How to Crochet a Sunflower — Free Pattern

A sunflower is a daisy with ambition: the same construction, but a much bigger centre and far more petals. That larger centre is what makes it read as a sunflower rather than a generic yellow flower, so resist the urge to shrink it.

The petals here are worked as chain spikes — you chain out from the centre, then work back down the chain to make a pointed petal, then move along and do it again. It is a satisfying technique and it means no petal is worked into a previous petal, so nothing gets crowded.

Written in US crochet terms.

The pattern

Centre — in brown

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 8 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close and sl st into the first sc to join. (8 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around. Sl st to join. (16 sts)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, then *sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st* around. Sl st to join. (24 sts)

Fasten off brown, leaving a short tail.

Your centre should be a flat brown disc roughly 4 cm across. If it is cupping upward, your tension is tight — go up a hook size. If it is ruffling at the edge, you have increased too often; recount Rnd 3.

Petals — in yellow

Rnd 4: Join yellow with a sl st in any st of Rnd 3.

*Ch 6. Working back down the chain you just made: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next 2 ch, hdc in the last ch. Then sl st into the next 2 sts of the centre.*

Repeat from * to * all the way around the centre. Because each petal consumes two of the 24 centre stitches, you will finish with 12 petals and arrive back where you started. Join with a sl st into the base of the first petal and fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in all four ends. Lay the flower face down and press the petals outward with your fingers so they radiate evenly — they will have a natural tendency to lean in the direction you worked. A light steam or a press under a damp cloth sets them flat, which matters more on a sunflower than on any other flower here because uneven petals are very visible against that big centre.

Troubleshooting

My petals point in different directions. Normal straight off the hook. Block it — this is the flower that most rewards a press.

I ran out of centre stitches before 12 petals. You either worked a petal into only one stitch somewhere, or Rnd 3 came out short of 24. Count the centre first.

The petals look stubby. Your chain-6 is too tight to work five stitches back into comfortably. Chain loosely, or use a larger hook for the petal round only.

The centre is too small for the petals. Add a Rnd 3b: *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st* around, giving 32 stitches, then work 16 petals instead of 12.

Variations

• Textured centre. Work Rnds 1–3 in back-loop-only single crochet. The ridges catch the light and look far more like real sunflower seeds.
• Two-tone petals. Work the petal round in golden yellow, then add a second, slightly shorter petal round behind it in a deeper orange, offsetting the petals so they sit in the gaps.
• Miniature. Stop the centre at Rnd 2 (16 sts) and work 8 petals with ch 5 instead of ch 6.

Building the bouquet

Sunflowers are the flower people build a bouquet around — one or two as the focal blooms with smaller flowers filling in behind. Three sunflowers, five daisies and a couple of rolled roses makes a full, well-balanced bunch. The assembly guide covers stems, leaves and wrapping.