A Flower Garland

Anyone who knows me, is aware that I love flowers. My garden is full of them, and in winter, my house always has a fresh bouquet somewhere. I also love anything homemade. Yes, you can buy a scarf or mittens or dishcloths or a dress or shirt or a pair of socks ANYWHERE and at times for cheaper than you can buy the fabric but, homemade is full of love, thought and time. So, I have lots of homemade (not perfect, for sure) in my house and I give away lots of homemade to the people in my circle who I love and care about. Creating something for someone else is a form of self-expression and it slows you down. I can run to the store and buy you a gift but, the minute I sit down and think about something that would make you smile, bring beauty into your life and show how much I care about you by investing time in making something for you…that is calming and restorative. I have made some very TERRIBLE homemade things…thrown them out, ripped them out, started again but, re-doing, learning and getting better is just part of the beauty of life.

So, I saw this pattern for a homemade flower garland for my living room and den and I gave it a try. I have included the pattern. I ironed and used starch to try to make everything a little flatter but, flowers being flowers – they have a mind of their own. You can make the garland shorter or longer depending on the number of stitches between each leaf and flower – I made one long and one short by crocheting some of the stitches together. I love my flower garland because on a rainy day, when my flowers outside are VERY happy, my inside flower garland is there for me to enjoy. Flowers everywhere – that’s my motto.

Here is the pattern:
Spring Flower Garland Text Instructions.
Flower (Make 8, or desired number)
Rnd 1: With centre colour, ch 5, sl st in first ch to make ring, ch 2, dc in centre of ring, ch 2, [2dc-cluster
in ring, ch 2], rep btwn [ ] 10 more times, sl st in top of first dc to join—stitch count: 12 clusters.
Rnd 2: Sl st in next ch st (not the space), ch 1, sc in same ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 5, [sc in next
ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 5], rep btwn [ ] 4 more times, sl st in top of first sc to join. Fasten
off—stitch count: 6 ch-5 loops, 6 ch-3 loops, 11 sc.
Rnd 3: With petal colour, join with sc in any ch-3 sp (see notes), sk next sc, (7dc, ch 3, 7dc) all in next ch-
5 loop, [sk next sc, sc in next ch-3 sp, sk next sc, (7dc, ch 3, 7dc) all in next ch-5 loop], rep btwn [ ] 4 more
times, sl st to join in first sc—stitch count: 6 petals.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [sc in each of next 7 dc, 3sc in ch-3 sp, sc in each of next 7 dc, long-dc (see notes) down into
cluster from round below next ch-3 sp], rep btwn [ ] 5 more times, sl st in first sc to join. Fasten off.

Leaf A (Make 9, or one more than desired number of flowers)
Ch 13, sl st in 2 nd chain from hook, sl st in next ch, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, tr in each of next 3 chs, dc in each of next 2 chs, hdc in next ch, (sc, ch 1, sc) in last ch, rotate to work back along
opposite edge of ch, hdc in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, tr in each of next 3 sts, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sl st in each of next 2 sts. Fasten off.

Leaf B (Make 2)
Ch 11, *sl st in 2 nd chain from hook, sl st in next ch, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 4 chs,
hdc in next ch, (sc, ch 1, sc) in last ch, rotate to work back along opposite edge of ch, hdc in next st, dc in
each of next 4 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in each of next 2 sts. Fasten off.

Garland
Row 1: Ch 2, sc in stem of first Leaf B, ch 1, sc in stem of first Leaf A, ch 15, sc in tip of one petal from
first flower, [ch 15, sc in stem of next Leaf A, ch 15, sc in tip of one petal from next flower], rep btwn [ ]
until all flowers are used, ch 15, sc in stem of last Leaf A, ch 1, sc in stem of 2 nd Leaf B, ch 3.
Row 2: Sc in 2 nd ch from hook, sc in each ch and sc across, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sl st in back loop only of each st across. Fasten off.

Notes
2dc-cluster: [yo, insert hook where indicated, draw up a loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook], rep
btwn [ ] once more (3 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 3 loops on hook.
long-dc: work a dc but insert the hook lower down in the work and draw up loop to the height of the
current row/round.
Join with sc: with slip knot on hook, insert hook where indicated and draw up a loop, yo, draw through 2
loops on hook.
ch = chain, sc = single crochet, dc = double crochet, hdc = half-double crochet, tr = treble crochet, sl st =
slip stitch, st(s) = stitch(es), rep = repeat, btwn = between,

Written by Pam