How to Crochet an African Flower Motif

Delicate and colorful, the African Flower Motif is a popular hexagonal motif that can make cute, crocheted toys, blankets and more. Crochet expert Mary Beth Temple explores this beautiful stitch pattern and shows you just how fun and easy it is to make in this video.

The motif is commonly worked in four colors, which is what Mary Beth demonstrates in this lesson. It’s a great use of leftover yarn and can be made in any color combination you like. Mary Beth works the African Flower Motif following these instructions:

With Color A, ch 4. Join into a ring with sl st in first ch.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc here and throughout), dc in ring, ch 1, (2 dc in ring, ch 1) 5 times. Join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. End off. 12 dc

Rnd 2: Join Color B with sl st in any ch-1 sp, ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same ch-sp, ch 1, [ (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] 5 times. Join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. 24 dc

Rnd 3: Sl st in next dc and next ch-2 sp, ch 3, 6 dc in same ch-2 sp, ch 1, (sk next ch-1 sp, 7 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1) 5 times. Join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. End off. 42 dc

Rnd 4: Join Color C C with an elongated sc in an ch-sp, by making a sc in the ch-1 sp of Rnd 2, holding the working yarn behind the work so as to enclose the ch-1 of Rnd 3 as well, sc in each of next 7 dc, (elongated sc in next ch-sp as above, sc in each of next 7 dc) 5 times. Join rnd with sl st in first sc. End off. 48 sc

Rnd 5: Join Color D with sl st in same st as last rnd join, ch 3, dc in each of next 3 dc, [(dc, ch 2, dc) in next dc, dc in each of next 7 dc] 6 times, noting last rep will end with 3 dc not 7. Join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. End off. 54 dc

ABBREVIATIONS
beg: beginning
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
rep: repeat
rnd: round
sc: single crochet
sl: slip
st: stitch

This video uses U.S. crochet terminology.