The "C" Word

Hello Summer!  It's nice to see you.  Long, lazy days.  TV reruns.  Crowded malls.  Garage sales.  Tank tops.  Bored kids.  Shave ice : local speak for Snow cones.  Ahhh, but you'll be in past soon enough; giving way to the cool winds of fall and the inevitable mad dash to Christmas.  There, I said it...the "C" word.  Oh let's not be in denial; for as soon as summer is at close, Walmart will be stripping school supplies off its shelves to stock oodles and oodles of Halloween mish mash.  Yup, it happens every year like clock work.

So I thought to myself, this is a perfect time to get ahead with a few Christmas gift ideas with one day craft projects.  To start are these cute crochet brooches that you can make in no time at all; perhaps while watching reruns of Hawaii Five-O or while the kids are splashing about in the pool or stuck in the airport.

This lovely crochet roll brooch is soooo simple, a dozen or two will take no time at all! 

Materials
First a word...this is a brooch; no exact fitting required so the choice of yarn and needle is all yours.  I used a sports weight yarn with a 3/0 (2.3 mm) crochet hook.  I think a little thicker yarn (one that requires a size 4/0 to 5/0 needle) is better to give the leaves a bit more structure.

Helpful to have on hand, is a yarn needle to hide loose ends and to sew pieces together. The eye is large enough to thread yarns and the tip is not as sharp as a sewing needle.

Zakka Inspired Crochet Roll Flower Brooch Pattern

• Row 1 : Chain 41, single crochet in 5th chain from hook.  { Chain 3, skip 1 chain, single crochet in next chain}, repeat. [the 'single crochet in the 5th chain' forms a loop that you will use to finish the 2nd row]

•  Row 2 : Chain 4 (this is later referred to as the Chain 4 loop), (double crochet, chain 1, double crochet, chain 1) in lst loop to form a cluster.  {Double crochet, chain 1, double crochet, chain 1} in remaining loops, ending with a chain 3 (this is later referred to as the Chain 3 loop) then single crochet in the loop formed by the chain 5 step in row 1

• Row 3 : Change color to form an edging, if you'd like.   Chain 3, single crochet in the 'chain 3 loop'.  Chain 3, single crochet in the 1st space between the 2 double crochet in the prior row.  {Chain 3, single crochet in the next single crochet space}, repeat, ending with chain 3, single crochet in the 'chain 4 loop', chain 3, single crochet in the lst chain in row 1; end. Leave a 12" tail.

 Now for the roll : Gently roll the crochet piece to form your flower.

Thread loose end through needle. Turn your flower over and secure by sewing across the bottom; being sure to catch the bottom loops from all the rolled layers.

Continue sewing around the bottom of the flower to secure.


Now for the Leaves

• Chain 10, single crochet in 2nd chain from hook. { half double crochet in next chain, double crochet in next five chain, half double crochet, single crochet in last chain}. Chain 2, single crochet in 1st chain on opposite side of chain 10. {repeat}, ending with slip stitch to 1st chain in 1st row to from pointed end, leaving 5" tail. Make 2.  Position leaves on the flower bottom and secure. 

Final Steps : Adding the Bottom and Brooch Pin

• Row 1 : Crochet a 'wa' with 6 single crochet(sc) or use this alternative method: chain 2, 6 single crochet in 2nd chain from hook, join to form a circle.  
• Row 2 : Chain 3, 2 double crochet in 1st chain (this forms a 3 double crochet cluster).  {3 double crochet in next chain} repeat ending with slip stitch on top of chain 3. You will have 6 clusters.
• Row 3 : Chain 1, single crochet in 1st chain, sc in next ch, 2 sc in next chain. {single crochet in next 2 chain, 2 single crochet in next chain}, repeat, ending with slip stitch to 1st stitch. Sew bottom to back of flower.  Add brooch pin.

Have fun playing with this pattern ;)
- use different yarn types, colors
- instead of crocheting leaves, add lace and ribbons
- or? share your ideas! I'd love to hear from you ~~

I'll share another crochet flower brooch pattern on my next post...till then...

happy day

kat