I designed the Frilly Target Flower and its variations for Crochet Bouquet. The flower didn’t make it into the book, but it’s too pretty to keep to myself. So here are the instructions.
Medium and large versions have picot frills, which you may choose either to crochet or to leave off completely. Consult your copy of Crochet Bouquet to see pictures of the needle-join; written instructions for the needle join are at the end of this post.
Frilly Target Flower
Finished Measurements
Large Frilly Target worked in medium weight (4) yarn using G or H hook for a firm gauge: 6 1/2″/16.5cm diameter
You Will Need
1 or more colors of yarn of similar weight; you can use yarn scraps or yarn from your stash
Hook: Appropriate size hook to achieve a firm gauge with selected yarn
Gauge
Work with a firm gauge to help the flower hold its shape. You may need to experiment a little.
Pattern Notes
- The instructions are written to change colors after each round of picots. Even if you do not want to change colors, cut the yarn and needle-join the picot round for the best looking flowers.
- For large Frilly Target, work all rounds of instructions.
- For medium Frilly Target, work Rnds 1 through 4, then Rnds 7 and 8.
- For a smooth center, omit picot Rnds 2 and 4.
- If you prefer not to change colors, you may join with a slip stitch at the end of a round, then ch 3 to take the place of the first dc.
- Picot-only variation: Work Rnds 1 through 6 only.
- Picot (picot) = ch 3, sc into 3rd ch from hook.
Ch 6; join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 15 dc in ring; join with sl st in top of beginning ch-3 (16 dc).
Rnd 2 (optional): Working in front loops only, *picot, skip next st, sl st in next st; repeat from * 7 more times; needle-join to first st (8 picots).
Rnd 3: Working in back loops only of Rnd 1, join next color with dc in first st, (2 dc in next 3 sts, dc in next st) 3 times, 2 dc in next 3 sts; join with sl st in first dc (28 sts).
Rnd 4 (optional): Working in front loops only, *picot, skip next st, sl st in next st; repeat from * around more times; needle-join to first st (14 picots).
Rnd 5: Working in back loops only of Rnd 3, join next color with dc in first st, 2 dc in next st, (dc in next st, 2 dc in next st) 5 times, 2 dc in next 2 sts, (dc in next st, 2 dc in next st) 6 times, 2 dc in next 2 sts; join with sl st in first dc (44 sts).
Rnd 6 (optional): Working in front loops only, *picot, skip next st, sl st in next st; repeat from * around more times; needle-join to first st (22 picots).
Rnd 7: Working in back loops only of Rnd 5, join next color with sc in first st, ch 5, skip next 3 sts, *sc in next st, ch 5, skip next 3 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in first sc (11 ch-5 space).
Note: The single crochet stitches of Rnd 7 serve as anchor stitches for Rnd 8.
Rnd 8: Ch 1, (sc, hdc, 4 dc, hdc, sc) in next ch-5 space, ch 1, sl st around next sc (anchor st), *ch 1, (sc, hdc, 4 dc, hdc, sc) in next ch-5 space, ch 1, sl st around next sc (anchor st); repeat from * around. Fasten off.
Finishing
Weave in all yarn ends.
To needle-join:
When you are finished with the last stitch of a round, do not remove needle from the last loop. Cut the yarn, leaving a 4″ end. Pull the hook straight up from the last stitch, so the end of the last loop comes free of the stitch. Thread the yarn end into a tapestry needle.
When you look at the tops of the stitches of the round, they look like a series of “v”s growing out of each other. Find the “v” at the top of the first stitch of the round. With your needle and thread, you will follow the course of this “v” under the threads of the next “v” and back to the top and down into the last stitch.
Here goes:
Following the “v” at the top of the first stitch, Insert the needle from front to back under the top of the second stitch of the round. Pull gently to tighten.
Following the “v” thread of the first stitch, insert the needle into the top of the first stitch. Continuing with your needle, find the loops where your yarn end emerges from the last stitch. Insert the needle back into those loops. Pull gently to tighten. Weave in the thread end at the back of the work.