Puff Flower Crochet Pattern (Free Motif)

A puff flower is the softest flower you can crochet. Each petal is a plump little puff stitch that stands up from the center, and the whole flower takes about twenty minutes. This free puff flower crochet pattern walks you through every round, from the yellow center to the eight puffy petals, and then shows you how to square it off into a blanket motif, so one flower can become an applique, a blanket square, or a garland.

This is an original Little Loop Finds design, written in US terms and completely free. The flower uses only three stitches, double crochet, the puff stitch, and single crochet, explained step by step. There is no sewing in the basic flower, just two color changes. If you can crochet a magic ring, you can crochet this puff flower.

This post is about one puff flower motif, a round flower about 3.5 inches across, with an optional round that squares it off. If you want a flat flower first, our crochet flower pattern free teaches a simple five petal flower in the same yarn weight.

Key Takeaways

• Free original pattern: this puff flower crochet pattern is a Little Loop Finds original design, written in US terms, and completely free.
• A flower in twenty minutes: a yellow center and eight plump puff stitch petals, with a stitch count every round.
• Beginner friendly motif: three simple stitches, with the puff stitch explained step by step.
• Three ways to use it: leave it round for an applique or garland, or square it off for a blanket.
• Stash friendly: one flower needs only a few yards of two colors, perfect for leftover yarn.

Table of Contents

• Why You Will Love This Puff Flower
• Finished Size, Skill Level, and Time
• Materials You Need
• Abbreviations (US Terms)
• Gauge and Sizing Notes
• Part 1: Center and Puff Petals
• Part 2: Squaring Off the Flower
• Part 3: Joining, Garland, and Finishing
• Variations: Colors, Sizes, and Uses
• Troubleshooting Puff Flowers That Flop or Pucker
• Care Instructions
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why You Will Love This Puff Flower

A puff stitch is the squishiest stitch in crochet, a little bundle of loops pulled together into a plump petal, and a flower made of them feels soft and springy in your hand. The petals stand up from the center instead of lying flat, so the flower looks alive, like it just opened in the sun.

A puff flower is also the fastest flower you will ever make. Twenty minutes and a few yards of yarn give you a finished motif for a hat, a garland, or a blanket. It is the perfect project for a car ride, or for using up the last yards of a ball. Make one and you will want to make ten, in every color in your stash.

If you are new to textured stitches, this flower is a lovely first puff stitch. It teaches you the puff, the rhythm of working behind the petals, and the trick of squaring off a round motif.

Finished Size, Skill Level, and Time

• Finished size: about 3.5 inches across as a round flower, and about 5 inches across squared off, in DK weight yarn. Notes for a small 3 inch version and a large 4.5 inch version are included.
• Skill level: Easy. You need a magic ring, chains, slip stitches, single crochet, and double crochet, plus the puff stitch, which is just yarn overs and pull throughs explained step by step.
• Time: about 20 minutes per flower: 5 minutes for the center, 10 minutes for the petals, and 5 minutes for squaring off and weaving in ends. A garland of 12 flowers takes a relaxed evening.

Materials You Need

DK weight yarn is the best choice because it shows crisp stitch definition, the petals hold their plump shape, and the finished flower is light enough for a garland but firm enough for a blanket. Worsted weight yarn works too, and it makes a slightly larger flower, about 4.5 inches across. Choose smooth yarns in colors that make you happy. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they hide the puff stitches and the flower loses its shape.

For a blanket of 48 flowers, you need about 150 yards of yellow, 400 yards of petal color, and 600 yards of background color. Plan your blanket colors before you start, and buy yarn by the ball.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch = chain
• sl st = slip stitch
• sc = single crochet
• dc = double crochet
• puff = puff stitch, (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop) 4 times in the same stitch, yarn over, pull through all 9 loops, ch 1 to close
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• rnd(s) = round(s)
• rep = repeat
• sk = skip
• sp = space
• MR = magic ring

Gauge and Sizing Notes

Gauge for a flower motif is about keeping the flower flat and the petals plump. Work the first 2 rounds and lay the flower on a table. It should lie flat, with eight even petals standing up proudly. If the petals flop flat, your puff stitches are too loose, so pull each loop up a little shorter. If the flower cups upward, your center is too tight, so go up a hook size.

For a smaller flower, use fingering weight yarn with a 3.0 mm hook for one about 3 inches across. For a larger flower, use worsted weight yarn with a 5.0 mm hook for one about 4.5 inches across. Do not change the stitch counts, just the yarn and hook.

Part 1: Center and Puff Petals

The flower begins as a tiny yellow disc worked in the round. The petals are then worked into it one at a time, each petal a puff stitch anchored by a slip stitch. Change colors where the pattern tells you to.

Yellow Center

With yellow, MR, ch 3 (counts as dc).

• Rnd 1: 15 dc in MR. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. (16 dc)
• Rnd 2: ch 1, sc in the top of the ch 3, sc in each dc around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off yellow. (16 sc)

The center should look like a tiny yellow disc, about 1.5 inches across, with 16 single crochet stitches around the edge. Pull the magic ring tail firmly so no hole shows in the middle. The 16 stitches give you exactly two stitches per petal, one for the puff and one for the slip stitch that anchors it.

Puff Petals

Change to petal color. Join the petal color with a sl st in any sc of Rnd 2.

• Rnd 3: ch 1, (puff st in next st, ch 2, sl st in next st) rep 8 times. Join with a sl st to the first puff. Fasten off petal color. (8 petals)

Each petal is a puff stitch, a bundle of four yarn overs pulled through together, framed by a chain 2 and anchored by a slip stitch. The petal should stand up from the center, plump and round. If a petal flops flat, your loops are too long, so pull each loop up a little shorter on the next petal. You should now have a flower about 3.5 inches across, with eight plump petals.

To work a puff stitch, yarn over, insert your hook in the stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop, then repeat that three more times in the same stitch, so you have 9 loops on your hook. Yarn over once more and pull through all 9 loops, then chain 1 to close. Keep your loops even and relaxed, because tight loops make a hard knot and loose loops make a floppy petal.

Part 2: Squaring Off the Flower

This is the round that turns the round flower into a square motif for blankets. The background color is worked behind the petals, into the slip stitches of Rnd 3, making eight chain spaces. Four become corners, and the other four become flat sides.

Backing Round

Change to background color. Join it with a sl st in any sl st of Rnd 3, working behind the petals.

• Rnd 4: ch 1, (sc in the sl st, ch 3) rep 8 times. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (8 sc, 8 ch-3 sps)

Work this round behind the petals, not over them, so the petals stay on top and the flower keeps its 3D look. The chain 3 spaces should sit in the gaps between the petals. Your piece should still look round at this point, about 4 inches across.

Squaring Off Round

• Rnd 5: ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in first ch-3 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. (36 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sps, 8 ch-1 sps)

Read the round slowly and count the corners: there are four corners, one in every other chain space, and four side groups between them. The corners are the (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) groups, and the sides are the plain 3 dc groups. Your piece should now look like a square with a puff flower in the middle, about 5 inches across.

Border Round

• Rnd 6: ch 1, sc in each dc around, 2 sc in each corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off and weave in all ends. (44 sc)

The single crochet round gives the square a tidy edge, easy to join to other squares. Your finished square should measure about 5 inches across and lie flat. Weave in all three color tails with a tapestry needle, working the yarn back through the stitches on the wrong side for about an inch, then trim the excess.

If you want the flower as a round applique or garland piece instead of a square, simply stop after Rnd 3, fasten off, and weave in the ends.

Part 3: Joining, Garland, and Finishing

How you finish a puff flower depends on what you are making. A single flower is an applique, a row of them is a garland, and a pile of squared off flowers is a blanket.

• As an applique: sew the round flower onto a hat, a bag, a baby blanket, or a cardigan with the petal color yarn, taking small stitches through the back of the center. Add a button or a bead to the yellow center if you like.
• As a garland: crochet a chain of 6 inches, slip stitch through the top of a flower, chain 6 inches, and repeat, until you have 12 flowers strung along the chain. Hang it on a wall, a mantel, or a nursery shelf.
• As a blanket square: join the squared off flowers with a slip stitch join through the back loops only, which makes a neat ridge on the wrong side, or a whip stitch join for a flatter seam. Join with the background color yarn.
• Blocking: to block a square, soak it in cool water for a few minutes, gently squeeze out the water without wringing, and lay it flat on a clean towel. Pin it into a perfect square and leave it to dry completely. Blocking turns a slightly wavy square into a crisp, even motif.

Hold a finished flower up to the light. The petals should stand proud, the center should glow yellow, and the whole flower should feel soft and springy. If a petal is squashed, fluff it gently and it will pop back into shape.

Variations: Colors, Sizes, and Uses

• Classic puff flower: pink petals, yellow center, and a cream square, the colorway in the photos. Our crochet rose pattern makes a flatter flower that pairs beautifully on the same blanket.
• Pastel rainbow blanket: work the petals in a different pastel for each flower, pink, yellow, lavender, and mint, and join them into a soft rainbow blanket. Our daisy granny square crochet pattern uses the same join in a flower square.
• Bold puff flower: try a deep magenta petal with a bright orange center for a flower that pops, or a navy square with cream petals for a striking cushion. The flower coaster crochet pattern turns the same round flower into a coaster.
• Two layer puff flower: make a second smaller flower with five petals and sew it on top of the first, for a lush double flower that looks wonderful on a hat. Our waffle stitch crochet pattern gives a textured background for a double flower.
• Puff flower garland: string twelve round flowers on a chain for a nursery garland, or twenty for a party banner. Change the petal color every flower.
• Puff flower cushion: join nine squared off flowers into a cushion front, back it with fabric, and add a zip.

If you enjoyed the puff stitch, try another textured motif next, in the same yarn.

Troubleshooting Puff Flowers That Flop or Pucker

• My petals flop flat. The puff loops are too long. Pull each loop up a little shorter, so the bundle stands up instead of lying down.
• My petals are hard little knots. The puff loops are too short and too tight. Pull each loop up a little taller, and keep your hook relaxed.
• My flower cups like a bowl. The center is too tight or the petals are too close together. Check that Rnd 2 has 16 stitches, and work the puff stitches with a relaxed hand.
• My square ripples at the edges. There are too many stitches in the squaring off round, or your tension is loose. Check the stitch count at the end of Rnd 5, and if the count is right, go down a hook size.
• My petals disappear under the squaring off round. The backing round is worked behind the petals, not over them, so the petals should sit on top. If a petal is trapped, lift it gently with your hook.
• My flowers are different sizes. Check your stitch counts at the end of every round, and block every square to the same size. A consistent hook and a blocked square make a blanket join neatly.

Care Instructions

Hand wash puff flowers and finished blankets gently in cool water with a little mild soap, squeeze gently without wringing, and lay them flat to dry so the squares keep their shape. If the yarn label says machine washable, use a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag, and lay the piece flat to dry. Do not put a puff flower blanket in the dryer on high heat, because the petals can flatten. Keep finished pieces out of direct sunlight, and store them folded, not hung, so the joins do not stretch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this puff flower pattern good for beginners?

Yes, it is a great first textured motif. You need chains, single crochet, and double crochet, and the puff stitch is explained step by step. Every round ends with a stitch count, and one flower takes about 20 minutes.

What is a puff stitch?

A puff stitch is a bundle of loops in one stitch: yarn over, insert your hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, repeated four times in the same stitch, then yarn over and pull through all 9 loops, and chain 1 to close. It makes a plump, raised stitch like a little bobble.

What yarn is best for a puff flower?

DK weight yarn is the best choice, because it shows crisp stitch definition and the petals hold their plump shape. Worsted weight yarn works too, and it makes a slightly larger flower, about 4.5 inches across. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they hide the puff stitches.

How big is the finished flower?

About 3.5 inches across as a round flower, and about 5 inches across squared off, in DK weight yarn with a 4.0 mm hook. Stop after Rnd 3 for the round version, or work Rnds 4 to 6 for the square.

How many flowers do I need for a baby blanket?

A baby blanket of 6 squares by 8 squares, 48 squares in total, makes a blanket about 30 inches by 40 inches, a good size for a crib or a pram. A lap blanket of 8 by 10 squares, 80 squares, makes one about 40 inches by 50 inches.

How do I join puff flower squares?

The easiest join is a slip stitch join through the back loops only, which makes a neat ridge on the wrong side. A whip stitch join gives a flatter seam, and a join as you go method saves time on a big blanket. Join with the background color yarn so the seams blend in.

Can I sell items made from this pattern?

Yes, you may sell finished flowers, garlands, and blankets made from this pattern, with credit to Little Loop Finds. Please do not sell or republish the pattern text itself.

Happy stitching, and may your flowers bloom, one puffy petal at a time.