How to Make a Puffy Flower - Crochet with the Puff Stitch

One of my favorite flowers to crochet is the puff flower. These flowers are made by crocheting around a ring with a stitch called the puff stitch. Each flower contains 8 puff stitches, or petals. You can build on the center flower with a second row of puffy petals as seen on the left, or you can crochet petals as seen on the right. Why not work them into a granny square? The possibilities for how to use a puffy flower are endless. 

Puff Stitch Flower Instructions

How to Crochet a Puffy Flower

• 1
  Chain 4. Slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.
• 2
  Yarn over.
  Insert the hook into the center of the ring.
  Yarn over again.
  Pull the hook up.
  
  * Repeat this step 6 times
• 3
  Yarn over and pull the yarn through all the loops on the hook. There should be 13.
  
  (The first few times you do this, it may be difficult to do without snagging the yarns. Keep trying! It gets easier after you have done it a few times.)
• 4
  Chain 1.
• 5
  Repeat steps 2-4 seven more times to form eight petals.
• 6
  After the 8th petal is made, slip stitch back to the beginning of the ring of petals.
  
  

  Puff Flower Video Instructions

  How to Crochet a Puffy Flower on Video

  I made a little video to help show the steps of a puff flower. This video is strictly the center of the flower with 8 petals. There is another video below explaining how to do a second round of puff stitch petals.

  
  

  Hook to Use for Your Puff Stitch Flowers

  Fun Puffy Flower Patterns for Different Sizes

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  

  Look closely again at this photo. The center of the white flower on top and pink flower on the right are slightly smaller. They were started with a chain of 4 and a G size crochet hook was used. The pink flower on the left and the yellow flower on the bottom are slightly bigger in the center because they were started with a ring chain of 6 and an I size crochet hook was used.
  
  Once you’ve finished the first row of your flower, you can use it as it is to embellish crochet projects. Another option is to continue around the flower a second time making another row of puff stitches. This method is seen on the far left flower. It has a center of pink puff stitches, followed by a row of green puff stitches.
  
  You can also make granny squares out of these puff flowers. To find out how to do this, visit the granny square tutorial below.
  
  

  More Ideas for Your Puffy Flowers

  Puffy Flower Idea Box

  Here you’ll find puffy flowers in a variety of colors and combinations to inspire your next crochet project. You can click any photo below to learn more about it.
  
  

  More Free Flower Patterns by HS Schulte

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    African Flower Hexagon Crochet Pattern and Video

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    How to Crochet Flower Granny Squares

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Crochet Shell Stitch - iPad Cover

Crochet the Shell Stitch

The shell stitch is my favorite crochet stitch. I love it because it of it's wavy, lacy appearance. Anything crocheted with the shell stitch comes out looking like a masterpiece. You don't have to worry that you can't do it. If you can double crochet, you can make this stitch.

The photo here is an iPad cover that I made using the shell stitch. I also like to make wash cloths with it. I am an avid loom knitter and when making knitted afghans and blankets, the shell stitch around the edge adds a feminine finish to the project.

Instructions

How to Crochet the Shell Stitch

Foundation Chain
1. Chain 26. (You will begin with a foundation chain of 6 chains for each shell in the first row. Our first row will have 4 shells, so we are going to chain 24 + 2 for our turning chain.)

Row 1:
Shell 1
2. In the second stitch from the hook, single crochet.

3. Skip 2 chains. In the 3rd chain from the hook, double crochet 5 times.

4. Skip 2 chains. Single crochet in the 3rd chain from the hook.

Shell 2-4

5. Repeat steps 3 – 4 three more times.

Row 2:
Half Shell
6. Chain 1. Turn. Skip the chain stitch that you just made and double crochet 3 times in the 2nd stitch from the hook.

Three Full Shells
7. Skip 2 stitches. In the 3rd stitch from the hook, single crochet one time. (This should be the top of the shell from the previous row.)

8. Skip 2 stitches. In the 3rd stitch from the hook, double crochet 5 times. (This should be the lowest point of the previous row, between two shells.)

9. Repeat steps 7 – 8 two more times.

Half Shell
10. Skip 2 stitches and double crochet 3 times in the 2nd chain from the hook.

Finish the Work
11. Chain 1. Turn. Repeat row 1. Repeat row 2. Continue this step until you have 16 rows.

How to Use the Shell Stitch in Patterns

Washcloths
When I make a washcloth with the shell stitch, I simply crochet 16 rows and tie it off as instructed above. It makes a very feminine cloth for bath time. Give it away as a special gift by pairing it with some bath salts or bubble bath.

iPad Cover
I made the shell stitched iPad cover above by crocheting one panel 16 rows long. The first panel is the front. I then made a second panel that was 24 rows long. The second panel is the back. I used thread to sew the panels together. Line the panels up at the bottom, leaving the extra 8 rows at the top of the back panel. Sew a button on the top of the front panel. Place the button about an inch from the top. The extra 8 inches of the back panel is simply turned down and buttoned to the front.

Shell Stitch Blanket
As I said I’m partial to shell stitches, but I think most people would agree that they make gorgeous blankets. Expand on the instructions above making the foundation chain as wide as you would like your blanket. The foundation chain must be done in multiples of 6. Always add 2 for the turning chain. (Multiplier of 6 + 2) A infant blanket 3 feet wide would require rows of approximately 16 shell stitches. Each shell stitch is 6 chains, so that is a chain of 96 (6 chains per shell * 16 shells) + 2 = 98 chain stitches.

 

How to Organize a Yarn Stash

A common problem amoung those who use yarn in knitting or crochet, is that the yarn becomes unorganized. Some important characteristics of yarn are its weight, fiber content, color, and brand. Yarns are classified into several weights, such as fingering, sport, double knit, worsted, heavy worsted, or bulky. The weight of the yarn determines the hook or needles size that will be used when knitting or crocheting. For this reason it is important to know the weight of the yarn to be used. However, all too often the label that comes with the yarn is discarded, leaving the weight and other important information about the yarn unknown.

To organize yarn as it is purchased, consider assembling a yarn notebook. Whenever a new yarn is purchased, snip a sample of the yarn and attach it to the label that comes with the ball or skein. Attach the label and yarn sample to the receipt received when purchasing the yarn. If the label and receipt are small they can all be stapled or taped to one large sheet of paper to keep them in order. Record next to the yarn any additional information that isn't already documented. The yarn notebook method of organizing yarn for knitting and crochet, alleviates some common problems:

Purchasing Yarn is Easier with Organization

Having a sample of the yarn attached to the receipt, makes it easy to purchase more of the yarn if it is used up before the project is finished. It will be easy to spot the seller to buy more. Also the color and style of yarn will be listed to make repurchasing much easier.

Hook and Needle Size

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to know the weight of the yarn to get the correct hook or needle to work with the yarn. The label, that comes with the yarn states the weight, making the information easy to find in the notebook with a little organization.

Getting the Right Weight for the Pattern

Many patterns specify the weight of yarn that is to be used. If the weight isn't recorded, guessing is required. Organizing the yarn in a notebook ensures that the yarn weight will be documented an known before starting a project.

Finding Ideas for Using the Yarn

A yarn stash that doesn't have any organized information will leave a knitter, or crocheter, wondering what to do with it. Often the yarn comes with ideas explaining the type of project in which it would be best used. For example, some yarns, due to their fiber and weight, work well for socks. While other yarns may be best suited for a blanket or sweater.