Yarn
Hubro from Dale Garn (wool)
700g (1lb 9oz) pearl pink no. 3810
9mm (size 13) needles
The front piece of this pillow is put together with a total of 30 Japanese flowers and 20 small granny squares that fill the holes between the flowers.
Japanese flower:
Roound 1: Crochet 4 ch with pink yarn and make a ring with 1 sl st.
Round 2: Begin with 3 ch, which is the same as 1 dc and 1 ch, and continue with 1 dc and 1 ch until you have 12 dc into the ring. Finish with 1 sl st in 1 ch.
Round 3: Begin with 4 lm, which is the same as 1 dc and 2 ch. Continue with 1 dc around the ch loop from the last round and 2 ch to the end of the round. Finish with 1 sl st in 1 ch.
Round 4: Begin with 2 ch, which is the same as 1 dc, and crochet 3 dc more in the same loop. Continue with 4 dc in every ch loop around until you have 48 dc. Finish with 1 sl st in 1 ch.
Round 5: Begin with 1 sc between first and second dc in the group of 4 dc, *crochet 5 ch,
skip 2 dc, 1 sc, skip 2 dc, 1 sc*.
Repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
Round 6: *Crochet 8 dc in each ch loop, 1 sc between the 2 sc*. Repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
When you have crocheted almost another flower, crochet the two flowers together. On round 6 crochet *4 dc in the loop, 1 sl st between 4 and 5 dc in the first flower and then 4 dc, 1 sc*. Repeat from * to * so the flowers are attached in two loops.
Crochet six flowers together in a round using this method. When you start the next round you have to attach the flowers in two places. They should have one open loop between them before you apply the next flower.
Squares between the flowers:
Use brown yarn and follow the instructions for Japanese flowers for rounds 1–3.
Round 4: *Crochet 3 sc around the first ch loop,
1 sl st between 4 and 5 dc in one of the available leaves on a pink flower, then 1 sc more in the same loop, 3 sc around the next ch loop, 3 ch, 1 sl st around sl st that holds two pink flowers together, 3 ch*. Repeat from * to * until you have attached the square to four flowers. Pull together with 1 sl st.
Assembly:
Sew in all loose ends. The work should now measure approximately 53 × 64cm (21 × 25in).
Pin the work to a neutral background and sew small stitches along the outermost flowers.
Sew the zip on the back piece as described
in Good Advice.
Cut off excess fabric in the corners. Press (iron) the seams apart and reverse.
Alternatively it is also possible to crochet a back piece that is exactly the same and then crochet the two pieces together using sc around the edge.