Motif

I’ve had a lot of interest in my Star Flower motif patterns, both the full and half motifs. I’m really sorry it’s taken me a while to get this post up, but at last here are the instructions showing you how to do the basic “join as you go” crochet technique for for the star flower motifs.

Making the video, charts and written instructions is pretty time consuming and always takes me longer than I think! Moreover, I’m on a real learning curve with the video editing so although I realise they are not brilliant as they are, I hope to improve with each new video!

Anyway, here you go…

I have also written up some instructions and a chart.

Joining the Main Star Flower Motif

(US crochet terminology)

Materials 

3.5mm/E/4 hook
DK 100% Cotton (Paintbox)

Key (US terminology)
beg – beginning
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
hdc – half double crochet
prev – previous
rnd – round
sc – single crochet
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
sp(s) – space(s)
tr – treble crochet

The Star Flower motif is joined to the other motifs in the final round. The following instructions only cover how to join in the final round. For the full, single motif instructions, please click here.
For the purpose of these instructions, I have made the four motifs out of a different yarn which is thinner and requires a smaller hook size than my original motif. Here I am using Paintbox Yarn DK Cotton & a 3.5mm hook (by Tulip Etimo Rose, one of my favourite brands of crochet hook – I’d highly recommend them.)

Even if you do not like to use charts, please do take a look at the chart I have drawn, along with the written instructions and/or video, as it shows the layout and sequence of joining the motifs in this particular demonstration.

Crochet Instructions

Note : the ch6 “loops” at each corner of the motif are shared by adjoining motifs, so where there is no join, make the ch6 loop as usual but when you come to a ch6 loop of an adjacent motif, you join without making a further ch6 loop. 

Motifs are joined at the corners and in the middle of the ch8 sections.

You may also want to take a look at the list of “join as you go” crochet tips I’ve compiled at the end of the post.

Motif 1…Make one complete motif.

Motif 2…Make a second motif, stopping before you start the final round. You’ll be joining the second motif to the left hand side of the first motif. Start off as follows: ch1, sc in sp, ch3 picot; (ch8; at the tip of the next long petal – sc in 2nd ch of ch4, ch6, sc in next ch; ch8; in ch2 sp of next short petal – sc, ch3 picot) 2 times; ch8…

Corner join…at the tip of the next long petal – sc in 2nd ch of ch4, now, ensuring motif #1 is facing the right side up,  join the current motif to any ch6 loop from motif #1 as follows: remove the loop from the hook, insert the hook into the ch6 space, from above, and put the loop back on the hook, pulling it up through the ch6 loop; sc into the next ch in the tip of the current motif – corner join made!

ch8 section join…Straight away, make a ch8 join, as follows: ch4, remove the loop from the hook, insert the hook into the ch8 space, from above, and put the loop back on the hook, pulling it up through the ch8 space; ch4 – ch8 section join made! Continue making the motif : in ch2 sp of next short petal – sc, ch3 picot; make another ch8 section join…

Next, make another corner join: at the tip of the next long petal – sc in 2nd ch of ch4, remove the loop from the hook, insert the hook into the next ch6 space of adjacent motif, from above, and put the loop back on the hook, pulling it up through the ch6 loop; sc into the next ch in the tip of the current motif – second corner join made! Now finish off the motif: ch8; join with sl st in 1st sc of rnd. Fasten off.

Motif 3…This third motif is joined to the top of the first motif. Again, make the third motif, stopping before you get to the final round. You may wish to place markers in the ch6 loops and ch8 sections to mark where you will join this current motif – it’s easy to get disorientated. Start off as follows: ch1, sc in sp, ch3 picot; (ch8; at the tip of the next long petal – sc in 2nd ch of ch4, ch6, sc in next ch; ch8; in ch2 sp of next short petal – sc, ch3 picot) 2 times; ch8…

Shared corner join…this join takes place in the top ch6 loop where motif 1 & 2 are already joined. At the tip of the next long petal – sc in 2nd ch of ch4, now, ensuring the work is facing the right side up,  join the current motif to the shared ch6 loop of motifs 1& 2 as follows: remove the loop from the hook, insert the hook into the ch6 space, from above, and put the loop back on the hook, pulling it up through the ch6 loop; sc into the next ch in the tip of the current motif – shared corner join made!

Now, continue with a ch8 section join, a ch3 picot in the ch2 space of the short petal and then another ch8 section join; make the last corner join; ch8; join with sl st in 1st sc of rnd. Fasten off.

Motif 4…This last motif is joined along 2 sides and 3 corners. This time, make the fourth motif, but only up to the second corner; make a corner join in the remaining top ch6 loop of motif 2; proceed with a ch8 section join; in ch2 sp of next short petal – sc, ch3 picot; make another ch8 section join; make a shared corner join (the central point where motifs 1, 2 & 3 join); make a ch8 section join to motif 3; in ch2 sp of next short petal – sc, ch3 picot; make another ch8 section join; make the final corner join. ch8; join with sl st in 1st sc of rnd. Fasten off.

Sew in all ends and block into shape.

Video:

“Join As You Go” crochet tips

If you are new to the “join as you go” technique, I would recommend implementing the following tips:

1. Work at a table so that you can lay the pieces flat. If you’re inexperienced, this technique isn’t well suited for lap work on the sofa!
2. Place a stitch marker in the centre section of your first motif – this helps you to keep orientated.
3. Before you join the next motif, decide where the joining points are going to be on the existing piece of work. Place stitch markers at the join points.
4. If you have 2 different coloured stitch markers, even better! Use one colour to mark corners and another colour for the ch8 section join. This is is particularly useful to help you keep track of where you are and what needs doing next.
5. Make as much of the final round as possible before joining – for example, if you’re joining along one side with two corners, make round four up the point where you need to join, i.e. the third corner. If you start off joining at the first two corners, you have to complete the remainder of the motif while it’s attached to the main body of the work, this can become quite cumbersome when the work becomes larger with more motifs.
6. Make sure, each time you join a new motif, that the work is facing the right way up!
7. Regularly lay the work out flat on the table and check all is well.
8. Don’t worry if it looks a bit scruffy. Once you’ve sewn in the ends and blocked, it will look much more presentable!