Roses might just be the most popular flower in the world. We use them in a variety of situations, from honoring achievements (recitals, performances, etc.) to celebrating occasions like weddings and anniversaries and as everyday reminders of love, romance, and beauty. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, though of course red roses are the most traditional.
If you’ve got a little time on your hands and some pretty yarn in your stash, you might want to make a bouquet of these for yourself or a loved one to commemorate an occasion or just to say, “I love you”. It’s a simple gesture, but it holds a lot of meaning and sometimes, all one needs to brighten one’s day is a single rose.
Kati Crafts has a fantastic tutorial with photos for a standard rose, as well as some ideas for alterations if you want a larger or smaller size rose, which would be useful if you were making a bouquet, as you’d want to vary the sizes a little, as well as the fullness. With her tutorial you’ll need to know the following stitches: chain (ch), single crochet (sc), and double crochet (dc). She also has some unique abbreviations, such as space (sp) and stitch (st).
There’s no limit on what kind of yarn to use, but Kati Crafts suggests using a thinner yarn, such as Novita’s. You might also want to experiment with texture, such as mohair, alpaca, and angora, though the pattern uses cotton yarn, and the color options are endless. You might want to start out with a traditional color, such as red, pink, or yellow, and then branch out into using variegated yarn or even something like black or yarn with fringe or beads.
The only materials you’ll need are yarn, a crochet hook, scissors, and a tapestry needle to stitch up the rose at the end. You can also shape it to the desired fullness. These roses would make great additions to other projects such as embellishments for purses, hats, and cowls, or could be strung together as a garland, or added to a centerpiece or bouquet with other crocheted flowers. Use your imagination!
If you’d like to try this free pattern out, it is available at Kati Crafts (click here)
