How to Crochet Chihiro’s Flower from Spirited Away: A Complete Guide to Sweet Pea Crochet Flowers

If you’ve ever watched Studio Ghibli’s beloved film Spirited Away, you already know how magical every single detail of that movie feels. From the towering spirit bathhouse to the golden fields along the train route, the film is packed with visual poetry. But one of the most tender moments arrives early on, when Chihiro receives a small bundle of pink flowers from Lin — delicate, soft sweet pea blossoms that become a symbol of hope and kindness throughout her journey. For crochet enthusiasts and Ghibli fans alike, recreating Chihiro’s flower is a deeply satisfying project that blends craft with a touch of that beloved cinematic magic.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to crochet Chihiro’s flower step by step, following a sweet pea crochet design inspired by Monua DIY’s popular YouTube tutorial. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a gentle introduction to floral crochet or an experienced crafter wanting a charming addition to your Ghibli collection, this project is a perfect fit. Let’s dive in.

What Are Sweet Pea Flowers and Why Do They Appear in Spirited Away?

Before picking up your hook, it helps to understand a little about what makes sweet pea flowers so special — both in the real world and within the film.

Sweet peas are delicate climbing flowers known for their ruffled petals, soft pastel colors, and gentle fragrance. They bloom in clusters and have a slightly layered, tissue-paper quality to their petals that makes them look almost too beautiful to be real. In the language of flowers, sweet peas traditionally represent departure, blissful pleasure, and delicate pleasures — which makes their appearance in Spirited Away quietly heartbreaking and tender in equal measure. When Lin gives Chihiro a small bouquet of these pink blossoms, they serve as a comforting token for a lost little girl far from home.

Recreating these flowers in crochet captures that same essence beautifully. The texture of yarn mimics the soft, billowing quality of the petals, and because crochet sweet peas are three-dimensional, they have a lifelike presence you simply don’t get with flat embroidery or paper crafts.

Materials You’ll Need

One of the best things about this project is how minimal the supply list is. You don’t need a large yarn stash or specialized equipment. Here’s what you’ll want to gather before you begin.

Yarn: Worsted weight or DK weight yarn works well for this project, depending on how large you want your finished flowers to be. For a Chihiro-accurate look, choose soft pink shades — think blush, dusty rose, or a gentle coral. You might also pick up a small amount of light green for the stems and sepals, and yellow or cream for any center details. Brands like Lion Brand, Paintbox, or any soft cotton blend will give you lovely results.

Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm to 4mm hook pairs nicely with DK weight yarn. If you’re using worsted weight, size up to a 4.5mm or 5mm hook. The key is to use a hook that allows you to create a slightly tight tension so the petals hold their shape.

Scissors and Yarn Needle: For finishing off your ends and weaving in the tails neatly.

Floral Wire (Optional): If you want to make a bouquet like the one in the film, thin floral wire covered in green floral tape works wonderfully as a stem. You can thread it through the base of each flower for a realistic bouquet effect.

Stitch Markers: Optional but helpful, especially when you’re keeping track of rounds in the base.

Stuffing or Felt Backing (Optional): A small circle of felt glued to the back of each flower makes them look polished and gives them a bit of structure, particularly if you’re attaching them to a headband, brooch pin, or bag charm.

Understanding the Basic Stitch Vocabulary

If you’re newer to crochet, don’t worry — this pattern uses accessible stitches that are easy to learn. Here’s a quick refresher on what you’ll encounter.

Magic Ring (or Magic Circle): This is how you’ll start the center of each flower. A magic ring allows you to close the center tightly without leaving a hole, which is essential for tidy floral work.

Chain (ch): The most basic crochet stitch, used here to set up the petal framework.

Single Crochet (sc): A short, tight stitch used for the center and joining rounds.

Half Double Crochet (hdc): Slightly taller than a single crochet, giving a bit more height to the petal base.

Double Crochet (dc): A taller stitch that forms the main body of the petals.

Treble Crochet (tr): The tallest stitch used in this pattern, giving the sweet pea petals their characteristic height and gentle curl.

Slip Stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds and transition between sections without adding height.

How to Crochet the Sweet Pea Flower: Step-by-Step

This pattern creates one sweet pea flower roughly two to three centimeters in diameter, similar in scale to the flowers in Chihiro’s bouquet. Repeat it as many times as you like to build a full cluster.

Part One: The Flower Center

Start by making a magic ring. Pull it snug but not completely closed — you’ll want a tiny opening that lets your hook move comfortably.

Round 1: Work 6 single crochets into the magic ring. Pull the ring closed. You should have a neat little disc of 6 stitches. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of the round so you know where you are.

Round 2: Work 2 single crochets into each stitch around. You’ll now have 12 stitches. This is your base disc. Slip stitch to join and fasten off if you’re changing color here, or continue with the same yarn if you prefer a monochrome flower.

Part Two: Building the Petal Framework

This is where the flower really starts to take shape. Sweet pea petals are layered — there’s a large back petal called the standard, two smaller wing petals, and a central keel. The crochet version simplifies this slightly into two layers of petals to capture the overall look.

Layer One (Back Petal / Standard):

Join your main petal color to any stitch of the 12-stitch base.

Row 1: Chain 3. Work 2 double crochets into the same stitch. Turn.

Row 2: Chain 3, work 1 double crochet into the same stitch, then 2 double crochets into each remaining stitch across. Turn.

Row 3: Chain 1, single crochet evenly along the curved edge of the petal to shape the outer curve. Slip stitch to secure and fasten off.

This creates the large upright back petal that gives the sweet pea its distinctive silhouette. Make two of these, attaching each one at opposite sides of the base disc.

Layer Two (Wing Petals):

Rejoin yarn to the base disc, approximately two stitches to the left of where you attached the first back petal.

Chain 2, then work 3 half double crochets into the same stitch. Chain 2, slip stitch into the next stitch. This forms one small wing petal.

Repeat in the mirror position on the other side of the disc. These smaller petals nestle in front of the back petals and give the flower its characteristic layered depth.

Layer Three (Keel / Inner Petals):

For the central keel, rejoin yarn at the very front base of the flower.

Chain 2, work 2 half double crochets and 1 double crochet into the same stitch. Chain 2, slip stitch back into the base. This creates a small forward-facing petal that finishes the center of the bloom.

At this stage, your flower should already be looking recognizably like a sweet pea. The magic is in how the layers interact — the large back petal curves slightly away, the wing petals fan outward, and the keel sits snugly in front.

Part Three: The Sepal and Stem

No sweet pea is complete without its green sepal — the small star-shaped base from which the petals grow. Switch to your green yarn.

Join green yarn to the back of the base disc.

Round 1: Work 5 single crochets evenly around the underside of the base.

For each of those 5 stitches, chain 4, then single crochet back down the chain to form a pointed sepal leaf. Slip stitch back into the base stitch and move to the next. Repeat for all 5. You’ll end up with a five-pointed star of tiny green sepals cupping the underside of the flower.

For the stem: Chain 15 to 20 (depending on how long you want it), then work a single crochet into the second chain from the hook and in each chain back to the base. Fasten off and weave in your end. This creates a slightly firm little stem. If you want a more substantial stem, insert a piece of floral wire before fastening off.

Tips for Getting That Authentic Chihiro Look

Getting the flowers to look like the ones in Spirited Away is partly about color choice and partly about how you arrange and finish the bouquet.

Choose the right pink. The flowers in the film are a warm, slightly muted pink — not bubble gum bright, not too cool. A blush or dusty rose with a hint of warmth is closest to the film’s color palette. If you’re using a colorway named something like “petal,” “blush,” or “rosewood,” you’re probably on the right track.

Vary your petal colors slightly. In the film, the bouquet has gentle tonal variation, almost as though the blooms are at different stages of opening. Crocheting some flowers in a slightly deeper rose and others in a paler blush adds beautiful, realistic depth.

Add a stem leaf. A simple small leaf shape crocheted in green and attached at the base of each stem makes the bouquet feel more lush and botanical. To make a basic leaf: chain 8, double crochet into the third chain from the hook, work double crochets down the chain, chain 2, then work back up the other side of the chain in double crochets to create a symmetrical leaf shape. Slip stitch to close and fasten off.

Cluster the flowers together. Sweet peas grow in clusters of three to five blooms on a single stem. Once you’ve made several flowers, tape or twist their wire stems together, varying the heights slightly, then wrap the combined stem neatly in green floral tape. This is exactly the effect you see in the film.

Block your flowers lightly. If you’re using cotton or a cotton blend, a light spray of water and gentle shaping while the flowers dry will encourage the petals to curve naturally and give the whole piece a more finished, dimensional look.

Creative Ways to Use Your Crochet Sweet Pea Flowers

These flowers are so versatile that once you make a few, you’ll want to keep going. Here are some lovely ways to use them.

Ghibli-Inspired Bouquet: The most obvious and most satisfying option — assemble a small bouquet just like the one Lin gives Chihiro. Wrap the stems in a small square of tissue paper or fabric for a truly film-accurate presentation. This makes an exceptional gift for any Studio Ghibli fan.

Hair Accessories: Attach your flowers to bobby pins, hair clips, or a headband using hot glue or a hand stitch. Cluster three or four flowers together for an effect reminiscent of wearing a garden in your hair.

Brooch or Lapel Pin: Glue or sew a brooch pin backing to the felt circle on the back of a cluster of flowers. This is a charming accessory for jackets, bags, and hats.

Bag Charm: Thread a keyring through the twisted stems and you have a soft, whimsical bag charm that brings a little Studio Ghibli magic to everyday life.

Wreath Embellishment: Add several sweet pea clusters to a simple wreath form along with other crocheted or dried botanical elements for a wall piece with a soft, cottagecore quality.

Gift Wrapping: Tuck a crochet sweet pea cluster into a ribbon bow on a wrapped gift for a keepsake that’s as beautiful as whatever is inside the box.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

My petals are going floppy. This usually means your tension is too loose. Try going down a hook size or tightening your gauge slightly. You can also spray starch your finished flowers lightly to give them more structure.

The flower center won’t lie flat. Make sure your magic ring is pulled completely snug before working your second round. If the center still cups, try working your first round with slightly fewer stitches and increasing in the second round instead.

My layers are twisting. The back and wing petals need to be attached symmetrically. Use stitch markers to divide your base disc into equal quarters before attaching petals, and this problem should resolve itself.

My stem is too stiff or too floppy. If it’s too stiff, use a slightly larger hook for the stem chain. If it’s too floppy, use floral wire as an inner support.

A Note on Monua DIY’s Tutorial

The YouTube tutorial by Monua DIY that inspired this written guide is genuinely one of the clearest, most charming floral crochet tutorials available online. What makes it particularly valuable is the pace — it’s slow enough for beginners to follow stitch by stitch without feeling rushed, but organized well enough that experienced crocheters can skip through to the sections they need. The visual of seeing each petal take shape in real time is something a written guide can’t fully replicate, so if you find yourself uncertain at any step, watching that video alongside these written instructions will get you there beautifully. It’s a wonderful resource from a creator who clearly loves both the craft and the source material.

Why This Project Matters Beyond the Craft

There’s something quietly meaningful about recreating Chihiro’s flower with your own hands. Spirited Away is, at its heart, a story about finding your footing in a strange and overwhelming world — about kindness extended between people who have no particular reason to be kind to each other. The flowers Lin gives Chihiro are a small act of grace, offered to a frightened child who needs something to hold onto.

When you crochet these flowers, you’re participating in that same spirit, in a small way. You’re making something beautiful out of ordinary materials, investing your time and patience into an object that carries warmth. Whether you keep your bouquet for yourself, give it to a fellow Ghibli lover, or tuck it into a gift for someone going through a difficult time, the gesture carries that same gentle energy.

Crochet has always been about that kind of slow, intentional making. And when it meets a story as rich and tender as Spirited Away, the result is something that feels more than decorative. It feels like a small act of love.

Final Thoughts

Crocheting Chihiro’s sweet pea flowers is a project that rewards patience and pays back generously in both beauty and feeling. The stitches are accessible, the materials are simple, and the result is something that carries the visual poetry of one of cinema’s most beloved animated films right into your hands.

Take your time with each flower, let yourself enjoy the repetition of the petals, and don’t rush the finishing. The slightly imperfect handmade quality is, in fact, exactly right — it’s what makes these flowers feel alive. And when you hold your finished little bouquet of pink sweet peas, there’s a good chance you’ll understand exactly why Chihiro held onto hers so tightly.

Happy crocheting. May your stitches be even and your yarn never tangle.