Indoor sunshine

I don't know about where you are dear reader, but here in Edinburgh it's been grey and rainy and drizzly and breezy and chilly for weeks now and it can get really quite depressing considering this is July!

But to cheer up the house I made a sunflower cushion, lovely bright gold petals, just what the living room needed to brighten it up through all this gloom!


                       
                                     


I hadn't intended to just sew it onto another cushion, but do you think I could find circular cushion pads?  No, not a shop in Edinburgh has such a thing, but then I spyed these cushions on sale in Ikea and thought that the green would be the perfect background for my sunflower.

To make the sunflower you will need

Brown wool

Yellow wool ( I used a DK wool that I had lying around in both colours)

Crochet hook - I used a 4mm hook which is a UK8 or a US F, but if use what your wool suggests.

Notes:  Although from the UK, I am a self taught crocheter from a US crochet book so my pattern will be in US terms, here are the different stitch names in case you need them.

US                                                            UK

single crochet (sc)                                    double crochet (dc)

half double crochet (hdc)                         half treble (htr)

double crochet (dc)                                  treble (tr)

triple crochet(tr)                                       double treble(dtr)

To make the sunflower

  Chain 5 and slip stitch to join.

1.  Ch 1 (counts as first single crochet (sc))  then 14 sc around, sl st to join to first ch.  15 Stitches.

(We are working in the round so do not turn your work, always have the right side facing you)

2. Ch 3 (first double crochet (dc)) then dc in SAME stitch, then 2dc in each stitch around, sl st to join.  30 stitches

3. Ch3 then 1dc in each stitch around, sl st to join.

4. Ch3 then 1dc in same stitch, *1dc in next stitch, 2dc in next stitch. Repeat from * to end, sl st to join.  45 stitches.

5. Ch3 then 1dc in each stitch around, sl st to join.

6. Ch3 then 1dc in same stitch.  *1dc in next 2 stitches, 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * to end, sl st to join.  60 stitches

7. Ch3 then 1dc in each stitch around, sl st to join.

8. Ch 3 then 1dc in same stitch.  *1dc in next 3 stitches, 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * to end, sl st to join.  75 stitches

9. Ch3 then 1dc in each stitch around, sl st to join.

This is as big as I made my flower centre, you could of course make yours bigger by continuing the pattern of increases.  If you do then ensure that each increase round you make is an increase of 15 stitches eg

the next increase round would be dc in next 4 stitches, 2dc in next = 90 stitches

the next increase round would be dc in next 5 stitches, 2dc in next = 105 stitches etc etc

Secure brown wool and cut off leaving a tail for weaving in later.

To make the petals

Join the yellow wool into the FRONT LOOP of any stitch from the last round of brown.

1. Ch 1(counts as sc), then 1hdc in next stitch, 5dc in next stitch, 1hdc in next stitch, 1sc in next stitch.  1 Petal made.  This pattern is 1sc, 1hdc, 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc over 5 stitches.  Continue this pattern around, working in the FRONT LOOPS only.  Sl st to join.

Now we will be working in the BACK LOOPS from the petal round and as our last round of brown was not an increase round, we will be INCREASING the stitches from here.

2. Still with the right side facing you, slide your hook into the first back loop and ch3 then 1dc in same stitch.  *1dc in next 4 stitches, 2dc in next stitch.  Repeat from * to end, sl st to join.  90 stitches

3. Now repeat the petal row working in the front loops only (1sc, 1hdc, 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc)

4. Non increase round - hook into back loop, ch3 then 1dc in each stitch round, sl st to join.

5. Petal round

6. Increase round = ch3 and 1 dc in same stitch, 1dc in next 5 stitches, 2dc in next all way around

7. Petal round

This is where I finished, only doing 4 rounds of petals, but again you can do more making sure you do an increase round every alternate non petal round

so the petal pattern is

petal round

increase round

petal round

no increase round

petal round

increase round

petal round etc

Just remember the petals are worked in the front loops only and the plain rounds in the back loops.

Once you've reached the size of flower you want, fasten off and weave in the ends.

I then sewed the flower to my Ikea cushion and days of indoor sunshine can now begin!

If you are lucky enough to have circular cushion pads and wanted to do a crocheted back, then all you need to do is follow the pattern for the flower centre and continue increasing alternate rows, until you have the size the you need, then sew or crochet your front and back together and insert your cushion pad.

Then sit back with your ray of sunshine and hope the real sun turns up soon!

yours, hoping for sunny days

Louise

xoxox