The Art Inspired Cherry Blossom Hat

Hi everyone, I got such a great response on my hat from my Facebook Group, I decided to make a pattern....instructions really, and share it with everyone. I'd appreciate your feedback if you attempt the hat, and if there are any questions I can answer, let me know! Enjoy!

Art Inspired Cherry Blossom Hat

5.00mm H Crochet Hook

3.25mm D Crochet Hook

Worsted Weight Yarn in the color for the hat and Brown for the branch

Embroidery floss for the flowers

Pearls (optional)

Seed beads (optional)

Stitches Used:

·         Ch – chain

·         SC – single crochet

·         HDC – Half double crochet

·         DC – Double crochet

·         FPDC – Front post double crochet

·         BPDC – Back post double crochet

1. ·         The hat pattern is secondary to the other parts of the hat. You may use any hat pattern you choose. For the example above, I used the basic HDC hat pattern by Repeat Crafter Me. If you haven’t checked out Repeat Crafter Me, you really should, the patterns always work out well, and I find the hat pattern to be the perfect size every time! Use just the basic hat pattern for the size you need, without ear-flaps. Instead add two rows of alternating FPDC and BPDC for the band.

Branch

·         For the branch, it’s not necessary to follow the pattern exactly….as a matter of fact, if you make more than one hat, you may want to change things up a bit so that each branch is different like in nature. I have put the below pattern together to show the “theory”

·         First, imaging a branch, the base is thicker than the top, and several side branches usually sprout from odd areas along the length. It is bumpy, gnarly and perfectly imperfect. Therefore, I want you to relax, imagine your branch and enjoy the process.

·         The pattern for the branch will be more of an instruction than a round by round, so I suggest reading over it first and then attempting. Once you see the theory, you will be able to make the branch your own.

Ch 20 – 30 depending on the size of your hat.

Lay the chain across your completed hat, and determine if you need a shorter or longer branch. Adjust as needed.

Visualize the chain in about thirds. The first third will represent the base, the middle third the middle and the last third the top of the branch.

You are going to start at the BASE of the branch, therefore this needs to be the thicker part of the branch, therefore start with double crochets. DC 5 spaces. Ch 3 and sl st into the top of the last dc.  This will create a small knot. Ch 1 and DC in 2 spaces.

Ch 5 (we are creating an off shoot branch), turning back down the chain, sl st in two st, then sc in 2. Sl st to the original ch. HDC into 5 ch. Ch 7 (creating another branch), turning back down the ch, sc into 6 and sl st onto the original ch. HDC into 3 ch. SC into remaining chains.

Turning and continuing down the other side of the branch, Sl St into 5 ch, ch 5, sc down the chain to create another branch and sl st onto the original ch.  Etc….continue using the same thought process as  the first half, making the branch thicker at the bottom.

Cherry Blossoms

Using Embroidery floss and D hook

R1: Magic circle, ch 1, 10 sc into the ring, close the ring and sl st to the first sc.

R2: ch 5. DC in the 2^nd ch from hk, dc in the next st, hdc in next st, sk st, sl st to next st of the ring to form 1^st petal. Repeat until there are 5 petals. Finish off.

Make as many petals as you like. I used 3 different shades of pink.

Putting it all together

Sew the branch to the hat using coordinating thread.

Sew the cherry blossoms to the branches

Sew seed beads (or French knots with dark embroidery floss) to the center of the blossoms.

Arrange larger pearl beads so that they appear as unopened blossoms.