Crochet Chrysanthemum Pattern Free (PDF + Beginner Tutorial)

If you’ve ever wanted to crochet a flower that looks impossibly detailed but is actually achievable on a lazy afternoon, the chrysanthemum is your answer. With its dozens of layered petals radiating outward in concentric circles, this iconic bloom translates beautifully into crochet — and the best part is that you don’t need advanced skills to make one. This free crochet chrysanthemum pattern walks you through every step, from the magic ring at the center all the way to the outermost petal layer. A printable PDF is included at the end so you can take this tutorial anywhere you like.

Whether you’re making a hair clip for your daughter, a brooch for your coat, a gift topper, or a decorative motif for a blanket, this versatile pattern has you covered. Let’s dive in.

Why Crochet a Chrysanthemum?

The chrysanthemum is one of the most beloved flowers in both Eastern and Western traditions. In Japanese culture it’s a symbol of longevity and rejuvenation. In Chinese art it represents autumn and perseverance. In the West it’s often associated with cheerfulness and devoted friendship. When you crochet one, you’re making more than a decoration — you’re making something with real meaning behind it.

From a craft perspective, crocheted chrysanthemums are wonderfully practical. Unlike a granny square or a simple daisy, the chrysanthemum’s layered structure means you can adjust the size simply by adding or removing petal rounds. A two-layer version makes a dainty appliqué. A five-layer version becomes a showstopping corsage. The same basic technique scales up or down depending on your yarn weight and hook size.

They’re also a fantastic stash-buster. A single bloom might use less than 20 grams of yarn, making this the perfect project for all those small balls of leftover worsted or DK weight yarn sitting in your craft basket.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. You don’t need anything fancy — most of these items are probably already in your craft room.

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn (size 4) works best for beginners because it’s easy to see your stitches. Any fiber will do — acrylic, cotton, or wool. For a classic look, try deep yellow or golden yellow. For something more dramatic, burgundy, deep purple, or white are stunning options. You’ll need approximately 15–25 grams depending on how many petal layers you make.

Hook: A US size G/6 (4.0 mm) or H/8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook. Go up to a 5.0 mm if your tension tends to run tight.

Tapestry needle: For weaving in ends.

Scissors.

Stitch markers (optional): Helpful for keeping track of rounds.

Backing materials (optional): A felt circle, a hair clip, a brooch pin, or a button for finishing.

Abbreviations and Stitch Guide

This pattern uses US crochet terminology throughout. Here’s a quick reference for every stitch you’ll encounter.

MR — Magic ring (also called magic loop 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)

st — stitch

sp — space

rep — repeat

[ ] — work all instructions inside brackets into the same stitch or space

( ) x times — repeat the bracketed instructions the indicated number of times

Gauge

Gauge is not critical for this project. However, for reference, using worsted weight yarn and a 5.0 mm hook, the finished chrysanthemum measures approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter after three petal rounds. Each additional round adds roughly 0.75–1 inch to the diameter.

Pattern Notes

Read through all the notes before you begin — they’ll save you a lot of frogging later.

This chrysanthemum is worked in joined rounds, not in a continuous spiral. At the end of each round, you’ll join with a slip stitch and then chain to begin the next round.

The center disc is worked first, and petal rounds are added on top of and around it. The petals in each round are formed by working into the stitches of the center disc or into the base of the previous petal round, not into the petals themselves. This layered approach is what gives the flower its characteristic fluffy, dimensional look.

If your petals are curling too tightly, go up a hook size. If they’re too floppy, go down a hook size.

You can make this flower entirely in one color or use a contrasting color for the center disc and the outermost petal layer to mimic the look of a real chrysanthemum.

Fasten off and weave in all ends after each color change to keep the back of the flower neat — especially important if you’re making a brooch or hair accessory.

Free Crochet Chrysanthemum Pattern

Part One: The Center Disc

The center disc forms the foundation of your flower. All petal rounds attach to this base.

Round 1: Create a magic ring. Ch 1. Work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1. Work 2 sc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (12 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1. [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (18 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1. [Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (24 sts)

Round 5: Ch 1. [Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (30 sts)

If you want a larger flower, you can continue increasing in this pattern (adding one more sc between the increases each round) for as many rounds as you like before adding petals. For a standard-sized chrysanthemum, 30 stitches is a great stopping point.

Do not fasten off unless you’re changing colors. If you’re changing colors for the petals, fasten off here and join your petal color with a sl st to any st.

Part Two: First Petal Round (Inner Petals)

The first round creates small, tight petals that sit close to the center. These represent the innermost ring of a chrysanthemum’s florets.

Round 6: Ch 1. Working into the front loops only (FLO) of each stitch from the previous round, work the following into each st: [sc, ch 3, sc]. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (30 petals formed)

Each “petal” in this round is formed by the ch-3 arch between the two sc stitches worked into the same stitch. It’s a very simple but effective technique.

Part Three: Second Petal Round (Middle Petals)

For the second petal round, you’ll be working into the back loops of Round 5 — the loops left over after you worked Round 6 into the front loops. This is the clever trick that allows multiple petal rounds to emerge from the same foundation.

Turn the flower over and locate the back loops of Round 5. Join your yarn (or continue if using the same color) with a sl st into any back loop.

Round 7: Ch 1. Working into the back loops only (BLO) of Round 5, work the following into each st: [sc, ch 4, sc]. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (30 petals formed)

These petals are slightly longer than the first round because of the ch-4 arch. They’ll naturally fan outward and overlap the first round of petals.

Part Four: Third Petal Round (Outer Petals)

For the third petal round, you need a new anchor row. Add a round of single crochet around the outer edge of the center disc to give yourself something to work into.

Round 8: Working into the outermost edge of the center disc (the last round of sc), work 1 sc in each st around. Join with a sl st. (30 sts)

Now create the outer petals:

Round 9: Ch 1. Working into the FLO of Round 8, work the following into each st: [sc, ch 5, sc]. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (30 petals formed)

Part Five: Fourth Petal Round (Extended Outer Petals)

If you want a fuller, more dimensional chrysanthemum, continue with a fourth petal round. Work into the BLO of Round 8.

Round 10: Ch 1. Working into the BLO of Round 8, work the following into each st: [hdc, ch 6, hdc]. Join with a sl st to the first hdc. (30 petals formed)

The half double crochet stitch at the base of each petal gives this round a slightly taller entry point, making the petals stand up more dramatically.

Part Six: Fifth Petal Round (Dramatic Outer Layer)

For the largest and most dramatic version of this chrysanthemum, add a fifth petal round. You’ll need to create another anchor row first.

Round 11: Working into the outermost edge of the previous anchor row, work 1 sc in each of the 30 sts. Then increase evenly to 36 sts by working 2 sc in every fifth st. Join with a sl st. (36 sts)

Round 12: Ch 1. Working into FLO of Round 11, work the following into each st: [dc, ch 7, dc]. Join with a sl st to the first dc. (36 petals formed)

The double crochet base and the longer chain arch create sweeping, elegant outer petals that give the flower a full, globe-like silhouette reminiscent of a fresh-cut chrysanthemum in full bloom.

Finishing Your Chrysanthemum

Fasten off and weave in all remaining ends with your tapestry needle. Take your time with this step — tidy ends make a huge difference in the final appearance of the flower, especially if it will be worn as a brooch or hair accessory.

If you’d like, lightly steam block your chrysanthemum by holding a steam iron a few inches above the flower and letting the steam relax the fibers. Don’t press down — just steam. This evens out any uneven petals and gives the flower a polished, professional look. Skip this step if you used acrylic yarn, as most acrylics don’t respond well to steam.

To make a brooch: Cut a small circle of felt slightly smaller than the center disc. Attach a brooch pin to the felt, then sew the felt to the back of the flower using a few stitches through the center disc. This hides the pin mechanism and gives the back of your flower a clean finish.

To make a hair clip: Same method as the brooch — attach a felt backing and then hot-glue or sew a snap clip or alligator clip to the felt.

To make a gift topper or decoration: Leave the flower as-is or attach a short length of ribbon through the center for tying.

To use as a blanket motif: Sew or join multiple chrysanthemums together, or sew individual flowers onto a finished blanket for a whimsical, garden-inspired design.

Tips for Beginners

If you’re new to crochet flowers, here are a few things that will make this pattern much easier.

Don’t skip the magic ring. It creates a tightly closed center with no visible hole. If you’re not comfortable with the magic ring yet, you can substitute a ch-4 joined into a ring with a sl st, but be aware that there will be a small hole in the center. A button sewn over the center can disguise this nicely.

Count your stitches at the end of every round. It only takes a few seconds and will save you from discovering a mistake three rounds later. Use a stitch marker at the beginning of each round to mark your starting stitch.

Use a contrasting color for your center. Crocheting the center disc in a dark color like forest green, chocolate brown, or deep gold and then switching to a lighter or more vibrant color for the petals creates a striking two-tone effect that really makes the flower look polished and intentional.

Don’t pull your chains too tight. The ch arches that form each petal need to have a little give in them so they can fan outward naturally. If your petals look cramped or won’t open up, try working your chains more loosely or going up a hook size for the petal rounds only.

Practice your front-loop and back-loop technique on a small swatch before you begin. Working into specific loops is the most technically tricky part of this pattern for beginners, but once you find the right loop it becomes very intuitive.

Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the basic pattern, there are so many directions you can take it.

A pompom chrysanthemum is made by using bulkier yarn (size 6 super bulky) with a larger hook and pulling the petals slightly forward as you go to create a round, ball-like shape. These make incredible table decorations for autumn centerpieces.

A spider chrysanthemum can be approximated by using only ch-8 or ch-10 arches for all petal rounds and then stretching the chains outward gently when finishing. The long, spidery petals are distinctly elegant and work beautifully in deep jewel tones.

A miniature chrysanthemum made with fingering weight yarn and a 2.0 mm steel hook becomes a delicate accent for jewelry, holiday ornaments, or scrapbooking.

A color-faded chrysanthemum is worked by starting with a deep central color and transitioning through lighter shades as you move outward through the petal rounds — the effect mimics the natural gradient you’d find on a real chrysanthemum petal and is absolutely stunning.

Free PDF Download

A printable, one-page PDF version of this pattern is available for free. It includes the full stitch guide, all six petal rounds, finishing instructions, and a quick reference chart. Print it out and keep it in your craft bag so you can work on your chrysanthemum wherever you go.

To access the PDF, scroll to the bottom of this page and click the download button. No email address required — it’s completely free.

Share Your Makes

If you use this free crochet chrysanthemum pattern, I’d love to see what you create. Share your finished flowers in the comments below, or tag your project on social media. Seeing these flowers made in all kinds of colors and yarn weights is one of the best parts of sharing a free pattern, and your photos might inspire someone else who’s been on the fence about trying this project.

Whether you make one for yourself or a dozen as gifts, there’s something deeply satisfying about holding a crocheted chrysanthemum in your hands. It looks far more complicated than it is, it comes together quickly, and it carries with it all the symbolism and beauty of one of the world’s most beloved flowers. Happy crocheting.