Free Pattern: Surface Crochet 3-D Roses

Many crocheters have stood by the classic rolled rose pattern over the years. Although it's a foolproof, beautiful pattern, as an advanced crocheter, I got bored with it (no offense to the old, tried-and-true rolled rose). While creating a tutorial for three dimensional surface crochet, I noticed the shape of a flower petal forming in my stitches. These beauties soon rolled off my hook.

Each rose is created from the same pattern, and shaped differently while weaving in the ends. Three different methods of weaving will allow you to create five differently shaped roses. You can follow the written directions here, or for step by step help, see this tutorial.

What would you use these roses for? Maybe put them on a garland, use them as three-dimensional appliques, attach them to hair accessories, bags, scarves, pillows, afghans...you get the point, right? What about for weddings? The possibilities are endless!

The finished size of the basic rose, without shaping, is 5" (12.5 cm), while the rosebud is cinched into a 2.5" (6 cm) ball.

From the top middle to the left: Version 4, version 2, version 3, version 1.

Skill level:

Materials:
Worsted weight (4) acrylic yarn
-Red Heart Super Saver used for White and Red
-Caron One Pound used for pink
Crochet hook size J/10-6.00MM or size needed to obtain gauge
Smaller hook or yarn needle to weave in ends
Stitch marker (optional)

Gauge:
In 4" by 4" (10 cm by 10 cm):
6 rows of 12 double crochet

Notes:
The base of the pattern is worked without joining rounds. Use stitch markers for the beginning chain spaces of rounds, if needed.

Need help with the surface crochet for this specific project? See this tutorial on Guidecentral.

For more about different ways to use surface crochet, you can see the original tutorial here.

The directions for the surface stitches in this pattern may be confusing, so let's use the first round of raised stitches as an example: When working over the chain-3 space of Round 2, you will actually insert the hook in the chain-4 space of Round 3 to pull up a loop.
-Any time the stitch directions would include "yarn over", the yarn will come from the actual chain-3 space. Where the stitch directions would be "pull up a loop", the yarn will come from the chain-4 space below.
*For example: If you were to make a double crochet, yarn over from above the chain. Pull up a loop from below it. To (yarn over, pull through 2 loops) twice, you will pull up the yarn from above the chain.

Stitches and abbreviations:
Chain (ch)
Slip stitch (sl st)
Single crochet (sc)
Half-double crochet (hdc)
Double crochet (dc)

2 double crochet cluster (2dc cl) - (Yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through 2 loops) twice (3 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Beginning (beg)
Skip (sk)
Space (sp)

Directions:

To begin, chain 3, join into a ring with a sl st in the farthest chain from the hook.

Round 1:
(Ch 2, sl st in ring) 4 times. Ch 2, sl st in next chain-sp.

Round 2: *Mark the first chain spaces of the following rounds, if needed.
(Ch 3, sl st in the next ch-2 sp) 4 times. Ch 3, sl st in the next ch-3 sp.

Round 3:
(Ch 4, sl st in the next ch-3 space) 4 times. Chain 4.

Round 4:
*Sl st in the next ch-4 sp from back to front. (Ch 3, 2 dc, 1 hdc, ch 3, 1 hdc, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st) in the same sp.* Repeat from * to * 4 more times.

Round 5: (surface crochet)
Turn as if you are going to work in rows. Allow the yarn to fall underneath the work to prepare for the surface stitches. Working on top of the chain-3 spaces of Round 2: Pull the yarn up from under the work. *Sl st in the next available ch-3 sp, before the sl st in the middle of the chain. (Ch 4, 2dc cl) in same sp. (Ch 4, 2dc cl, ch 4, sl st) in same space past the sl st.* Repeat from * to * 4 more times.

Round 6: (surface crochet)
*Sl st in the next available ch-2 sp of Round 2, before the middle sl st. (Ch 3, 1 dc)in the same sp. (1 dc, ch 3, sl st) in the same sp past the middle sl st.* Repeat from * to * 4 more times.

Round 7:
Sk one ch-2 sp. (Sc in the center ring, pulling up a loop from the next available ch-2 sp. Ch 1.) 4 times. Insert the hook in the next (skipped) ch-2 sp from under the beg st. Pull up a loop from under the beg st, complete the sc, and ch 1.

*For all versions other than original version 1, you will need to leave a tail of at least 8" (20 cm).* Bind off. Place your hook under the last ch-1 space, pull the tail through the center to the bottom side. Decide which version of the rose you wish to make before fully weaving in your ends. For version 1, weave in ends now.

Version 2:

This was difficult to capture in a picture because it kept falling over, so if you want a rose that will sit flat, this one isn't it! Weaving the ends this way will create a tight-petaled, full-bloom style rose, with the bottom petals facing downward.

Weave the tail through the stitches until you reach the outer chain-4 spaces of Round 3. Pull the tail under the base loops of all Round 4 stitches (follow the ch-4 sps). Once you've gone all the way around, follow one more chain-4 space to overlap where the tail started. Hold down the center of the rose, and pull the tail tight. Secure the tail, weave in ends.

Version 3:

This method creates another full-bloom rose by pulling the center surface rows tighter, but leaves the outer stitches for a flat bottom.

Weave the tail towards the ch-3 spaces of Round 2. Pull the tail up to the top side through a ch-3 sp. Leave the stitch loose to weave back under it later. Working on the top side of the stitches from Round 4, pull the tail back through the next ch-3 sp to the bottom side. Leaving the stitches loose, continue weaving through the ch-3 sps until you get to the first st. Pull the tail under this st. Weave the tail under all the loose stitches as for a whip stitch. Pull the tail tight to pull the center surface crochet stitches together, leaving the base row flat. Secure the tail and weave in ends.

Version 4:

This version can be worked two different ways. The first way looks quite a bit like Version 2, but much more compact, with the bottom petals curling upward.

Weave the tail to the outer edge of Round 3. From the top side, insert the hook through the ch-2 sp of Round 2, and through the ch-4 sp of Round 3. Pull the yarn up through both sps. From the bottom side, insert the hook in the next available ch-4 sp of Round 5, between the 2dc cl sts. Pull the tail through to the bottom side of the work again. Repeat for the remaining ch-3 and ch-4 sps. This will create long stitches on the back side of the work. Weave the tail back and forth through these long stitches once you have woven through all of the designated chain spaces. Push down slightly in the center as you pull the tail tight.

Want to turn it into a rosebud? Push harder on the center, inverting the pattern as you pull the tail tight. The bottom side will now be the top, with the final row of surface sc creating a base.