Flower Pot Friends - Part One... The Daisy

This tremendously cute little guy can be made and kept just as he is, feed a ring through a petal and he can come with you on your keys. Put a cake pop/lollypop stick or a bit of baling wire in him just as he is and he's a perfect plant pick for a friend. Wrap the cake pop/lollypop stick with some green yarn and make some leaves, or just paint the stick green and glue on some paper leaves and he is still a perfect little gift just as he is. Tons of people have made fun flowers, this just happens to be my take on that trend.

This pattern is written in American crochet terminology.

This pattern is an intermediate beginner pattern. If you know how to make the following stitches and use the following techniques and can follow a pattern you can make this project.

• Magic Ring/Magic Circle or 2 CH beginning, Working in the Round, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Back Loop Only Single Crochet, Front Loop Only Half Double Crochet, Single Crochet Increase, Single Crochet Decrease, Slip Stitch, Join a new color of yarn while working, and Sew in your ends.

NOTES: 

• If you plan to make the daisy in a pot you will need to create the pot first, pattern is here.
• If you plan to make the pair in a pot you will need to create the pot first, pattern is here, and then either make 2 daisies or create the heart as well, pattern found here.

SUPPLIES
DK weight yarn in 3 or more colors of choice. I used Paintbox Simply DK in White, Yellow, and Grass Green with tiny bits of black and pink for the features on the face of the daisy
4mm crochet hook
Safety Eyes (6mm) or Buttons or Felt Circles for eyes
Polyfil stuffing or other chosen stuffing - only need for the center of the flower
Scissors
Removable stitch marker or piece of contrasting yarn
Darning or Yarn Needle

Optional Supplies
Cake Pop or Lollipop sticks if you're going to use them*
Green Paint if you're going to paint the sticks
Craft paper or felt if you aren't going to crochet the leaves
Craft or fabric glue if you are wrapping the plant stick with yarn or adding paper or felt leaves
Crochet Pot made from Part Three... The Pot pattern on this blog (will include additional supplies)
Crochet Heart made from Part Two... The Heart pattern on this blog (will include additional supplies)
A key ring with attachable ring if you're going to make a key ring

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT STITCH MARKERS FROM THE DESIGNER:
I cannot insist that you use a stitch marker. There seem to be a number of crochet artists who find them offensive for some reason utterly unknown to me and so a very quiet movement is spreading. What I can tell you is that it is MUCH EASIER if you use one, even if you only use a piece of contrasting yarn to mark the start of a Round where you've changed the stitch count or changed your pattern in some way. Trust me, you'll do less tearing out (known as frogging) if you use one.

*I used 4" sticks for my potted guys and 6" for the heart in the double pot. If you are making daisies or hearts for a vase or other application I recommend taller sticks. I've used both the 10" and 12" for vase picks and bouquets and made just one daisy and one heart on 10" pieces (approx. length) of baling wire for a friend to put in the plants on her desk at work.

ABBREVIATIONS
CH = Chain
MR = Magic Ring or Magic Circle
SC = Single Crochet
HDC = Half Double Crochet, created by yarning over as though you will create a Double Crochet and then pulling through all three loops on your hook at once. Taller than a SC and shorter than a DC.
DC = Double Crochet
INC = Increase, work 2 of the same stitch in the same space
DEC = Decrease, work 2 stitches together to combine them
BLO = Back Loop Only, when looking down on a crochet stitch you can see a V shape, working in the back side of this is considered working the Back Loop Only. It is used to cause the work to "fold" on this line of stitches and will be utilized on the bottom of the plant pot and the top rim where the "dirt" begins
FLO = Front Loop Only, when looking down on a crochet stitch you can see a V shape, working in the front side of this is considered working the Front Loop Only. It is used to cause the slight ridge of the last Round of stitches on the plant pot.
SL ST = Slip Stitch, done by pulling your yarn over through the whole stitch to end your work or to end a Round
F/O = Finish Off... this can be done by simply snipping your yarn and pulling the tail through all the stitches. I usually add a CH and then snip and pull my yarn through. Both are accurate ways to do this.
Round = A counted row of stitches that leads directly to the next row without finishing
(#) = Number of stitches in that Round

THE DAISY
The Center (make 2)
Round 1: 6 SC in MR (6) - draw tight and sew in your ends after Round 2
Round 2: INC in each around (12)
Round 3: SC then INC and repeat around (18)
Round 4: 2 SC then INC and repeat around (24)
Round 5: 3 SC then INC and repeat around (30)
F/O the first one and sew in your ends. This is the "face" and you will decorate it before assembly.

 I insert the safety eyes (or you can attach buttons) even with the center

between Rounds 3-4 as shown above. 

I embroider a little stitch of pink for cheeks under the eyes about a stitch wide

and then add my smiley face with black yarn in the space between Rounds 2 and 3.

Repeat to complete the second circle and leave a long tail for sewing the two pieces together.

 Layer your two pieces with wrong sides together (this is the side where you sewed your ends in)

and stitch together by going up through all 4 loops (2 loops on each piece) first from bottom to top...

 then from top to bottom... and continue to repeat this pattern...

 so that your edge looks flat and even like this... 

begin to gently stuff (I really only use enough to keep the backs of the safety eyes

from poking against the back of the face) when you are about 2/3 of the way around

and then continue to sew until you have closed the little face. Tie off and bury your ends inside.

The Petals (make 6)
Round 1: 6 SC in MR (6) - draw tight and sew in your ends after Round 2
Round 2: INC in each around (12)
Rounds 3-6: SC around (12)
Round 7: 4 SC then DEC and repeat (10)
Round 8: 3 SC then DEC and repeat (8)
Round 9: 2 SC then DEC and repeat (6) do not cut your yarn
Press the two sides together and crochet through both front and back sets of stitches, all 4 loops. You should only be able to do this 2 or 3 times.
F/O by CH 1 and cut your yarn with a tail about 8" and pull the tail through the whole stitch.

 It can be a tight fit... I usually only get 2 stitches... 

It is a nice finished edge to attach to the center this way. :D

The Leaves (make 2 regardless of Short or Long)
Short (for single flower)
CH 9, then working around the CH - SC in 2nd CH from hook, HDC in the next, 5 DC, work 5 HDC in the same stitch at the bottom CH, 5 DC, HDC then SC, CH 1 and SL ST into the top of the 1st SC from the beginning. F/O by snipping your yarn with a 4" tail and pull the tail through the stitch.

Again, this time with photos... 

 Top of CH looks like V... 

 Bottom of CH looks like dashes... 

 CH 9 then work SC in bottom of CH beginning in 2nd CH from hook... 

Then HDC in next CH

Then work 5 DC in next 5 CH

 Work 5 HDC in the same CH space at the bottom of your leaf

 it gets tight but you can easily see it forming the little cluster that rounds the bottom... 

then work 5 DC in the next 5 CH tops this time, HDC in the next, SC in the next... 

 CH 1 and SL ST into the top of the 1st SC from where you started.

 F/O by snipping your yarn for a 4" tail and then pull through.

Sew in your end down the back of the leaf.

Long (for hugging flowers/heart)
CH 14, then working around the CH - SC in 2nd CH from hook, HDC in the next, 10 DC in the next 9 stitches, work 5 HDC in the same stitch at the bottom CH, 10 DC, HDC then SC, CH 1 and SL ST into the top of the 1st SC from the beginning. F/O by snipping your yarn with a 4" tail and pull the tail through the stitch.

Once you have both leaves made I use the starting tail of one of them to stitch the bottoms together with the right sides both facing UP or you can simply knot them together. You will put the lollypop/cake pop stick up through this space, so try to be generous if you're knotting them.

For the long leaves I sew them together or knot them with the right sides facing OUT because I want the pretty side to face out when they're wrapped around the stick of the second flower or heart.
For the hugging flowers you can use a tail or a scrap of yarn to stitch the tops of the leaves together just barely. That way they form a loop.

Feed the stick up through the center of your knot or where you sewed the leaves together.

Sewing on the petals... a few tips and tricks. :D

I lay out the petals for spacing and make sure there's at least 3 stitches between

the bottom two petals to accommodate the stick. Then I honestly eyeball the distance

between the petals and just whip stitch them into place against the edge

of the circle center. 

Wrapping the stems in yarn... just some tips and tricks. :D

 I mark the bottom of the flower using a pen because wrapping yarn all the way up may 

over-stretch the stitch or actually be impossible, so I end my yarn wrap at the line. 

 If you will be potting your flower, I also mark the stick where it comes out of the pot,

for the same reason as above. You're putting the stick through stitches. 

 I also mark the stick where I will be putting the leaves, so I 

remember where to stop wrappingand bring them up into place.

 A small amount of craft or fabric glue helps the yarn stay in place

 I begin wrapping at the top and let only the tail extend past the line. 

 Then I roll the stick with one hand and guide the yarn with the other. 

When I get to the place where the leaves will be I add a little more glue

and slide them into place. 

 This part can be tricky, I bring my wrapping yarn down around between the leaves

and then trap the tails of the leaf pieces under it as I go.

 After a few wraps I cut the tails of the leaf parts and continue wrapping. If you are 

potting your flower, remember to stop at the line you marked. If you are gifting this 

in a bouquet or as an individual flower wrap all the way to the bottom and add a small

amount of glue then just gently hold it in place until it has dried enough that  

letting go does not cause the yarn to begin to unravel. 

 I don't see a terrible difference between the thickness where the tails were and

up at the top where there were no tails. 

 Using a drop of glue I secure the top end down and wrap it as tightly around the stick

as I can. Once it is dry I add a little more glue.

And I slide the flower head back down onto the stick, making sure that the glue

is inside the stitches at the bottom of the head, giving it a little bit of stability.

These guys are so crazy cute regardless of how you gift them. I can't wait to see what you do!

Please please please make and gift and sell items made from my patterns and ALSO please please please remember to give me credit for the pattern. I love to see what you make... tag me on Instagram at #12SquaredCreations and @12SquaredCreations so that I can see, too!