The Darling Dahlia

Designed by Jen Tyler

2016
I absolutely adore Dahlias and I’ve been wanting to design a pretty vintage style square using
a Dahlia design. I think if I looked hard enough I might have found a pattern but I gave up the
search and set about with my own design. I’m totally unoriginal in my love for flowery, lacy,
vintage crochet! So here is yet another flowery, lacy, vintage design.
There are dozens of different Dahlias, some single-layer petaled, others multiple layered like
gorgeous ball gowns, or tutus! I settled for a single-layer Dahlia and went about creating a
richly textured Dahlia motif...then added a lot of other bits! In fact, I went so far as to design a
really large afghan square but that’s another story altogether!
This dainty, beautiful little square looks adorable in vibrant or muted colourways and the bor-
der is extremely easy to attach to it’s mates using a simple lacy join-as-you-go method. The
square also works up quickly once you get past the first one.
Recommended for a baby blanket, or for the very patient and ambitious, a lovely Vintage-look
bedspread ! In my minds eye I see a cottage window curtain!
Btw, did I mention there is a teeny village in South Africa called Darling! I’ve been there for
tea and scones a few times as it’s a short drive from Cape Town. There were Dahlias in the
garden, in a riot of exquisite colours!

Useful Information
Yarn: Elle Yarns Family Knit DK 100% Acrylic ( I love all the colours! )
Hook: 3.50mm
Tension: Medium. If you tend to be a tight crocheter you might want to use a larger hook, like
a 4mm? Or a 4.50mm.
Crochet terms: US
Stitches used:
Magic Ring
hdc-half double crochet
sc-single crochet
dc-double crochet
slst-slip stitch
hdcbp– half double crochet back post, also hdc front posts.
tr– treble
dc3cluster– double crochet 3 cluster
ch-chain
Finished size: 7” x 7” or 17cm x 17cm (approx.)
Round One
1. Lemon
Make a Magic Loop and start with a ch2
Then 8x hdc
Gently pull your loop closed and slip stitch into top of your ch2. Fasten off and work in your
tails.
2. Sunshine
Now this is a bit tricky if you’re not familiar with cables.
Start by attaching your new yarn into any hdc, ch3 and sc into 2nd hdc. Now turn your work
wrong side facing you and make 4sc around your chains. Then turn your work the right side
facing you, and sc into the stitch you skipped when you made your chain. Now ch3 and sc into
the next “free” hdc, turn your work with the wrong side facing you and make 4sc over the
chains, then turn your work back to the right side facing you and sc into the same sc you did
when you made your 2nd chain. If you continue so then you will see how you have created
overlapping petals? When you reach your last ch3 ( on the hook ), then single crochet into the
very first sc you did into the hdc and the beginning, turn your work wrong side, , do 4sc over
the chains and sc into the sc between your ch3. Do not fasten off but ch3 and sc into the back
of your next “cable petal” around the beginning of the first chain, then ch3m and sc into the
next chain space. When you have your last ( and 8th ) ch3’s then slip stitch into the first ch3
you made behind the “ petals”. You should end up with 8x Cable Petals and 8x chain3 spaces at
the
Round Two
1. Watermelon
Attach your new colour into any ch3 space created behind your cable petals from the previous
round ( Sunshine ). Ch4. Then do 5tr’s, and ch4, slip stitch back into your cha3 space.
Ch1, slip stitch into your next ch3 space and ch4. Then again, do 5tr’s and ch4, slip stitch back
into your ch3 space. Ch1, slip stitch into the following ch3 space, 5tr’s and ch4, slip stitch back
into ch3 space. Continue this sequence until you have 8x curly petals!

2. Coral
Attach your new colour by making a ch3 (= 1dc) into the space after your 1st ch4 and your 1st
treble in your 1st “Watermelon petal. Now make a 5dc cluster. And ch7. Then do a 6dc cluster
into the next Watermelon petal, then ch7. Continue this sequence. Your work will “cup” but
the next rounds will sort this out! See images for clarification.
Round Two continued.

3. Soft Lime
Now, find your middle treble of round Watermelon. The would be the 3rd treble between the
ch4’s. Do a sc back post stitch here and chain 5. Then find the next 3rd treble of your Water-
melon round and do a sc bp and ch5. Continue this sequence until you have 8 x ch5 spaces.

Fasten off and work in your tails!

Round Three
1. Mistletoe
Now you’re going to pull through the ch5! See image. You’ll be working into these ch5 spaces.

Attach your new yarn colour with a sc, then 1dc, 1tr, 1 Picot, 1 tr, 1dc, 1sc, 1ch, I hdcfront post
around the top of your cluster petal, ch1,pull through your ch5, 1sc, 1dc, 1tr, 1 Picot, 1tr, 1dc,
1sc, 1ch, Ihdcfront post around top of your cluster petal and continue with the sequence until
you have completed 8 x “leaves”. Close off this round by doing a slip stitch into first sc. Fasten
off and work in tails.
Round Three Continued.
2. Soft Lime
Attach your new colour into any ch1 space right before the hdc front post around the top of
the cluster petal. Ch4 ( = 1dc +1ch ). Then 1dc into the next ch1 space. Ch3 and hdc around
two strands just below your Picot. See image two for clarification. Ch3 and 1dc into next
ch1sp, ch1, 1dc into next ch1sp, ch3, 1hdc into 2 strands below Picot, ch3. Continue this se-
quence all the way around, Slip stitch into top of first chains. Fasten off and work in tails.
Round Three continued.
3. Coral Rose
Attach your new colour into any ch1 sp between the dc’s with a ch3 (=1dc).
Then Idc, 3ch and slip stitch into same ch1 sp. Then ch3, 1dc, ch3 and slip stitch into same ch1
sp. Then ch3, 1dc, ch3 and slip stitch into same ch1 sp. You should have three “petals”
squeezed into that ch1 sp. Ch5 and do ch3, 1dc,ch3, slip stitch, ch3, 1dc, ch3, slip stitch, ch3,
1dc, ch3 and slip stitch, ch5 and continue the sequence until you have 8 x 3-petal sets and 8 x
ch5 spaces. To end this round, slip stitch into beginning chains, fasten off and work in tails.
Round Three continued.
4. Now we’re going to cover over those “bridging “ chains with some hdc’s.
Find that hdc back post stitch you did into the two strands behind and below your Picot. Into
that hdc you’re going to attach your new yarn colour with ch2 (=1hdc), then you’ll do 4hdc into
that hdc back post. Be sure to go around your chains. Ch6 and repeat into the next hdc back
post until you have 8 x 5hdc “fans” and 8 x ch6 spaces. It’s a tight squeeze for the first hdc but
then it’s a breeze!
Round Four
1. Snowmoon
This is the round where you begin to square off your rounds.
Attach new yarn colour with a chain five back post around the 1dc of your “3ch, 1dc, 3ch”
petal from the Coral Rose round. This = 1hdc and 3ch. Then do 1hdc back post around the
next 1dc, then ch3, then 1hdc back post around the last 1dc. Then ch3 and repeat the same
sequence for the next set of 3-petals flower. So, 1hdcbp, ch3, 1hdcbp, ch3, 1hdcbp, ch3. Do
not fasten off after you have finished this section. Slip stitch into your next ch3 sp.
2. Now we’ll create a corner.
Ch3 (=1dc) and do a dc2cluster. This = 1dc2cluster. Ch3 and do another dc3cluster into same
ch3 space. Ch3 and do 1dc3cluster into next ch3 space, ch3, and do another dc3cluster into
same ch3 sp. Ch3 and do a sc around your next ch3 space, then ch4, and do a sc around your
next ch3 space, ch4 and do a sc around your next ch3 space. Then ch4, sc around ch3sp, ch3
and you’ll be at your next corner where you’ll repeat the clusters to create the 2nd corner of
your square. Continue sequence all the way. Slip stitch into the top of your 1st cluster, put
your feet up and enjoy a cup of tea before the final round! Tadaa!
Round Four continued.
3. This is your final round.
So you have not fastened off and we’re still with our Snowmoon colour and you’ve slip stitched
into the top of your 1st cluster. Now do 1sc around your next chain, ch5 and slip stitch into the
ch3 space between your 2 sets of dc3clusters...this is the corner ch3 space, Then chain5, and
slip stitch back into that same ch3 sp. Then ch5 and sc around your next ch3 sp. Then your go-
ing to ch4, sc around next ch3 space and continue this sequence until you last sc around ch3
sp , then ch5, slip stitch into corner ch3 sp, ch5 and slip stitch back into corner ch3 sp ( you’ll
be creating a loop here, and ch5, then sc around next ch3 space and so on.

Thank you for joining me and I hope this pattern was easy enough to follow. Please feel free to
contact me at jentylerdesign@gmail.com if you need help! Take care and happy hooking!
Jen xx