Learn how to crochet a sunflower! If you're just starting out with crochet and want to make flowers, the sunflower is a fun and uncomplicated design to start with. Even if you are a crochet expert, creating crochet sunflowers will be rewarding and satisfying. If you add these to a headband or a hair clip, they will look amazing.

How to Crochet a Sunflower, Crochet Sunflower Pattern

How to Crochet a Sunflower Tutorial

These also make lovely small appliqués that could be used to embellish other items. You could use these to decorate a quilt or sew them on a basic t-shirt to make a fashion statement. I have a friend who loves to wear crochet flowers as a brooch to brighten up her outfit. A sunflower would make a lovely sunny, happy addition to a spring outfit.

Supplies for Crochet Sunflowers

Yarn in shades of yellow, green and brown. I used DK yarn for my samples with a 4mm hook. Worsted weight yarn also works well with a 5 mm crochet hook. Use acrylic yarn or cotton yarn.
Crochet hook suitable for the thickness of your yarn.
Scissors.
Yarn needle.

Abbreviations in Sunflower Pattern Crochet

All instructions are written in American crochet terminology.

Free Crochet Sunflower Pattern - Skill Level

This free crochet pattern is for any skill level, as long as you know how to make the basic stitches listed above. If you are just starting out, don't let the thought that you can't do it stop you.

Crocheting flowers is really not difficult for beginners and experts alike! These are great patterns for people who want to learn how to crochet flowers for the first time, or for proficient crocheters who want to add a little extra pizazz to their projects.

Crochet Gauge for Sunflowers

The gauge is not important in this case; you can work sunflowers in any yarn weight and use them alone or with other flowers or squares to create Afghans, runners, pillows, bags, and anything else that comes to mind.

More Free Crochet Patterns

How to Crochet a Sunflower, Step by Step Instructions

Here we will make 3 styles of crocheted sunflower:

Basic small sunflower pattern
Larger sunflower pattern with pointed petals
Sunflower granny square

1. Small Crochet Sunflower Pattern (Free)

For the flower's center, choose a brown-colored yarn.

Begin with a magic ring. (or, work 3 ch, sl st to close into a ring.)
Crochet 2 ch stitches. (This equals your first dc)
Work a total of 16 dc into the magic ring. (This is including your first 2 ch)
Pull the magic ring's open end to close the central ring. Slip stitch through the first dc's top chain.

Change yarn for the petals.
Chain 1.
Dc into the following stitch. Work a tr through the same stitch.
Chain 1.

How to Crochet a Sunflower with Small Petals

Work one tr and one dc into the same stitch.
Slip stitch into the next dc on the ring. (First petal formed.)
Crochet the remaining petals by repeating steps 8 – 12.

You should have 8 petals in your sunflower.

Work a slip stitch through the first chain of the base ring after finishing the eighth petal. Take out a few inches of yarn and snip it.
Weave in the loose ends of the yarns on the back of the crochet sunflower with a tapestry or yarn needle.

2. Large Sunflower Crochet Pattern

This sunflower is slightly more realistic as it has nice pointed petals made by creating a picot stitch.

Sunflower Crochet Center

Using brown, make a magic ring or ch3, join into a circle with a sl st.
Ch 1, work 6 single crochet stitches into the ring. (This makes 6 sc stitches. Do not join, continue working in a spiral.)
Make two sc stitches into each stitch, totaling 12 stitches.
2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc. Repeat all the way around. (18 stitches)
Finish off and weave in the ends.

Sunflower Crochet Petals

With the yellow yarn, (or whatever color you would like your petals to be) make a sl st into any stitch from the center.
All of these steps are done into the same sc stitch:
*chain 3, 1 tr, chain 3, slip stitch in the third chain from the hook, (picot) 1 tr, chain 3, slip stitch in the same stitch, skip the next stitch from the center, and slip stitch into the next stitch from the center. * (First petal formed.)

Repeat from * – * until you have 9 petals total.
Finish off the yarn and weave in the ends.

Adding Leaves to Crochet Sun Flowers

If you would like to add leaves to your sunflowers, read my article on how to crochet a leaf. The stem pictured below was made from a row of single crochet.

How to Crochet a Sunflower, Crochet Sunflower Patterns

3. Granny Square Sunflower Crochet Pattern

If you want to make an entire blanket, pillow, scarf, or bag out of sunflowers, the best way is to make sunburst granny squares. The colors mentioned here are simply suggestions, you can choose any colors you please!

Stitches used for sunflower granny squares: To make this square, you'll need to know how to crochet the following:

Chain stitch
Slip stitch
Double crochet
Half double crochet
Treble crochet
Puff Stitch
Cluster stitch.

Round 1

Use brown yarn for the center.

Make a magic ring or a slip knot and 5 chains, then use a slip stitch to join them into a ring.
Chain 3 (first double crochet), then add 15 more double crochet stitches to your ring.
Join the top of the chain 3 with a slip stitch (16 stitches)
Cut the thread and tie it off.

Round 2

BRIGHT YELLOW: Join the new yarn into any dc stitch.
Chain two stitches, then puff stitch into the second chain. (The ch2 counts as the first dc in this puff stitch, so you only need to repeat from * twice.)
Now do a puff stitch, which is made up of 4 incomplete dc, into each dc around the circle.
Join the first puff stitch with a slip stitch. (You'll end up with 16 puff stitches)
Cut the yarn and tie it off.

Puff Stitch

*Yo, insert hook into next chain, yo, pull yarn through 2 loops on hook. (2 loops on your hook.)
Now, repeat from * three times in the same stitch. There are 5 loops on your hook.
Yo, and pull the hook through all the loops on the hook.
Make a chain stitch once the yarn is pulled through all the loops. This holds the puff stitch in place.

Round 3

PALE YELLOW Join new yarn to any chain-1 space.
Chain 2.
Work a cluster stitch, into the top of the puff stitch, then chain 2. Skip a stitch. Do this all around the circle.
Use a slip stitch to join. (There will be 16 clusters)
Cut yarn. Fasten off.

Cluster Stitch

The cluster stitch in crochet is made up of a group of stitches that are next to each other and are joined at the top. You will use a 3 dc cluster to make the sunflower granny square.

*YO, insert hook into stitch, YO, pull up a loop.
YO pull through two loops.
Repeat from *. The hook has 4 loops.
Pull the YO through all 4 loops. (first cluster stitch)

Round 4: How to Crochet a Sunflower Background

OUTER COLOR: Join a new piece of yarn in any space between two chains.
Chain 4 (counts as the first treble stitch), then crochet 2 trebles in the same space.
3 dc in the next ch-2 space, 3 hdc in the next ch-2 space, and 3 dc in the next ch-2 space. (This is the square's first side.)
First corner: 3 tr in the next space between 2 chains, 3 ch, 3 tr in the same space between 2 chains. The first corner is made in this way.

Now, make the other sides and corners by repeating this pattern for the sides and corners.

Second side: 3 dc in the next chain-2 space, 3 hdc in the next chain-2 space, 3 dc in the next chain-2 space.
Second corner: 3 tr in the next chain-2 space, 3 ch, 3 tr in the same chain-2 space.
Third side: 3 dc in the next chain-2 space, 3 hdc in the next chain-2 space, 3 dc in the next chain-2 space.
Third corner: 3 tr in the next chain-2 space, 3 ch, 3 tr in the same chain-2 space.
Last side: 3 dc in the next chain-2 space, 3 hdc in the next chain-2 space, 3 dc in the next chain-2 space.
Last corner: Crochet three treble stitches in the same spot as the first treble stitches, chain three, and slip stitch to the top of the first chain 4.

Your sunflower crochet square is now done!

What Can I Make with Crochet Sunflowers?

As mentioned previously, the separate sunflowers can be used for appliqué onto absolutely anything, or glued onto hair clips, headbands and brooch pins.

Make blankets and throws by sewing the granny squares together. A lovely crochet baby blanket pattern could be made out of 36 squares.
Squares can also be combined to make a sunflower pillow. Make four sunflower squares for the front of the pillow and four solid color squares for the back!
The squares can also be stitched together to make a lovely summery bag. Or a cheerful bag for storing your crochet projects!
A single large sunflower or a sunflower square can be used as a sunflower coaster or a mug rug.

The possibilities are endless!

How to Crochet a Sunflower - In Conclusion

After you've learned how to crochet a sunflower, try working them in multiple colors for a truly unique design. The color has the greatest impact, but the proportion of center to petal also has an important influence. Why not try it with a yellow center and soft purple petals? Or, experiment with different colored crochet sunflowers by combining any autumn tones for the petals.

Crocheting sunflowers is a beautiful and useful project that both new and experienced crocheters can enjoy. The bright and happy colors of these flowers will bring joy to anyone who sees them, whether they are used as a home decoration or as a gift. Because there are so many yarns and patterns to choose from, you can make your own crochet sunflowers in any way you want. So why not pick up your crochet hook and try making a few of these pretty flowers today?