by Here’s a clear, beginner-friendly round-by-round text tutorial that makes a decorative round medallion → joinable square you can use for runners, blouses, shawls or cushions. Uses US terms. I include stitch checks, a square conversion, Join-As-You-Go notes, blocking, troubleshooting and quick variations so you can crochet immediately.
Tools & finished size
- Yarn: sport / DK (cotton for crisp tiles; cotton-blend or acrylic for drape)
- Hook: 3.0–4.5 mm (adjust to get desired size)
- Notions: tapestry needle, blocking pins/mat, scissors, stitch marker (optional)
- Finished motif (blocked): ≈ 9–13 cm / 3.5–5 in (depends on yarn & hook)
Abbreviations (US)
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- hdc = half double crochet
- dc = double crochet
- tr = treble crochet
- pic = picot (ch 3, sl st into base)
- sp = space
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- rep = repeat
Pattern concept (short)
Worked from center out:
- small center ring
- chain-loop scaffold for petals
- puffy petal clusters
- tidy sc round to flatten
- tall chain arches forming a lacy frame
- decorative ribs inside arches
- optional side & corner loops to convert circle → square (for neat joins)
- scalloped picot outer edge used for Join-As-You-Go
Each major round includes a quick check so you can confirm counts before proceeding.
Round-by-round (work rounds joined with sl st)
Round 1 — Center (magic ring)
- Make a magic ring. ch 3 (counts as dc), work 15 dc into the ring. (ch-3 + 15 dc = 16 dc total.)
- Pull ring closed and sl st to top of ch-3 to join.
Check: 16 dc.
Round 2 — Loop foundation (petal scaffold)
- ch 4, skip next dc, sc in next dc — repeat around.
You’ll form 8 ch-4 loops separated by sc. Join with sl st.
Check: 8 ch-4 spaces.
Round 3 — Puffy petals (8 petals)
- Into each ch-4 loop work all into same loop:
(sc, hdc, 7 dc, hdc, sc) — one cluster = one petal. - Sl st to the next ch-4 loop and repeat for all 8 loops. Join.
Check: 8 nicely rounded petals.
Tip: use 5 dc instead of 7 dc for smaller petals.
Round 4 — Tidy sc round
- Rejoin between petals. Work sc evenly around petal bases to flatten and even the motif — aim for about 9–12 sc distributed per petal area (adjust ±).
- Join with sl st.
Check: an even circular boundary (not cupped or ruffled).
Round 5 — Tall lacy arches (frame)
- From each petal tip: sl st to tip → ch 7 → anchor into the sc round between the next petals with (tr, ch 2, tr, ch 2, tr) worked into that sc/space → sl st back to petal tip.
- Repeat around to make 8 large arches. (If ch-7 looks long/short with your yarn, alter to ch-6 or ch-8.) Join.
Check: 8 arches evenly spaced.
Round 6 — Decorative ribs inside arches
- Into each chain-arch work: sl st to arch base → ch 3 → dc into top of first tr → ch 1 → dc into top of middle tr → ch 1 → dc into top of last tr → ch 3 → sl st into arch base.
(Simpler: 3 dc separated by ch-1 across each arch.) - Repeat around and join.
Check: each arch shows 3 inner ribs — pretty texture.
Round 7 — Convert circle → square (side loops & corner loops) — recommended
(Do this if you want neat grid-joinable tiles.)
- Mark four quarter points (every 2 petals, ~90° apart). Rejoin at a quarter marker.
- Work along each side between corners using the same numeric distribution on every side. Example distribution (adjust to suit motif size):
sc 10, (sc, ch 4, sc) × 3 (side loops), sc 10 → ch 6 (corner loop).
Important: pick X and Y (the sc counts and number of side loops) and use identically on all four sides so motifs match when joined. - Repeat for all sides. Join and fasten off (or continue).
Check: you now have 4 ch-6 corner loops and equal side loop counts on each side — motif blocks into a square.
Round 8 — Scalloped picot outer edge (finish & JAYG round)
- Rejoin and work the scalloped edge across side loops. Example: sc 3, (pic: ch 3, sl st into same st), sc 4 — adjust sc counts so each scallop sits flat across the side element.
- Place picots evenly for a dotted scallop finish. This round is ideal for Join-As-You-Go: when your new motif meets a finished neighbor, replace that picot/sl st with sl st into the corresponding stitch/picot of the finished motif to join.
- Join, fasten off and weave in ends.
Check: scallops and picots even; tile lies flat after blocking.
Corners & turning a rectangle
- For a rectangular layout, use the same
ch-6corner loops but vary side motif counts per row. At 90° corners anchor the first leaf of the next side into the corner loop so the border turns cleanly.
Blocking & finishing
- Block every motif pinned to a square (if you used Round 7). Pull corner ch-6 loops outward, pin scallop/picot peaks. Mist with water or steam lightly and allow to dry thoroughly. Blocking opens lace and sets geometry — essential for accurate joins.
- For table linens try light starch after blocking; for wearable pieces skip heavy stiffening.
Joining motifs
Join-As-You-Go (JAYG) — recommended
- Make the first motif completely. For each next motif work through Round 7. On Round 8, whenever a scallop/picot meets a finished neighbor, sl st into the corresponding stitch/picot of the finished motif instead of making the picot. Join sides and corners as you build rows — this yields flat, tidy seams and minimal sewing.
Sew-after (block then sew)
- Block all motifs, pin layout, and sew with matching yarn using a tapestry needle (mattress stitch or whipstitch) through the outer sc round or side loop anchors.
Project ideas & layout calculations
- Runner: 1 × N motifs (narrow) or 2 × N (wider). Example: motif ≈ 11 cm → 1×8 ≈ 88 cm.
- Shawl / throw: e.g., 6 × 10 motifs → ~66 × 110 cm (varies with motif size).
- Blouse / tunic: assemble panels of motifs; for a one-piece JAYG blouse compute motifs across by
half-bust ÷ motif width.
Tell me your blocked motif width and finished dimensions and I’ll calculate exact counts if you want.
Troubleshooting & quick fixes
- Motif cups (edges pull up): loosen tension on petal/arch rounds or use one hook size larger; block firmly.
- Motif ripples / ruffles: shorten arch chains (ch-7 → ch-6) or reduce sc in Round 4.
- Joins gape: tighten sl st joins when JAYG or add an extra sl st; block motifs before joining.
- Sides not matching: check Round 7 side & loop counts are identical on every motif — mismatches cause alignment issues.
Quick variations
- Smaller motif: finer yarn + smaller hook or reduce petal dcs (7 → 5).
- Bigger motif: thicker yarn or increase petal dcs (7 → 9) and arch chain (ch-8/9); scale Round 7 numbers proportionally.
- Two-colour: change color after Round 3 (petals) to highlight the flower.
- Simpler beginner option: replace Round 5–6 with ch-5 loops + 3 dc across each loop for an easier lace.
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