The Rafflesia is a great big flower—about 3 feet across. It’s the inspiration for this tiny version, called “Rafflesita.” The “-ita” means little. The pattern for “Rafflesita” is on pages 122-123 of Crochet Garden: Bunches of Flowers, Leaves, and Other Delights. These photos and notes are meant to supplement the instructions in the book.
The samples in Crochet Garden are each crocheted from one variegated yarn. These photos show a flower made with several colors, so you can see the different parts of the flower better. Besides, it looks pretty good.
Rnds 1 and 2 are straightforward rounds of double crochet. Rnd 3 is worked into the Front Loop (FL) Only of Rnd 2. It forms a support for the final round of the flower. Rnd 4 is worked into the Back Loop (BL) Only of Rnd 2. You will work the petals and the final round of the flower into Rnd 4.
Here’s the first petal done, and the second petal begun. This is the “ch 6” of 5A in the pattern. The chain takes you away from the flower center.
Continuing 5A, you work back toward the flower center, along the ch, and join to the BL of the next st of Rnd 4.
Instruction 5B has you stitching away from the flower again.
And 5C has you coming back toward the center, and joining with a sl st in the BL of the next st of Rnd 4.
Crochet away from the flower in 5D.
Crochet back toward the center for 5E, but pay attention here, because you’re going to skip one st of Rnd 4, before joining with a sl st in the BL of the next st.
Back out one more time with 5F.
Toward the flower center one last time for 5G, and you’re done with the next petal.
When the petals are complete, slip stitch around each petal as described in Rnd 6. If you find that 16 sl sts across the top are too many or too few, please alter the pattern to suit you.
To begin Rnd 7 with a dc, place a slip knot on your hook (as if you were starting a new project), yo hook, and draw up a loop in any FL of Rnd 4. Now you have 3 loops on the hook. Finish the dc as usual.
The FLs of Rnd 4 are pretty easy to see in this photo. They are the line of loops just inside the petal row.
Rnd 7 is worked from the top of the flower. If you’re a right-handed crocheter (meaning you hold the hook in your right hand—doesn’t matter which hand you write with), proceed in the direction of the arrow in this picture.
For me, it was easiest to fold the petals back and hold them with my thumb.
When you’re finished with Rnd 7, cut the yarn and pull the final loop out of the top of the last st (A in photo). Thread the yarn into a needle, and take the needle under the top lps of the 2nd st of the rnd (B in photo).
Take the needle down into the top of the final stitch, where the arrow is pointing in the photo. Tighten the loop to make it the same tension as the other stitches. Weave in the ends.
Rafflesita’s center is like a little bowl, where you can store small things, like these fossils.