Flower How To Number 2

 This was the view out my garage yesterday at 11:00 in the morning.  It looked like this all day.  We had almost 4 inches of rain in one day.  So did I write up the eval I needed to?  Clean?  No way, I thought it was a great day for a tutorial.  So excuse the photos as they were taken at my kitchen table.  The lighting wasn't the best because of the doom and gloom outside.  Between huge cracks of thunder,  and winds that were crazy, I managed to crochet and take these pictures.  Before I go on, I just want to say this is my new interpretation of the flower that is out there everywhere in blog land.  My last How-To was referenced on a french blog and because I had no idea what they were saying about it, I felt a bit strange and removed it from my blog. I am sure someone out there in crochet land has come up with this exact same interpretation, if so I am sorry, I am not trying to steal your idea. This new How-To is a bit different, but looks like the original.  Hope I make sense and you enjoy it.

dc = double crochet, sc = single crochet

 Chain 6 and connect so you have a lovely little circle.  Now chain 4, the first 3 of these are going to count as your first dc, plus a chain one.  Now dc into this circle and chain one all the way around until you have 12 dc's separated by a chain 1, (remember the first chain 3 counts as a dc). Slip stitch into the first dc (chain 3).

 Does yours look like this?  This little pinwheel is the basis for lots and lots of patterns.  I give my original tail a little tug before I clip it.  It makes your circle a bit more snug. 

 Now chain 3 starting in the space that the chain one made in the previous round, this counts as your first dc.  dc into this same space and chain 2.  Now we are going to do a bit of a different stitch combination the rest of the way around your circle. 

 We are going to make a 2 stitch bobble.  Or bobble according to Meredith.  Hang with me, okay?  Yarn over and in the next space, put your hook in, yarn over and pull through.  You have 3 loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through 2.  You have 2 loops on your hook.

 Essentially you have done a partial dc.  Yarn over and put your hook through that exact same spot, yarn over and pull through, you should have 4 loops on your hook.

 Yarn over and pull through 2, then yarn over and pull through the 3 remaining loops.

 Does yours look like this?  Do you see how the stitches on the left have a bit of a slant to them?  You can actually see the three loops at the base of the hook.  Chain 2, and repeat this two stitch bobble all the way around the circle. Join with a slip stitch to your first cluster.

 Now for the next round.  In the space created by the chain 2 in the previous round, chain 3.  Make a dc into this same space.  Now chain 5, and make your 2 stitch bobble in this same space.  If you want to have a longer petal then you can chain 7.  I will show you a version of that tomorrow.

 Did you do okay?

 Immediately make another 2 stitch bobble, a chain 5, and 2 stitch bobble in the next chain 2 space.  There are no chains connecting you to the next space, which is very common in crochet.  Do you see the little needle pointing to the space between the clusters?  This is an inverted V shape area and is important because this is where you are going to start your next round.

 Complete the 2 stitch bobble, chain 5 and 2 stitch bobble in the same space all the way around your circle. Slip stitch into the first cluster. This is the round that sets up your petals.  You can make this  next round a different color for the tips of your petals, or make them the same depending on your preference.

 Make a chain one in the upside down V space.  This is where you will be making a sc to connect the petals when working around your circle.

 Make 4 dc's in the chain 5 space of the previous round, chain 2, and make 4 more dc's in this same space.  The chain 2 in the middle helps create a point  on the petal.  If you want a rounded petal chain 1, or don't make a chain at all.  When you are done with this petal, make a sc in the V area and then repeat the 4 dc's , chain 2, 4 dc's in the next chain 5 space, until you have crocheted all the way around your flower.  Slip stitch into the first V, where you started with a chain 1, and you are done!!!!!

How does yours look?  I would love to see your version.  In case the 2 stitch bobble is too confusing you can always just make 2 dc's.  I like the slant of the bobble and I think that it was more interesting for me to work with.  I think dc can be kind of boring after a while. More tomorrow.  Good luck!