Hi everyone,

Two posts in two days!  I think this long bank holiday weekend is bringing some inspirational magic...  To be honest I intended to draft this post and publish it when I had nothing to say, but I just can't wait!!!!!

This daisy square came about because of a free gift in a magazine.  This came with an edition of 'simply Homemade' a few months ago now.


A flower loom isn't something I would probably have bought myself, but in a fit of boredom I decided to give it a try.  I got onto youtube to see how it worked (as the magazine is long gone) and made a couple of flowers.  I thought they were quite nice, but I didn't know what I would do with them.

 Then the 'what ifs' started...  you know the 'I don't like the middle of these flowers... what if I crocheted a middle?' what ifs...  I think all my patterns come from 'what if' moments.  So began my quest to create a flower loom crocheted square which utilised the best bit of the flower made from a loom - the petals - with a crocheted middle and an attached square.  And 'Who loves ya Daisy Square' is the result!



They're a wee bit fiddly to make, but oh so worth it I think.  You don't even need a fancy flower loom to make them; I found a great link to make a homemade flower loom here.   So if you fancy giving them a try here's a tutorial to get you started...

Who loves ya Daisy Square

I made this square with dk weight cotton, a flower loom with 12 spikes, a 4 mm crochet hook. 
The petals of the daisy are best made with quite a stiff yarn, not a soft floppy yarn so that they hold their shape.  I used basic craft cotton (often sold recommended for dishcloths etc.)


I use American crochet terms.  Abbreviations - st/s - stitch/es; sc - single crochet; hdc - half double crochet; dc - double crochet; sl st - slip stitch; ch - chain

1. Take your flower loom.  If there are separate spikes (like mine) set it up with 12 spikes around the outside (largest) circle of the loom.  My loom's diameter is about 11cms.


If you have never used a flower loom before I highly recommend you watch a how-to on youtube first.  This is a good link here. 

2. I found it easiest to put your end of yarn through the middle of the loom (1); you can then hold it with your little finger of your left hand to keep it out of the way and taut.  Start wrapping your yarn around the spikes in a figure of eight motion around opposite spikes.  Wrap each set of spikes 5 times before moving to the next (2-6).


3.  When you have wrapped all the spikes, cut the yarn leaving a long end; you will need this to work back stitches around the centre to secure the petals.  Another link I recommend you watch before doing the next step is here.  This shows clearly how to work the back stitches around the middle.  Have you watched it?  Yes?  Well we are going to work those backstiches just like in the video, but first of all I want you to work a row of backstitches working through the middle of the petals instead of to the side of the petals. (I found that working through the petals as well as working around them secures them tightly - if you only work around them they can pull out when you have finished, and we don't want that!).

4. So thread a blunt darning needle (1), and take your yarn to the back of the loom through the far side of the middle from the last spike (2).  Now work your backstitches (as in the video) but working in the middle of the petal loops (3 & 4).  It can be tricky to find the middle if the petals are sitting tightly; I found a good tip is to use the blunt end of your crochet hook to push through the middle of a petal which separates it enough that you can then feed your needle through next to it. (5).  When you have worked through all the petals it will look like this (6).


5. Now work the backstitches again, but around the stitches this time, as in the video.


5. Take your yarn to the back of the flower through the centre; this will be darned in later.  Set the flower loom to one side for now.

6. To make the middle of the flower, take your yarn and a 4mm hook and make a magic loop.  Chain 3, then work 11 dc into the loop.  Join with a sl st to ch 3 and tighten the magic loop.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the middle onto the flower.  Thread the end into a blunt darning needle and sew the thread through the back loop of the next st.  The middle will be attached to the flower by working backstitches around the middle of the flower (as you did before), but you will also catch in the back loops of the crocheted middle piece.


7.  Lay your middle piece over the flower, lining up each stitch with a petal.


8. Take your thread down to the back of the loom to the right of a petal.  Bring it back to the front to the left of the same petal - AT THE SAME TIME - bring the needle back through the back loop of the stitch.



9. Take the thread to the back to the right of the same stitch again, and then carry on backstitching as well as catching in the back loops of the middle piece around in the same way that you backstitched around before.



10. Backstitch around the 1st stitch worked again, and keep the yarn at the back of your work.  Carefully remove the flower from the loom.


11. The front of you flower should look like this -


And the back like this -


Notice that by attaching the middle by backstitch it has created stem stitches at the back of the work.


We will work through these stitches to create the back square.


But first darn in all ends at the back of the flower.


12. You will find it easier to work the back if you bunch up all of the petals to the front -


13. Attach background yarn through one of the back loops and Ch 3 (represents 1st dc).  Work 1 dc in same stitch.  *2 dc in next stitch; rep from * 10 times.  Sl st into top of ch 3. (24 dcs.)


14.  Ch 3 (represents 1st dc), 2 dc in next st, * 1 dc, 2 dc in next st; rep from * 10 times.  Sl st to ch 3. (36 dcs)


15.  We'll now make the circle into a square.  (You could also make a hexagon at this point if you wish by working 5 dc, dc ch 2 dc in same st, repeated 6 times around). 

But to make a square; ch 3 (rep. 1st dc), 2 hdc, 2 sc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, (1dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in next stitch; *1dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, (1dc, ch 2, 1 dc); rep from * 2 times more.  Sl st to ch 3.



16.  ch 3 (rep. 1st dc), dc 8, (dc 1, ch 2, dc 1) in chain space, *10 dc, (dc 1, ch 2, dc 1) in chain space, rep from * 2 times more; 1 dc, sl st to beg chain 3.  Fasten off & weave in ends.


Ruffle up your petals a bit and you are done!



Enjoy!

I'm back at work tomorrow, so you may not hear from me again for some time!

Happy crocheting!http://colourinasimplelife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/who-loves-ya-daisy.html