Difficulty: Intermediate ✦✦✦✧✧

Back of a Sunflower afghan square for my pin cushion!
In this free crochet pattern, I used fingering-weight cotton yarn and a 2mm hook. The finished size is 3.5 inches square. If you use a larger 5.5mm hook and worsted weight yarn, it would be perfect for a small throw pillow!
This pattern is inspired by Joyce Lewis's Crocodile Flower
Center and Sepal/Petal Foundation:Â Â In green.
Row 1:Â Ch 4, 4 dc in the 4th chain from the hook. Turn. (5 dc)
Row 2:Â Ch, 2 sc in each st across. Turn. (10 sc)
Row 3:Â Ch 3, skip the first st, [dc, 2 dc in the next st] repeat 4 times, dc in the last st. Turn. (14 dc)
Row 4:Â Ch, sc in each st across. Turn. (14 sc)
Row 5:Â Ch 3, skip the first st, [dc 2, 2 dc in the next st] repeat 4 times, dc in the last st. Turn. (18 sts)
Row 6:Â Ch, sc in each st across. Turn. (18 sts)
Row 7:Â Ch 3, skip the first st, [dc 3, 2 dc in the next st] repeat 4 times, dc in the last st. Turn. (22 dc)
Row 8:Â Ch, sc 3, [(ch 6, sl st in the side of the last sc), sc 4] repeat 4 times, (ch 6, sl st in the side of the last sc), sc 3. Turn. (22 sc, 5 sepal loops)
Row 9:Â Ch 10, sl st in the 6th ch from the hook, skip the first st, tr, skip the next tr, [ch 2, skip the loop, tr 2, (ch 6, sl st in the side of the last tr), tr 2] repeat 4 times, ch 2, skip the loop and next tr, tr, (ch 6, sl st in the side of the last tr), tr. (20 tr, 6 petal loops)
  Tie off.
Background:Â Â In blue.

Row 10:Â Cast on with a sc in the 4th ch of the turning ch from Row 9, ch 2, skip the next (loop, st), sc, sc in the ch-sp, sc2tog, ch 2, skip the next (st, loop, st), hdc 2, (hdc, dc) in the ch-sp, dc, ch 2, skip the next (st, loop, st), tr 2, (tr, ch, dtr, ch, tr) in the ch-sp, tr 2, ch 2, skip the next (st, loop, st), dc, (dc, hdc) in the ch-sp, hdc 2, ch 2, skip the next (st, loop, st), sc, sc in the ch-sp, ch 2, skip the next (st, loop), sc in the last st. Turn. Note: Pull all the loops to the right side of the square.
Row 11:Â Ch, sc, sc in the ch-sp, sc 3, 2 sc in the ch-sp, sc 5, 2 hdc in the ch-sp, hdc, dc 2, skip the ch, (2 dc, tr, 2 dc) in the next st, skip the ch, dc 2, hdc, 2 hdc in the ch-sp, sc 5, 2 sc in the ch-sp, sc 3, sc in the ch-sp, sc in the last st. Turn.
Row 12:Â Ch 3 (counts as the first dc), skip the first st, dc across, (2 dc, tr, 2 dc) in the corner, dc across. Turn.
Row 13:Â Ch, sc in each st across, (sc, hdc, sc) in the corner, sc in each st across. Turn.
Note: Don’t forget to sc in the 3rd ch of the turning chain (the first st from Row 10)!
  Repeat Rows 12 and 13 at least 1 more time (as shown), or until background is the size you want.
  Tie off.
Petals and Sepals:Â Â In yellow.

Row 14:Â Sl st in the first loop of Row 9, ch 4, sl st into the background at the edge of the square, ch, sl st in the closest ch to the hook, 6 tr in the loop, [sc in between sts in the ch-2 from Row 9, 6 tr in the next loop, ch, flatten and stretch the petal, sl st in the background, ch, sl st in the top side of the last tr, 6 tr in the loop] repeat 3 times, sc in between sts in the ch-2 from Row 9, 6 tr in the next loop, ch, flatten and stretch the petal, sl st in the background at the edge of the square, ch 3, sl st in the loop. Â Â Tie off.
  In green.

Row 15:Â Sl st into the side of the square at the top of Row 8, [(2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr) in the loop, ch, flatten and stretch the petal, sl st into the background, ch, sl st in the top side of the last tr, (2 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc) in the same loop, sc in between sts in the ch-3 from Row 8] repeat 4 times with a sl st in the side of the square at Row 8 after the last petal.
  Tie off.
Blocking:
Block the square by wetting thoroughly with cold water, squeeze (but do not twist or wring!) out excess water. Pin using a ruler and a square to a foam pad or spare mattress and allow to dry!
Continue to the front of the sunflower or to the pincushion assembly.