Luscious layers of golden petals create the stunning sunflower on this gorgeous pillow. The blue background is covered in crocheted sunflower seeds to complete the look.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: 17” square

Gauge: 4 rows = 2”

Materials

Yarn: Berroco Comfort Chunky (50% Super Fine Acrylic, 50% Super Fine Nylon; 150 yards [137 meters]/ 100 grams): #5725 Dutch Teal (C1, 4 skeins), #5743 Goldenrod (C2, 2 skeins), #5741 Bittersweet (C3, 2 skeins)

Hook: US size J/10 (6.0 mm), H/8 (5.0 mm) or sizes needed to obtain gauge

Notions: Fairfield POLY-FIL®Soft Touch® 16” x 16” pillow insert, tapestry needle, 15 yarn bobbins

Pattern Notes

Do not join at end of rnds unless otherwise stated.

Ch 2 at beginning of rounds counts as 1 hdc.

Back loop is farthest away loop at top of indicated stitch.

Front loop is closest loop at top of indicated stitch.

Wrap 15 yarn bobbins with a 4-foot length of C3 and use 1 bobbin to make stitches for each Row 5 and 9 of Pillow square. Loosely carry C3 on WS when not being worked. Fasten off C3 at end of row.

Pattern

Pillow (make 2)

Row 1: With smaller hook and C1, ch 70, working in back bar of chs, sc in 2nd ch and in each ch across, turn. (69 sc)

Row 2: Loosely ch 1, sc in first sc, (ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next st) across, turn. (35 sc)

Row 3: Loosely ch 1, sk first st, sc in next ch-1 sp, (ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next ch-1 sp) 33 times, ch 1, sk last st, sc in sp between last st and beg ch-1. across, turn. (35 sc)

Row 4: Rep Row 3.

Row 5: Ch 1, sk first st, sc in next ch-1 sp, (ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp) twice, *drop C1, with C3 (See Pattern Notes) ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp, drop C3, with C1 (ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch -1 sp) 3 times; rep from * 6 times more, drop C1, with C3 ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp, drop C3, with C1 (ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch -1 sp) 3 times, turn. (35 sc)

Rows 6-8: Rep Row 3.

Row 9: Loosely ch 1, sk first st, sc in next ch-1 sp, (ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next ch-1 sp) 4 times, *drop C1, with C3 ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp, drop C3, with C1 (ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp) 3 times; rep from * 7 times more, ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk last st, sc in sp between last sc and beg ch-1, turn. (35 sc)

Rows 10-12: Rep Row 3.

Rows 13-60: Rep Rows 5-12, 7 times.

Row 61: Rep Row 5.

Rows 62-65: Rep Row 3. Do not turn after Row 65. (Row 65 is top edge of Pillow)

Pillow Left Side Edge

Continue to work down Left Side Edge of Pillow, ch 1 (first corner), work 69 sc evenly spaced in ends of rows to corner at bottom edge, ch 1 (2nd corner), join to first ch of beg foundation chain. Fasten off.

Pillow Right Side Edge

Join C1 to last ch at opposite end of bottom foundation ch, ch 1 (3rd corner), working in ends of rows up right-side Edge of Pillow, work 69 sc evenly spaced to corner at top edge, ch 1 (4th corner), work 69 sc evenly spaced along top edge. Fasten off.

Sunflower

Rnd (RS) 1: With smaller hook and C3, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join to front lp (See Pattern Notes) of first st. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: Working in front lps only, (ch 5, sl st in front lp of next st) around, join to front lp at base of beg ch-5. (6 lps)

Rnd 3: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps (See Pattern Notes) of rnd 2 rows below (Rnd 1), ch 2, (counts as 1 hdc), 2 hdc in same st, (3 hdc in next st) around, join to front lp of 2nd ch of beg ch-2. (18 hdc)

Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 2. (18 lps)

Rnd 5: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps of rnd 2 rows below, ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next st, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) around, join to front lp of 2nd ch of beg ch-2. (27 hdc)

Rnd 6: Rep 2. (27 lps)

Rnd 7: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps of rnd 2 rows below, ch 2, hdc in same place, hdc in each of next 2 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in each of next 2 sts) around, join to front lp of 2nd ch of beg ch-2, turn. (36 hdc)

Rnd 8: Rep 2. (36 lps)

Rnd 9: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps of rnd 2 rows below, ch 2, hdc in same place, hdc in each of next 3 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in each of next 3 sts) around, join to front lp of 2nd ch of beg ch-2. (45 hdc)

Rnd 10: Rep 2. Fasten off. (45 lps)

Rnd 11: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps of rnd 2 rows below, sc join goldenrod to back lp of any st, ch 1, sc in each st around, increasing 9 sts evenly spaced, join to front lp of 1st sc. (54 sc)

Rnd 12: With larger hook, (ch 3, sk 2 sts, sl st in front lp of next st) around. (18 lps)

Rnd 13: *(Sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, dtr, ch 2, sc around post of dtr just made) in next lp, (2 tr, dc, hdc, sc) in next lp; rep from * around. (9 petals)

Rnd 14: Folding lps to center and working behind lps in unworked back lps of rnd 2 rows below, dc in each st around, increasing 12 sts evenly spaced. Sl st to front lp of 1st dc. Fasten off. (66 dc)

Rnd 15: Sk next 3 sts, sl st join C2 to front lp of next st, (ch 3, sk 2 sts, sl st in front lp of next st) around. (22 lps)

Rnd 16: *(Sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, dtr, ch 2, sc around post of dtr just made) in next lp, (2 tr, dc, hdc, sc) in next lp; rep from * around. (11 petals)

Rnd 17: Work in same manner as Rnd 14, working 6 increases evenly spaced. (72 dc)

Rnds 18-19: Rep Rnds 15-16 once. (24 lps, 12 petals)

Rnds 20-22: Rep Rnds 14-16 once. (84 dc, 28 lps, 14 petals)

Rnds 23-25: Rep Rnds 14-16 once. (96 sts, 32 lps, 16 petals)

Fasten off.

Assembly

Rnd 1: With Pillows WS together and smaller hook, sc join C2 through both layers to any ch-1 corner space, (sc in each st across to next corner, sc in corner ch-1 sp) 3 times, sc in each st across, insert pillow form before closing, join to first sc of rnd.

Rnd 2 (Faux Piping Edge): Ch 1, working over sts of last rnd, insert hook in same place at base of next st, yo and complete as a sc, sc in same manner around working 2 sc in each corner.

Fasten off.

Finishing

Center Sunflower on Pillow.

Use C2 and tapestry needle to sew Sunflower to front of Pillow.

Weave in all ends.