If you want to learn how to crochet a sunflower, the good news is that it’s much simpler than it looks. A sunflower is a flat disc with petals worked around the edge — two rounds for the centre, one round for the petals, and it’s finished.
What makes it look impressive is the petals, and petals use one of the most useful ideas in crochet: stitch height creates shape. Each petal is a short chain worked back down with stitches that get taller as they go, so the petal is narrow at the tip and broad at the base. The same trick makes leaves, stars and snowflakes.
About thirty minutes. Finished sunflower roughly 9 cm across.
What you need to know first
- Chain stitch
- Slip stitch
- Single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet
- The magic ring
- Joining a new colour
What you need
Worsted weight (4) yarn in brown for the centre and yellow for the petals. Mustard, golden yellow and a slightly warm yellow all read as sunflower. Pure lemon yellow looks more like a daisy.
A 4.0mm hook — slightly smaller than usual, so the flower holds a crisp flat shape.
A tapestry needle and scissors.
About 15 metres in total — a scrap-yarn project.
Cathrinee’s Supply Kit
The beginner basics I recommend
Crochet terms used
US crochet terms throughout.
- MR = magic ring · ch = chain · sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet (UK double crochet)
- hdc = half double crochet (UK half treble)
- dc = double crochet (UK treble)
- st(s) = stitch(es)
Step 1: Crochet the sunflower centre
In brown.
R1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (this counts as your first dc), then work 11 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. Pull the ring closed firmly. (12)
R2: Ch 1, then work 2 sc into each stitch around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (24)
Fasten off the brown, leaving a tail to weave in later.
You should have a flat brown disc with 24 stitches around the edge. If it’s ruffling, you’ve got too many stitches; if it’s cupping, too few — the same flat circle rule used in a crochet coaster. Count before moving on — the petals depend on exactly 24.
Step 2: Crochet the sunflower petals
In yellow. Each petal uses 2 stitches of the centre, so 24 stitches gives you 12 petals.
Join the yellow with a sl st into any stitch of the centre.
For each petal:
- Ch 5.
- Working back down the chain: sl st into the 2nd ch from the hook, sc into the next ch, hdc into the next ch, dc into the next ch.
- Skip 1 stitch of the centre, then sl st into the next stitch.
That’s one petal. Repeat 11 more times, working all the way around the centre.
After the twelfth petal, your final slip stitch lands back where you joined the yellow. Fasten off and weave in all the ends, going one direction through the stitches and then back the other way.
Why the petal works: the slip stitch at the tip is the shortest stitch, and the double crochet at the base is the tallest. That graduated height makes each petal taper to a point.
Step 3: Add texture to the centre (optional)
Real sunflower centres are textured, and there’s a quick way to suggest that.
Thread a length of darker brown or black yarn onto your tapestry needle and work small French knots scattered across the centre, or a few straight stitches radiating outward. Five minutes, and it gives the flower much more depth.
The layered sunflower
For a fuller, more realistic sunflower, add a second layer of petals behind the first.
After finishing the first petal round, join the yellow again — this time into the back loop of a centre stitch that sits between two front petals. Work a second round of petals exactly as before, but make them slightly longer: ch 6, then work back down with sl st, sc, hdc, dc, dc.
The back layer peeks out between the front petals, which is how real sunflowers look. It roughly doubles the time and makes a noticeably more striking flower.
Using a slightly deeper yellow or mustard for the back layer adds depth.
Troubleshooting your crochet sunflower
The petals are uneven. Count the centre — it must be exactly 24 stitches. An extra or missing stitch leaves one petal wider or narrower than the rest.
The centre is ruffling. Too many stitches in round 2. Two sc in each stitch, no more.
The flower cups. Tension is tight, or round 2 is short of stitches. Count first; if it’s correct, block it flat.
The petals curl. Common and easily fixed. Dampen the flower, pin each petal flat, and let it dry.
There’s a hole in the middle. The magic ring wasn’t pulled fully closed. Tighten it, or stitch it shut from the back with the tail.
The petals aren’t pointed. Make sure the first stitch back down the chain is a slip stitch, not a single crochet.
Ways to use crochet sunflowers
- Appliques — sew onto bags, hats, jackets or cushions.
- Hair clips — hot glue or sew onto a clip or a headband.
- Coasters — make the layered version in cotton and add a round of sc around the petals.
- Garland — chain between several flowers.
- Brooches — sew a brooch pin to the back.
- Bouquets — thread each flower onto florist wire wrapped in green yarn for a sunflower that lasts forever.
- Keychains — attach a split ring to one petal, the same way as a flower keychain.
Frequently asked questions
How do you crochet a sunflower for beginners?
Make a brown centre of 12 double crochets in a magic ring, increase to 24 in the next round, then work 12 petals around the edge. Each petal is a chain of 5 worked back down with stitches of increasing height.
How long does it take to crochet a sunflower?
About thirty minutes for a single layer, closer to an hour for the layered version.
How many petals does a crochet sunflower have?
This pattern makes 12 petals from a 24-stitch centre. The layered version adds a second ring of 12 behind the first.
What yarn should I use for a crochet sunflower?
Worsted weight in brown and a warm yellow. Cotton gives crisper petals, especially for coasters and appliques.
How do I stop my crochet sunflower petals curling?
Block the flower — dampen it, pin each petal flat, and let it dry completely.
Can I make a crochet sunflower without a magic ring?
Yes. Chain 4 and slip stitch into the first chain to make a loop, then work the double crochets into the loop. It leaves a small hole you can close with the tail.
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