How to Crochet a Flower: Part 2, Embellishing

July 23rd, 2008 in jewelry making, crochet

Linda Permann, contributor

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Here are three finished flowers, embellished with buttons, fringe, and a combination of sequins and beads.

Before you get started, play with your supplies to get inspired!

An easy way to finish your flower is by sewing a button to the center.

Here are three finished flowers, embellished with buttons, fringe, and a combination of sequins and beads.

Photo: Linda Permann

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To set your crochet flowers apart, adorn them with all sorts of embellishments. The most important part of the creative process is to play, so first, get out all of your buttons, baubles, and doodads and see what looks good in the center of the flowers.

To start off the bobble stitch, make one half-complete double crochet stitch.

Before you get started, play with your supplies to get inspired!

I searched my jewelry and notions drawers to come up with some options for my flowers—before I started, I tried some buttons, a carved coral cabochon (which could be secured with glue), plastic flowers, beads, sequins, and sew-on jewels.

An easy way to finish your flower is by sewing a button to the center.

The simplest, fastest, and perhaps most cheerful finish for a crocheted flower is a button center. I chose a rhinestone, but big plastic buttons or delicate carved buttons would look great, too. Take the long end you left for sewing (or thread a new piece of yarn in a yarn needle) and sew the button to the center, then weave in the yarn ends. You can also try stacking a few contrasting buttons, or even just insert a 1-inch pin in the center of the button.

You can also add fringe to the center of the flower.

Another fun way to add a little fuzz to your flower is with fringe. Cut several 4-inch or longer strands of a contrasting yarn. Working with 1 or 2 strands at a time, double the strand and use your hook to pull the loop end under one of the double crochets from round 1. Bring the hook over the double crochet, and wrap the yarn ends around it, then draw them through the loop on the hook. Pull the yarn ends taut and add several more strands of fringe around each dc. When all of the fringe has been added, trim it to a consistent length with scissors. I made mine really short (see the finished photo).

Sew sequins, beads, or both to the flower's center for a sparkly look.

Another option to finish the flower is to add sequins or beads to the center. I decided to add both—why not? You'll need a small hand-sewing needle (one that will fit through your sequin and bead) and thread to match your yarn. Insert the threaded needle from the back to the front of the flower and thread both the sequin and bead on the needle. Pull the thread through and reinsert the needle through the sequin only to secure. Weave the thread through the back of a petal to move its position to the next dc post to sew on your next sequin. I think this would look really nice with pearls, too.

This is a project with endless possibilities, and you can personalize each flower you make depending on when you want to wear it, what you're embellishing it with, or whom you are giving it to. They're the perfect canvas for embellishment experiments, and they work up from even the smallest scraps of yarns, so don't be surprised if you get hooked on making them.