Daisies in the Field Scarf *with pattern*

I have a confession to make. About a new love. Yes. I'm in love with my flower loom. It yields such lovely retro-esque results. And what's more, it combines very smoothly with my other love: The crochet hook. Match made in heaven.

I hope you feel the same way, because I have quite a few flower loom patterns lined up to share with you over the next months. ;-) I thought I'd start with this simple scarf. My Daisies in the Field Scarf! (Initially I wanted to call it Daisies in the Snow, but I figured that wouldn't make sense if I'd made a second one in another colour... ;-) Anyway!)

If you'd like to give it a try, here's what you'll need:
- flower loom with two diametres: of 9 cm and 5 cm / appr. 3.3 inch and 1.3 inch). I used Clover's Hana Ami flower loom
- 3 mm crochet hook
- fingering weight yarn,
- blunt needle.



Making the flowers
Of course you can make as many as you would like for your scarf. I made 45 flowers (three rows of 15 flowers)

- Make your first flower by wrapping the white (or any colour) yarn three times around twelve pins of the biggest loom. Cut the yarn, leave the flower on the loom.
- Make a smaller flower on top of the first one with the blue (or any colour) yarn, using the smallest loom. Wrap this yarn only once round every pin. Cut the yarn.
- Now use the blunt needle and the white yarn (about 15 cm / 5.3 inch) to secure the petals. Put the needle through the centre of the flower (from the back to the front) and then down between two petals, put it up again through the centre and put down between two other petals, continue like this until you've secured every petal. This will create a little white star in the middle of your flower. If you like, you can repeat this process to have a more prominent star shape in the middle.

- Leave the flower on the loom. Secure the ends of the blue and white yarn by pulling them through the centre of your flower to the backside with the needle.
- Now gently pull the flower off the loom.
- Personally I think this the best moment to crochet the square around the flower (rather then waiting till you've made all the flowers), because the petals will still be in shape and not tangled.

Creating a square
- Attach white yarn to any big (white) petal by making a slip stitch. (Remember, you've wrapped the white yarn thrice around every pin, which means that one big petal consists of three loops.)
- chain 4, slip stitch in the next petal, chain 4, sl st in the next petal. Continue around, then slip stitch in the first slip stitch.
- slip stitch in the ch4-space,
- make a standing dc or ch2 (this will count a as your first dc), 3dc in the same space, 1 dc in the sl st of the previous round, 4dc in next ch4-space, 1dc in sl st, 4dc in next ch4-space, ch2, 4dc in the same space (you've now made your first corner).
- continue like this until you've completed your square.
- close the round by a sl st in the first dc of the round of by using your darning needle for a seamless join.

Finish
- Weave in all ends.
- Block the squares. (I'd definitely recommend blocking because it will enhance the contrast between the square and the more fluffy flower.)

Joining the squares
Naturally you can use your preferred way of joining. I sewed the squared together by whipstitching through the front and back loops of the squares (front sides held together). I know some detest the idea of sewing squares together but I find it a quite meditative occupation ;-) plus I think it gives a rather neat finish. But any joining method will do just fine!

If I would have had more of the white yarn (which I had not - planning is my middle name) I would have crocheted a small edge using the crab stitch (reverse single crochet).

I will definitely make a second Daisies in the Field Scarf, using other (read: nicer + more) yarn. I think this pattern would work very well using a gold or silver coloured yarn for the inner (small) petals for a more festive look. And I'd love to make a retro style blanket with this pattern one day...

Okay! Please don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have a question about this pattern.

Also, I'd love to hear if you have worked with a flower loom, what your experiences are or if you are planning to use it some day. Thanks!

Last but not least: Thanks for participating in the little giveaway from my previous post. Frances is the lucky one to receive the crochet magazine. Could you please send your address to haafner at hotmail dot com? Thanks! There is another giveway coming up within a couple of weeks, so stay tuned. ;-) Meanwhile I'll be working on the pattern for the pink popcorn blanket from that same post...

As always it was really lovely to have you here. I wish you a most pleasant week!

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Now available on Amazon: My book Mandalas to Crochet!

American edition (with US crochet terminology and published by St. Martin's Griffin):

English edition (with UK crochet terminology and published by Search Press):