, simply insert your hook into the 1st stitch and pull your yarn through all the stitches again!!

And...

You're finally, actually, believingly, done!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you all wondering why there's no explanation in this step? You learn new techniques along the way and don't need to be explained to any more :)

I hope you all found this helpful and also found quite a few places to plant your flower!! Follow me @TheCrochetandOrigamiPanda if you liked this project!

Until next time,

TheCrochetandOrigamiPanda