Apr 30, 2014

Young Orchid Flower, Buds, and Branches

Difficulty: Intermediate ✦✦✦✧✧

When I crochet something from nature, I like to make it as realistic as possible.

I rarely see a single orchid flower on a stem with a single leaf.

So, to complete my Phaleonopsis orchid project, here are the free crochet patterns for a young, newly opening orchid flower, two flower buds that are still developing, and a pattern to attach all the pieces together on a branch.

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Special Stitches: Even Increase (Even Inc) = increase symmetrically over 2 stitches: [dc in the first stitch, dc2tog over the 1st and 2nd stitches, dc in the 2nd stitch]. (see the Orchid Leaf for a diagram).

Young Flower:

Foundation:

Row 1: 6 sc in a magic circle. Row 2: In the front loops only, [(sc, ch 3, sc) in the first sc] repeat 6 times, sl st with the first st.

Inner Petals:Row 3: Ch, [(sc, hdc, dc 3, hdc, sc) in ch-3 loop, skip next ch-3 loop, sl st in back loop of the first st] repeat 3 times. Row 4: Skip the first ch. Sl st, [sl st, ch, 2 hdc in the next st, 4 dc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next st, ch, sl st, skip next 3 sts] repeat 3 times along the inner petals, sl st in next st. Continue to the Outer Petals.

Left: First inner petal complete. Slip stitch in the front loop in the center of the flower foundation.

Middle: Three inner flower petals complete. Right: Continue directly to the outer petals.

Outer Petals:Row 5: Ch 2, [(sc, hdc, dc 3, hdc, sc) in ch-3 loop] repeat 3 times around. Row 6: Skip the ch, [sl st, 2 sc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next st, (2 dc, ch, 2 dc) in middle st, 2 hdc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st, sl st] repeat 3 times. Row 7: [Skip first sl st and sc. Sc 3, hdc, dc, 3 dc in ch-space, dc, hdc, sc 3, skip last sc and sl st] repeat 3 times. Row 8: [Skip first sc. Sl st 2, sc 2, hdc, (hdc, dc, hdc), hdc, sc 2, sl st 2, skip last sc] repeat 3 times, skip next 2 sts, sl st. Tie off. Weave ends in.

Completed young orchid flower.

Large Flower Bud:

Row 1: 6 sc in a magic circle. Row 2: In the back loops only. 2 sc in each sc around. Row 3: Ch 2, [2 hdc in the next st, hdc 2] repeat 3 times, 2 hdc in the next st, hdc, sl st with the first st. Row 4: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc, Even Inc, dc] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Row 5: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc 2, bpdc, dc 2] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Row 6: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc 2, bpdc, dc 2] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Row 7: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc2tog, bpdc, dc2tog] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Stuff lightly. Row 8: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc3tog] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Tie off. Weave ends in.

Small Flower Bud:

Row 1: 6 sc in a magic circle. Row 2: In the back loops only. 2 sc in each sc around. Row 3: Ch 2, hdc around, sl st with the first hdc. Row 4: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc, bpdc, dc] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Row 5: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc, bpdc, dc] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Stuff lightly. Row 6: Ch 2, [fpdc, dc3tog] repeat 3 times, sl st with the first st. Tie off. Weave ends in. You now have two developing flower buds to complete your orchid branch.

Stems: Young Flower and Buds:Ch 10, sc6tog around the exposed loops on the flower/bud, sl st 9 along the chain. Tie off. Weave ends in.

Mature Orchid:

Ch 19, sl st in the 4th ch from the hook, ch, sc in side ch-3 support of the flower, ch, sc in ch-4 loop, ch 5, sc in bottom ch-3 support, ch 5, sc in ch-4 loop, ch, sc in side ch-3 support, ch, sc in ch-4 loop, sl st 5 along beginning ch, sl st into a central loop of the top rear petal, sl st 10 along beginning ch. Tie off. Weave ends in.

Branch: Ch 16, sc into stem of orchid, ch 14, sc into stem of baby flower, ch 12, sc into stem of bud, turn. Sl st in second ch from hook, sl st 4, sc 6, sc3tog, sc 12, sc3tog, sc 15. Tie off. Use a needle to attach to the base of the leaf. Weave ends in.