Crochet: Floral rainbow throw

Knitting Editor Teresa

A new year calls for a new project to get your teeth into and this crochet throw, in a cheerful palette in a crisp cotton yarn, won’t disappoint. The floral motifs are worked in rounds and are joined together as you go.

A bit More Tricky

MeasureMents

Finished blanket width: 82cm/32.4in; height: 138cm/54.3in.

Materials

4 x 50g (92m) balls of stylecraft Cotton dK Classique (100% cotton) in each of Fondant (3094) and Peppermint (3691), 3 in each of lavender (3673), shrimp (3674), soft lime (3663), sunflower (3662) and sky Blue (3667), 2 in each of greek Blue (3095) and Busy lizzie (3657)*. yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. size 4mm crochet hook.

tension

1 motif measures 10cm/4in on size 4mm hook.

abbreviations

Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; tr, treble; htr, half treble; slst, slip stitch;

chsp, chain space.

note

yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate. instructions in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket.

To make hexagon motif

in total make 12 in each of the motif colourways of 1, 2, 6,

8, 9 and 10 and 13 in each of the motif colourways of 3, 4,

5, 7, 11 and 12 (see list in the next column).

Foundation: Wrap yarn round index finger once, leave a generous tail, insert hook into yarn around finger, yrh, pull a loop through, 1ch (does not count as st), 12dc into ring, slst to first dc to join.

1st round: 4ch, (counts as 1tr, 1ch), [1tr in next st, 1ch] 11 times, slst in 3rd of 4ch, fasten off

– 12 sts.

2nd round: Join in 2nd colour in any chsp, 3ch, 2tr in next tr, 3ch, slst in same tr (this forms 1 petal), slst in next chsp,

[3ch, 2tr in next tr, 3ch,slst in same tr, slst in next chsp] 11 times, fasten off after last slst – 12 petals.

3rd round: Join 3rd colour to

2nd tr (counting from right) of any petal, of any petal, 1ch, 1dc in same place, 4ch, [1dc in top of next petal, 4ch] 11 times, slst to first dc at beg of round – 12 chsp.

4th round: slst twice in next chsp, 1ch, 1dc in same place, 5ch, [1dc in next chsp, 5ch] 11 times, slst to first dc – 12 chsp.

5th round: slst in next chsp,

1ch, *(2dc, 1htr, 3tr) in next chsp, 3ch, (3tr, 1htr, 2dc) in next chsp; repeat from * 5 times more, ending slst in dc at start of round.

Fasten off.

Motif colourways

beginning with centre colour: 1: lavender, sky Blue, shrimp 2: shrimp, lavender, Busy lizzie 3: greek Blue, Fondant, lavender 4: lavender, sunflower, Fondant 5: Peppermint, lavender, soft lime 6: soft lime, shrimp, Fondant 7: sunflower, soft lime, Peppermint

8: Busy lizzie, Peppermint, sunflower

9: Peppermint, Busy lizzie, greek Blue 10: shrimp, sky Blue, soft lime 11: sky Blue, greek Blue, Peppermint

12: Fondant, sunflower, sky Blue

Joining motifs

Following motif sequence

(right): all motifs are joined at chsp intervals. Complete first half of petal on last round, 1ch, slst to chsp of motif to be joined, 1ch, complete second half of petal. Where there are more than 2 motifs joining together, work a slst then 1ch in appropriate chsp. once complete, sew in all ends using tapestry needle.

Motif sequence

row a: 12, 7, 4, 11, 6, 7, 8, 5, 9, 4, 1, 12, 2, 10, 8

row b: 2, 10, 3, 5, 2, 3, 1, 4, 11, 1, 7, 4, 5, 6, 9

row C: 9, 4, 2, 7, 4, 9, 7, 2, 3, 12, 9, 11, 8, 11, 6

row D: 4, 8, 11, 6, 1, 5, 3, 12, 5, 7, 10, 3, 6, 12, 1

row e: 10, 2, 3, 10, 11, 6, 10, 11, 8, 6, 8, 9, 5, 3, 7

row F: 1, 7, 5, 12, 8, 9, 12, 4, 2, 9, 7, 5, 1, 4, 10

row G: 9, 1, 9, 6, 2, 5, 11, 10, 12, 5, 2, 7, 12, 8, 11

row H: 6, 12, 7, 8, 11, 3, 1, 9, 8, 1, 3, 10, 3, 5, 6

row i: 3, 5, 2, 4, 12, 7, 10, 6, 11, 4, 12, 9, 11, 8, 2

row J: 1, 11, 6, 10, 8, 3, 4, 2, 12, 10, 3, 5, 1, 4, 7

To finish

Weave in ends.