BLOSSOM WREATH

This sweet, vintage-inspired floral wreath is an ideal project to indulge your love of crochet flowers. The wreath is wrapped in a luxury alpaca yarn and the flowers are crocheted using linen, which helps to ensure they keep their three-dimensional shape. I have chosen a fresh spring palette of mint, orange, pink, yellow, ivory and duck egg blue that is a little bit retro, making this wreath perfectly granny chic!

Tools and Materials

Yarn Substitution

Any beautifully textured yarn will be ideal for wrapping the wreath form, and any 4ply (fingering) yarn or lighter will work well for the flowers, to ensure that they do not become too large for the wreath size.

Special Stitches

pc = popcorn stitch

In this pattern popcorn stitches are worked using 5 treble stitches and chain stitches worked afterwards are not counted as part of the popcorn stitch.

Tension (Gauge)

Using 2 strands of Yarn Stories Linen yarn held together, 6 rnds in tr sts (12st increase each rnd) = 10cm (4in)

Finished Size

17cm (612in) diameter (excluding hanging loop)

PATTERN

Each flower and leaf motif is worked using the 3mm hook, with two strands of the same colour of Yarn Stories Linen yarn held together throughout.

MEDIUM FLOWER MOTIF

Make 3, one each in yarns A and D, C and B, and A and C.

Foundation ring: ch6, ss to form ring

Round 1: ch2, [pc, ch3] 5 times into ring, ss into top of first pc, fasten off

Round 2: join yarn in any ch-sp, ch1, then work [dc, htr, tr, 3dtr, tr, htr, dc] into each ch-sp around, ss into first dc, fasten off

SMALL FLOWER MOTIF

Make 5, two in yarn D and one each in yarns A, B and C.

Foundation ring: ch4, ss to form ring

Round 1: [ch5, ss into ring] 5 times

Round 2: 8dc into each ch-sp around, ss into first dc, fasten off

LEAF MOTIF

Make 8 in yarn E.

Foundation chain: ch8

Round 1: starting in 2nd ch from hook *dc, htr, 3tr, htr, dc*, [ch3, dc into 3rd ch from hook] leaf point, rotate the work and rep from * to * along the bottom of the foundation ch, fasten off

LARGE FLOWER MOTIF

Make 3, one each in yarns A and B, B and C, and D and A.

Foundation ring: ch6, ss to form ring

Round 1: ch2 (counts as first htr), 7htr into ring, ss into 2nd of starting ch2

Round 2: ch6 (counts as first htr, ch4), *htr, ch4* rep from * to * 7 times, ss into 2nd of starting ch6, fasten off

Round 3: join yarn in any ch-sp, ch1, then work [ss into ch-sp, ch4, 5dtr, 2tr, htr, dc] into each ch-sp around, ss into base of first ch4, fasten off

MAKING UP

To ensure the flower and leaf motifs retain their three-dimensional shape, do not block or press.

Wrap Wreath Form

Using yarn F, tape the end of the yarn on the back of the wreath form, or glue in place. Begin wrapping the yarn around the wreath form ensuring that each yarn wrap is neatly and tightly gathered next to the one before it on the inside of the wreath (the wreath form will still be visible on the outer edge after the first layer of wrapping). Wrap a second layer of yarn around the wreath form and begin to fill in the gaps on the outer edge. Then continue wrapping for a third layer to fill in any remaining gaps. Fasten off securely at the back.

Add Hanging Loop

Fold the velvet ribbon over by 1cm (38in) at one end, then wrap this end tightly around the top of the wreath. Using the sewing needle and coordinating thread, secure the folded end to the main length of ribbon with a few small stitches, then add a few small stitches to anchor it to the wreath.

At the opposite end of the ribbon, fold over 1cm (38in), then fold over another 4cm (112in) to create a loop; secure with a few small stitches. Sew the button in place over your stitches and fasten off.

Add Flowers

Using one strand of coordinating linen yarn, sew each flower and leaf motif into place, using the photograph of the finished wreath as a guide to placement. Fasten off and weave in loose ends.