Stitchfinder: Crochet Flower: Orchid

Orchid

Skill Level: Easy

Materials and Tools
2 colors of LB Collection Cotton Bamboo: (A) Magnolia #098, (B) Cherry Blossom #102 OR Persimmon #135
Hook: 4.00mm (size G-6 U.S.) or size to obtain a firm gauge
Tapestry needle

Special Abbreviation
Htr (half treble crochet): Yo 2 times, insert hook in stitch and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook), yo and draw through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yo and draw through 3 loops (1 loop left on hook).

Instructions
Back Petals:
With A, ch 5, join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, working in ring, (sc, hdc, 2 dc, hdc) 3 times. Join with sl st to first sc of rnd.
Rnd 2: *(Sc, hdc) in hdc of rnd below, (dc, htr) in first dc, (htr, dc) in 2nd dc, (hdc, sc) in next hdc, sl st in sc; rep from * twice.
Rnd 3: *Ch 1, sl st in sc of rnd below, sc in hdc, (hdc, dc) in dc, ch 1, (htr, tr) in first htr, (tr, htr) in 2nd htr, (dc, hdc) in dc, sc, sl st; rep from * twice. Fasten off.

HINT:

The Orchid’s Front Petals include two larger side petals (1 and 3) and one smaller central petal (2), as you can see in Photo A. At this point, Petal 2 has 9 sts (2 ch, 5 hdc, 2 ch). To finish Petal 2, you will work into each and every one of those 9 sts.

Front Petals:
With A, ch 5, join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Petal 1, Row 1 (RS): Ch 2, dc and hdc in ring; ch 2, turn.
Petal 1, Row 2: (3 hdc) in first hdc, (2 dc) in dc, (4 hdc) in top st of turning ch; ch 1, turn.
Petal 1, Row 3: Sc, hdc, sc, (hdc, dc) in next st, (2 tr) in each of next 2 sts, (dc, hdc) in next st, sc, hdc, sc in top st of turning ch from last row. Working down the side of the petal, sl st in 2nd st of turning ch of last row, then sl st 2 in side of hdc from the first row. Sl st in ring.
Petal 2 (RS): Ch 2, 5 hdc in ring, ch 2, sl st in ring.
Petal 3: Work as for Petal 1. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

HINT:

You’ll begin the last phase of Petal 2 by stitching into the ring between Petals 1 and 2, indicated by the pink arrow in Photo B. The remaining instructions tell you which stitches to make for each of the 9 sts of Petal 2.

I’ve separated out the instructions for this part of the Orchid, with one line for each original st of Petal 2. Anytime you are confused about crochet instructions, you may find that writing out the instructions by hand will help you understand them better.

To complete Petal 2, with B, sc in ring between Petal 1 and Petal 2.
In 1st ch of Petal 2: (sl st, ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, 2 hdc)
In 2nd ch of Petal 2: (2 hdc, ch 1, sl st)
In 1st hdc of Petal 2: sl st
In 2nd hdc of Petal 2: (sl st, ch 2, 2 hdc)
Make the long picot detail: ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sl st, ch 1, sl st in next ch
In 3rd hdc of Petal 2: (3 dc)
Make the other long picot detail: ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sl st, sk 1 ch, sl st
In 4th hdc of Petal 2: (2 hdc, ch 2, sl st)
In 5th hdc of Petal 2: sl st
In next ch of Petal 2: (sl st, ch 2, 2 hdc)
In last ch of Petal 2: (2 hdc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st)
Sc in ring between Petal 2 and Petal 3. Fasten off.

Finishing:
Weave in ends except the long tail for sewing. Block pieces, allowing Petal 2 to keep its 3-D character. Center the Front Petals over the Back Petals, and arrange so that Petal 2 falls between two of the back petals. Sew the pieces together.

Directions reproduced from Crochet Garden: Bunches of Flowers, Leaves, and Other Delights, courtesy of Lark Publishing, 2012.

ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES
ch = chain	dc = double crochet
hdc = half double crochet	rnd(s) = round(s)
sc = single crochet	sl st = slip stitch
st(s) = stitch(es)	tr = treble (triple) crochet