Petals and Sepals

Version 1 at the top, 2 at the bottom,
and 3 in progress on the left.

I don't do things by halves, and I often jump into projects before I've really thought them through, so this pattern has taken a little longer than usual to come together. If you ever want to design a rug in t-yarn, or bulky yarn, my advice to you is to do it in DK first. (Thanks Crochet in Paternoster for that fabulous tip).

A pity I'd already done prototypes one and two. LOL.

My second piece of advice, is design in a plain colour. I had variegated yarn to make my rugs with, and started with a busy one indeed, but it was only as I worked through it in cream DK that I saw the potential shapes, and ended up completely rewriting the pattern (I had to frog two nearly completed rugs back down to round 3). It was necessary to do it, as I discovered through my testers that the original pattern that worked in my chunky yarn and at my tension, completely bowled up (too few increases) when worked in anything else and by anyone else. So, of no use to anyone.

I'm currently reworking the second large rug (pictures to follow), but the first came out so well, and the efforts by my testers were so fabulous (thank you Margaret, Anna and Courtney) that I couldn't wait any longer to share it with you!

Feel free to work this into anything you like, beret, floor rug, doily, cushion cover. I do, however, ask that you acknowledge this page as your source of inspiration. I've spent too many hours putting this together for someone else to claim it as their own.

Petals and Sepals by Angela Armstrong
Materials: DK and 4mm hook OR Super Bulky and either 10 or 12mm hook depending on WPI.

Stitch Notes: V-stitch = DC, ch2, DC into one stitch

DC decrease = Work the first part of a DC (yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through first two); then start the next stitch and do the same, you should have three loops on your hook. YO and pull through all three to create one stitch from two.

Dtr - yarn around hook twice, draw up a loop, yo, pull through first two, yo, pull through next two, yo, pull through final two.

Pattern Notes: Chain three at the beginning of a row counts as a DC for that row. Read it as such when working repeats.
All rounds are ended with a sl st to join.
This pattern is written using US terms.

Pattern: Start with a magic circle OR Ch4 and join with a sl, st.
1. Ch 3, 11 DC into MC (12)

2. Ch4, (counts as 1DC and 1 ch), [1DC, ch1] 11 times (24)

3. Ch 3 , DC in same st, ch1. [Sk 1ch, 2DC, ch1 in next DC] 11 times (36)

4. [Ch3, DC in next. 2DC in ch sp. 1 DC in next 2st, ch2, sk ch sp] 6 times

5. [Ch3. DC in same st. DC in next 4 sts, 2DC in next st. Ch2, sk ch sp]6 times (60)

6. [Ch3. DC in next 7 sts. Ch1, 2DC in ch sp, ch1] 6 times. (72)

7. [Ch3. DC in next 7 sts. Ch1, sk ch1 and sk DC. V-stitch (DC, ch2, DC) in second DC, ch1]. 6 times. (84)

8. ch2 (counts as first half of dc) don't finish st. Work first half of dc in next st, three loops on hook. Yo, pull through all three. (This is a dc decrease). Dc in next four. Dc decrease over last two sts. Ch 1, dc in ch sp. Ch1, v stitch (dc, ch2, dc) in two ch sp. Ch1, dc in ch sp, ch1. Repeat above five times. (96)

9. [Ch3 (counts as DC) DC in next 5. Ch1, v-stitch in next DC, v-stitch in 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next DC, ch1] 6 times (120)

10. [DC decrease (use ch2 for the first time only), DC next 2sts. DC decrease. Ch1, DC in ch sp, v-stitch in next ch sp, 4DC in next ch sp, v-stitch in next ch sp, DC in next ch sp, ch1] 6 times. (120)

11. [Ch3, DC in next 3 sts. Sk ch sp, V-stitch into the next DC. V-stitch into 2 ch sp. 2DC in first DC, DC in next 2, 2DC in last DC, V-stitch into 2 ch sp, V-stitch into next DC] 6 times. (156)

12. [DC decrease (use ch2 for the first time only), DC decrease, ch2. V-stitch in 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next 2 ch sp, DC in next 6 stitches. V-stitch in next 2 ch sp, twice, ch2] 6 times. (168)

13. [Ch3, DC in next. Ch1, DC in 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next 2 ch sp. Skip 2nd DC of V-stitch in round 12. 2DC in next st, DC in next 4 sts, 2 DC in next st. V-stitch in 2 ch sp, V-stitch in next 2 ch sp, DC in last 2 ch sp, ch1] 6 times. (180)

14. [Ch3, DC in same st, 2DC in next st. Ch1, v-stitch in 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next 2 ch sp, sk 2nd DC of v-stitch, and DC in next 8 sts. V-stitch in 2 ch sp, V-stitch in next 2 ch sp, ch1, sk next DC] 6 times. (180)

15. [Ch3, DC in same st. DC in next 2 sts, 2 DC in next. V-stitch in 2 ch space, V-stitch in next 2 ch sp. Sk 2nd DC of v-stitch in round 14. 2DC in first dc, DC in next 6 sts, 2 DC in last DC. V-stitch in 2 ch sp, v-stitch in next 2 ch sp] 6 times. (192)

16. Ch3, dc in same. DC in next four, 2 DC in next. Ch 1, sk v-stitch, v stitch in sp between two v st. Ch 1. Sk v st, 2DC in first st, dc in next 8, 2DC in last. Ch 1. Sk v stitch, v stitch in space between two v st. Ch 1. Sk v st. 6 times (192)

17. [Ch3, DC in same st, DC in next 6 sts, 2 DC in last. DC in ch sp, v-stitch in v-stitch, DC in ch sp, 2DC in first st, DC in next 10 sts, 2DC in last st. DC in ch sp, v-stitch in v-stitch, DC in ch sp] 6 times (216)

18. { Include the DC's forming the V-stitch as part of your counted stitches between the 2 ch sp, and the SC's}. Ch1 (does not count in stitch count), SC into same st. [SC in next 9 sts, work 9 dtr into 2 ch sp. SK 3 sts, sc into 4th. SC into next 13 sts. Work 9dtr into 2 ch sp. sk 3 sts, sc into 4th.] 6 times (252)

 Alternative to Row 18 - if like me, you find yourself with insufficient yarn, you can work a fan with 6DC instead of 9tr, or simply work 1sc into the right side of the V-stitch, then 3 more into the ch sp, and another into the left side of the v-stitch, and continue working on.

In the above picture, I ran out of yarn and ended up with the third version using only SC's. It is 92cm across from point to point, or approximately 36.5 inches.

 As you can see, there is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say. I thought it would look good in colours, so I drew a rough diagram for my friend Courtney of Spin a Yarn 32, and asked if she was able to do a colour version for me. This is what she came up with:

Colour suggestion

Courtney's Interpretation

Isn't Courtney marvellous?

This is Margaret's testing of my pattern. She used 3 ply cotton and a 2.5mm hook. I just love it!

I hope that you all love working this pattern just as much, and if there is a problem, please don't hesitate to contact me (best to do it on Ravelry, I check in there pretty frequently) I hope that you create a project page on Ravelry too. xoxo