Simple Crochet Flower Series: Cosmos

There is something deeply satisfying about crocheting flowers. They work up quickly, use small amounts of yarn, and give you something genuinely beautiful to show for your effort. If you have been following along with this Simple Crochet Flower Series, you already know the joy of recreating nature’s details with a hook and some thread. Today we are turning our attention to one of the most cheerful blooms in any garden: the cosmos flower.

Cosmos are those delicate, daisy-like flowers that seem to dance in the breeze all summer long. They come in shades of pink, magenta, white, and deep burgundy, with petals so perfectly formed that they almost look as though someone already crocheted them. It is no surprise that they translate beautifully into fiber art. Whether you want to make a single bloom for a hair clip, a cluster for a wreath, or an entire garden’s worth for a garland, this crochet cosmos pattern is approachable, satisfying, and endlessly versatile.

Let’s dig in.

A Little Love for the Cosmos Flower

Before we pick up our hooks, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate what makes the cosmos so special. The word “cosmos” comes from the Greek word for “order” or “beauty,” and it is easy to see why the name stuck. These flowers have a simplicity that is almost architectural — eight petals fanned out in a perfect circle around a golden center. Each petal is gently notched at the tip, giving the bloom a soft, slightly ruffled appearance.

In the garden, cosmos are beloved for being easy to grow and extraordinarily generous with their blooms. They self-seed, they attract pollinators, and they bloom from midsummer right through to the first frost. In the fiber arts world, they hold a similarly generous place. A crocheted cosmos is one of those patterns that feels satisfying to make whether you are a beginner working through your first floral motifs or an experienced crocheter who reaches for a simple project between more complex work.

This pattern captures those eight petals, that gently notched tip, and the cheerful textured center that makes the cosmos so recognizable.

What You Will Need

One of the best things about this project is how little you need to get started. Crochet flowers are perfect stash-busters, meaning you can reach into your yarn bin and use up those small amounts of yarn that are too precious to throw away but not quite enough for a larger project.

Yarn: You will want a light worsted weight yarn (also called DK or aran, depending on your preference for petal thickness) in two colors — one for the petals and one for the center. Classic cosmos colors include dusty pink, hot magenta, soft lavender, white, and deep cranberry red. For the center, a golden yellow or warm honey tone works beautifully. Cotton yarn gives a crisp, defined petal edge and is particularly lovely for this flower. Acrylic yarn works just as well if you prefer something softer or need a specific color that isn’t available in cotton.

Hook: A 3.5mm or 4mm crochet hook is a good starting point for worsted or DK weight yarn. If you are working with a finer cotton thread, a 2.5mm or 3mm hook will give you better stitch definition.

Other supplies: A yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and stitch markers if you find them helpful. If you plan to attach your cosmos to a hair clip, a brooch back, a wreath form, or anything else, gather those supplies too.

Skill level: Beginner-friendly. If you know how to make a magic ring, chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and slip stitch, you have everything you need.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

Throughout this pattern, I use standard US crochet terminology. Here is a quick reference:

MR — Magic ring (also called a magic circle or adjustable ring)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
hdc — Half double crochet
dc — Double crochet
tr — Treble crochet (also called triple crochet)
sp — Space
st — Stitch
rep — Repeat
[ ] — Work all instructions inside brackets into the same stitch or space

Understanding the Cosmos Shape

Before we start, it helps to understand what we are building structurally. A crocheted cosmos has two parts: the center disk and the petals.

The center is a small, tight circle worked in a contrasting color. It has a slightly raised, bumpy texture that mimics the look of the flower’s actual disk florets. We create this texture by working bobble-like stitches or a series of small raised rounds.

The petals are worked separately from the center, or in some versions, right off the outer edge of the center ring. Each petal is an elongated oval shape with a notched tip — and we achieve that notch by working two points at the top of each petal and joining them with a slip stitch. The result is instantly recognizable as a cosmos petal.

The Pattern

Part One: The Center

Start with your center color.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 6 sc into the ring, pull the ring closed, sl st to join. (6 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc into each stitch around, sl st to join. (12 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times, sl st to join. (18 sts)

For a flatter, simpler center, you can stop here. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing if needed.

For a more textured center (which more closely resembles the actual flower), continue:

Round 4: Ch 1, working in the back loops only, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (18 sts)

Round 5: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times, sl st to join. (24 sts)

This slightly larger center gives you a base that the petals will surround beautifully. Fasten off and weave in your end. Set the center aside or keep it on your hook to work the petals directly.

Part Two: The Petals

Switch to your petal color. You will work 8 petals in total. There are two ways to approach this: working each petal as an individual strip and sewing them to the back of the center, or working a petal base ring first and joining each petal directly.

For beginners, I recommend the petal ring method because it keeps everything connected and eliminates a lot of sewing.

Petal Foundation Ring:

Make a magic ring (or ch 4 and sl st to join into a ring). Ch 1, work 16 sc into the ring, sl st to join. (16 sts) This gives you 2 anchor stitches per petal.

Working Each Petal:

You will now work each petal into a pair of stitches on the foundation ring. Work the following sequence 8 times, one petal per pair of stitches:

Into the next 2 sts of the foundation ring: sl st into the first st (this anchors the petal base). Ch 1, sc in same st, hdc in next st. Now work the petal body: Ch 10 (this forms the spine of the petal).

Row 1 of petal: Starting in the second ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs, hdc in next 2 chs, dc in next 2 chs, hdc in next 2 chs, sc in last ch.

You are now at the tip of the petal. To create the notched tip that makes the cosmos so distinctive:

Ch 3, sl st back into the top of the last sc you just made. This forms the first point of the notch.

Ch 3, sl st into the base of the ch-3 you just made. This forms the second point. You should now have a little V-shape at the tip of your petal.

Row 2 of petal (the return side): Now work back down the other side of the petal’s chain foundation. Work sc in next 2 chs, hdc in next 2 chs, dc in next 2 chs, hdc in next 2 chs, sc in last 2 chs.

Sl st into the first sc at the base of the petal to close. Ch 1.

Move to the next pair of stitches on the foundation ring and repeat for all 8 petals.

When all 8 petals are complete, sl st to join and fasten off. Weave in your end.

Part Three: Assembling the Flower

Place the center on top of the petal ring, right sides both facing up. The center should be centered over the hole in the petal ring. Using your yarn needle and a length of yarn in either the center or petal color, sew the center to the petal ring with a few stitches around the edge. You do not need to sew all the way around — four or five anchor points are enough to hold it securely.

Weave in all remaining ends. Give the flower a gentle press with your fingers (or a light steam block if you want crisp petals) and your cosmos is complete.

Tips for Making Your Cosmos Look its Best

Blocking makes a big difference. Crochet petals have a natural tendency to curl, especially when worked in acrylic. If you want flat, open petals that show off the cosmos shape, wet blocking or steam blocking your finished flower will make a noticeable improvement. Simply wet the flower, pin the petals flat on a foam blocking mat, and let it dry completely.

Tension matters at the petal tips. The notched tip is the most delicate part of this pattern. If your tension is very tight, the little V-point can look pinched and stiff. If it is very loose, it can look floppy and undefined. Aim for a middle ground — your stitches should feel secure but the tip should have a gentle movement to it.

Don’t skip the magic ring. Both the center and the petal ring benefit enormously from a magic ring rather than a starting chain. The magic ring closes tightly with no visible hole in the center, which gives your flower a much more polished finish.

Play with petal length. The pattern as written gives you a medium-sized cosmos. If you want a larger flower, simply add more chains to your petal spine (try 13 or 14 instead of 10) and add corresponding stitches to the body rows. For a smaller flower, reduce to 7 or 8 chains. The proportions will scale naturally.

Experiment with color. One of the great joys of crocheting flowers is the freedom to play with color in ways that the garden cannot always provide. Try an ombre petal by starting with a deep magenta and fading to pale pink. Try a bicolor cosmos with white outer petals and a blush inner color. Try making a whole bunch of identical white cosmos and dyeing them after the fact with fabric dye for a truly custom look.

How to Use Your Crocheted Cosmos

Once you have made your first cosmos, you will almost certainly want to make more. Here are some of the most beautiful ways to use them.

Hair accessories are perhaps the most popular use for crochet flowers of all kinds, and cosmos are no exception. Glue a few to a headband, sew one to a claw clip, or attach a pin back to wear as a hair clip. The flat profile of the cosmos makes it especially well-suited for hair accessories because it lies flat rather than sitting up like a more three-dimensional flower would.

A cosmos garland is a stunning way to decorate for a party, a wedding, or a seasonal display. Make a collection of cosmos in different shades of pink and white, then thread them onto a length of twine or ribbon by sewing through the center. Hang it across a mantel, a window, or the back of a chair for an instant cottage-garden look.

Brooch pins are a classic use for crochet flowers. Sew a pin back to the underside of your cosmos and you have a wearable piece of fiber art. Cosmos in white or pale pink are particularly beautiful on a linen or wool coat in autumn.

A crochet wreath takes on a new level of charm when adorned with a cluster of cosmos. Work the flowers in a range of sizes — some with all eight petals, some with just six for variety — and attach them to a foam or wire wreath form alongside some crocheted leaves. Add a ribbon and hang it on your door for a welcome that lasts all year long.

Bookmarks might seem like a surprising use, but a cosmos attached to a length of ribbon or cord makes the most delightful bookmark. It is also a perfect gift for the reader in your life.

Appliqué on garments and accessories is where crochet flowers really shine. Sew a cosmos onto a tote bag, a child’s cardigan, a pillow cover, or a denim jacket. The detail and texture that a crochet flower brings to a plain fabric surface is something embroidery and iron-on patches simply cannot replicate.

Crocheting Cosmos with Children

This is one of those patterns that works wonderfully as an introduction to floral crochet for younger or newer crafters. The individual components are small and approachable, and the assembly is intuitive. If you are teaching a beginner, consider working the center together with them and letting them tackle the foundation ring for the petals on their own. The repetition of eight identical petals is actually very helpful for building consistent tension — there are enough repeats to develop a rhythm, but not so many that it becomes tedious.

Children especially love choosing the colors for their cosmos. Let them pick their own combination and they will feel a genuine sense of ownership over the finished flower. A bright orange center on yellow petals, a turquoise center on purple petals — cosmos in the wild come in a surprising range, and crocheted cosmos can be even more adventurous.

Joining the Simple Crochet Flower Series

If you found your way to this pattern through this blog series, welcome. The Simple Crochet Flower Series is an ongoing collection of patterns and tutorials that walks through a different flower variety with each installment. The goal of the series is to build a library of floral motifs that you can mix and match, combine into larger projects, or simply enjoy making one at a time.

Each flower in the series is designed to be achievable for a confident beginner while offering enough detail to keep an experienced crocheter engaged. Previous flowers in the series include the daisy, the rose, and the sunflower. Upcoming flowers include the poppy, the black-eyed Susan, and the aster — so there is plenty more to look forward to.

If you make a cosmos using this pattern, I would genuinely love to see it. Share a photo in the comments or tag the blog on social media. There is something so lovely about seeing how different yarn choices and color combinations transform the same basic pattern into something unique.

Final Thoughts

The cosmos is a flower that reminds us that beauty does not have to be complicated. Eight petals, a golden center, a simple silhouette — and yet it is one of the most beloved blooms in the world. It is fitting, then, that the crochet version follows the same philosophy. A small amount of yarn, a hook, a little patience, and the result is something genuinely charming.

Whether you are making one to brighten your desk, a dozen to string into a garland, or a whole jar full to give as gifts, I hope this pattern brings you as much joy as it has brought to me. Happy crocheting, and I will see you in the next flower.