Free crochet aquilegia flower tutorial
The aquilegia, also know as columbine or Granny’s bonnet, is one of the prettiest late spring flowers to appear in our cottage garden. This crochet aquilegia pattern captures the delicate layers of petals and their pretty pink and purple colours. The plant comes in such a range of colours and it self seeds, so you never know where a surprise will pop up next year! I turned my crochet aquilegia flowers into a garland, but they would make pretty brooches or appliques too.
The crochet pattern is written in a tutorial style with photos to support.
Materials list:
- Small amounts of DK yarn in pink, purple and white (or other colours of your preference), with scraps of yellow for stamens
- 3mm (C2 or D/3) hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Sharp tapestry needle (optional, for adding stamens)
Abbreviations (US and UK terminology)
Skill level: intermediate
| US | UK (if different) | ||
| beg | beginning | ||
| ch(s) | chain(s) | ||
| dc | double crochet | tr | treble crochet |
| dtr | double treble crochet | trtr | triple treble crochet |
| mr | magic ring | ||
| rep | repeat | ||
| RS | right side | ||
| sc | single crochet | dc | double crochet |
| sk | skip | ||
| sl st | slip stitch | ||
| sp | space | ||
| st | stitch | ||
| tr | treble crochet | dtr | double treble crochet |
| * ; | repeat instructions between * ; the given number of times | ||
| [ ] | instructions between [ ] are worked into the same st or sp |
Tension: not critical for this project
Size: aquilegia flowers measure 5cm diameter
Special stitches
Picot: Ch 2, sl st in second ch from hook
Dtr (UK trtr): Yo 3 times, insert hook into st, yo, pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] 4 times
Pattern notes (please read before starting)
- Photos are provided throughout to help with accurate stitch placement
- I have used US abbreviations throughout, with UK terms indicated in brackets afterwards
- Adding stamens is optional, I have included instructions for them as I love to add extra details to my flowers
- The flower is made in two parts which are attached at the end, this allows the classic aquilegia flower shape to be achieved more easily and effectively
Crochet aquilegia flower instructions
Sepals (these are the pointed shaped parts that look like petals sitting behind the front ones)
Round 1 (RS): Using chosen colour, make a mr, ch 1, 5 sc (UK dc) into the magic ring, pull the ring tight, sl st to beg sc (UK dc) to join. 5 sts
In the next round you will create the pointed sepal shapes, you will be making 5 of them, working several stitches into the same stitch from Round 1 each time.
Round 2: *Ch 3, [2 tr (UK dtr), ch 3, sl st] in same st as first ch 3 of that sepal, sl st in next st; rep from * 4 more times (last sl st will be in the same st you started in), fasten off leaving a 20cm tail for sewing. 5 sepals made
Now add stamens to this if you wish. Thread a length of yellow or green onto a sharp needle and secure it on the RS of Round 1 of the sepals, I left a long tail when I secured it and just cut it to the same length as the other stamens later. Then lay your crochet hook handle (or something like a wooden spoon handle) over Round 1, make a loop over it with the yarn and secure it at the other side of the hook. Repeat this as many times as desired (I found 3 loops was adequate on mine). After securing the final loop, cut the yarn, again leaving the cut end a few cm long so you can just trim it to the same length as the other stamens later. Do not snip the loops at this point.
Put your completed sepals to one side for now whilst you make the petals. I made lots in different shades of pink and purple.
Petals (on an aquilegia, these can look almost tube shaped, but they are more rounded than the sepals)
Round 1 (RS): Using chosen colour, make a mr, ch 6 (counts as dtr (UK trtr) and a ch 1), *1 dtr (UK trtr) into the mr, ch 1; rep from * 3 more times, join with sl st to 5th ch of beg ch 6. 5 sts, 5 ch1-sp
Round 2: *Ch 2, [3 dc (UK tr), ch 2, sl st] in same st as first ch 2 of that petal, ch 1, sk ch1-sp, sl st in next st; rep from * 4 more times (final sl st will be in the same st that you started the round in), fasten off leaving a 20cm tail for sewing. 5 petals made
Weave in the tail from the mr on both the petals and sepals.
Making up your crochet aquilegia flower
Lay a sepal piece over the top of a petal piece, both with RS facing you.
Gently poke one of the pointed sepals down through the centre of the petals and out through one of the ch1-sps. Repeat for all of the sepals so each ch1-sp on Round 1 of the petals has a sepal poking through it. This can be a little fiddly, I found it helped to turn it over and locate the sepals on the WS to pull them through.
Now make sure your loops of yarn for the stamens are all visible through the hole in the centre of the petals. Thread the tail from the petals onto a needle, then insert the needle under the sl st at the start of the next petal, bringing the needle up to the RS, then insert needle through the sl st at the other side of the same petal. Repeat for all 5 petals. You should have a length of thread running under all of the sl sts, but with the thread sitting in front of the petals. Gently pull the thread to gather the petals. Once you’re happy with how gathered up they are, secure the tail and fasten it off.
Now thread the tail from the sepals onto a tapestry needle and use it secure the sepals in place, aligned with the spaces between petals. I just ran the thread through the central sts on each sepal and through the top of the dtr (UK trtr) sts from Round 1 of the petals.
Your crochet aquilegia flower is now complete.
I made 20 flowers in total for my garland.
