Mums the Word: Tutorial

For a big project at work, I've had to come up with a couple flower patterns, and I figured I'd share my favorite with you guys while I finish up the last 7 of them.

Here's how to make mums! It's a crochet recipe (not pattern- I'm not that meticulous) and while it required only chaining and single crochet, it's a little fiddly so I don't suggest it as a first crochet project.

You will need some yarn (I'm using Fino from Alpaca With A Twist, held doubled). You'll need an appropriately sized crochet hook as well.

1. Chain 4 or 5 stitches, join in to a loop with a slip stitch.

2. SC around the loop you just made- you should end up with around 7/8 stitches on the loop. Join in the round with a slip stitch.

3. Chain 20, SC in to next SC, repeat until end of row. This is your first round of "petals". So far so good? Now is the finicky bit.

4. See those SC's you anchored your petals down with? You're going to pull your petals forward and put 2 SC stitches in each SC stitch- you will now have twice the SC stitches from the last round and a solid SC round, forcing the petals forward. The solid SC round serves as a foundation round for your next row of petals.

5. Chain 25, SC in to the next SC, repeat until end of row. This is your second round of petals.

Repeat rows 4&5 until you have desired size of flower- I have 4 petal rows total in mine. Hint: You don't really have to do another SC row around your last petal round- it doesn't show and you don't need a set-up row if you're done with petals.

Make your new flower a few friends and have yourself a nice little bouquet!

Questions? Comments? Want to show me your finished mums? Shoot me an e-mail at peaceloveyarn@aol.com.