What This Pattern Involves
A crochet sunflower appliqué is a small, flat flower motif — typically a dark brown or chocolate center surrounded by golden-yellow petals, sometimes with a couple of green leaves sewn on behind it. It’s designed to be stitched onto something else (a hat, a bag, a hair clip, a pillow) rather than stand alone, which is what makes it an “appliqué” rather than a standalone flower.
There isn’t one single standard sunflower appliqué pattern — designers vary the round count, petal shape, and finished size quite a bit. Below are three distinct approaches drawn from different pattern sources, so you can pick the one that matches the size and skill level you want.
Materials and Tools
Across the versions covered here, the materials are consistent:
- Medium (worsted) weight yarn in dark brown and golden yellow, plus green if you’re adding leaves
- A crochet hook sized to your desired finished size — smaller hooks (around 2.5mm) produce a tighter, smaller appliqué around 8cm across, while larger hooks (up to 5.5mm) produce a bigger, looser sunflower
- A tapestry needle for weaving in ends and sewing on leaves
- Scissors
Stitches You’ll Need to Know
- Chain (ch)
- Slip stitch (sl st)
- Single crochet (sc)
- Double crochet (dc)
- Picot stitch (a small bobble-like point, usually made by chaining a couple of stitches and slip-stitching back into the first of them) — used in some versions to give the petals a pointed tip
Three Ways to Crochet a Sunflower Appliqué
The Quick, Single-Round Petal Version
The simplest version starts with a magic circle (or a short chain joined into a loop) worked in brown yarn: a first round of around 12 double crochets, increased to about 24 stitches in a second round. The petals are then worked in a single round directly onto that center in yellow yarn — each petal made from a small chain-2 space, a couple of double crochets, and another chain-2 space, repeated around for roughly 12 petals. This version, based on a pattern from Clover (blog.clover-usa.com), finishes at around 3.5–4 inches depending on hook size, and pairs with a simple two-row crochet leaf.
The Two-Layer Version With Picot Petals
A slightly more detailed version (based on a pattern from thepinkcraftbox.com) builds the brown center over two rounds — a first round of 9 double crochets into a small chain loop, then a second round increasing to around 19–20 stitches — before adding yellow petals. Each petal uses a picot stitch to create a pointed tip rather than a rounded one, and the pattern repeats for 10 petals total worked directly onto the center. This version uses a smaller 2.5mm hook and finishes at roughly 8cm across (about 11cm including leaves), and leaves are crocheted separately in two rows and stitched to the back afterward.
The Jumbo, Multi-Round Version
For a noticeably bigger, more dimensional sunflower, a pattern credited to designer Uta Weingarten (shared via apatterntofollow.com, since her original blog is no longer online) builds up over six rounds — starting from a magic ring at 15 double crochets and increasing through several rounds of grouped stitches before a final round shapes individual petal points. This version is worked with a larger 5.5mm hook in worsted weight yarn and produces a noticeably “jumbo” sunflower, closer to the size used as a statement piece on a hat than a small appliqué. It’s more involved than the other two versions and worth attempting once you’re comfortable with basic increases and working into chain spaces.
Adding Leaves
All three approaches treat leaves as optional and separate: a leaf is typically crocheted flat in two short rows (starting from a small foundation chain, increasing in the middle to form a point, and tapering back down), then sewn to the back of the finished flower with the leaf tips peeking out from behind the petals. Using green yarn and weaving the leaf’s tail directly into the back of the sunflower keeps the join invisible from the front.
How to Make a Crochet Appliqué (General Method)
Beyond sunflowers specifically, the general method for any crochet appliqué is similar: crochet a flat motif (a flower, in this case) with a long yarn tail left at the end, position it on the project you want to decorate, and either sew it on with a tapestry needle and matching yarn, or attach it with a dab of fabric/craft glue if it’s going onto something like a hair clip or non-fabric surface. Appliqués worked flat, like these sunflowers, tend to lie best on fairly flat surfaces — curved or heavily textured bases can make the edges pucker.
Choosing Yarn for a Sunflower
All three sourced patterns use medium (worsted) weight yarn, which is the most common and forgiving choice for a motif this size — it holds its shape without extra stiffening and is widely available in both the brown and golden-yellow shades you’ll need. Acrylic or cotton-acrylic blends are typical, since they keep their color well and are easy to find in craft store multi-packs. If you want a noticeably smaller or larger finished appliqué, adjusting your hook size (rather than switching yarn weight) is the simpler way to scale the same stitch pattern up or down.
Where to Find Free Sunflower Crochet Patterns
The three patterns referenced here are good starting points if you want a complete, tested set of instructions: a quick single-round version from Clover, a picot-petal two-layer version from The Pink Craft Box, and a jumbo multi-round version credited to Uta Weingarten and shared via A Pattern to Follow. Beyond these, look for designer blogs that publish full stitch-by-stitch instructions with photos for each step, since social posts often only link to (rather than contain) the actual pattern.
If you’d rather build a fuller, rounds-based flower instead of a petal-and-center appliqué, see our guide to a layered flower pattern, or for a rolled flower shape, our crochet rose pattern guide.
FAQ
How do I crochet a sunflower pattern step by step? In general: crochet a small brown center in rounds (increasing each round), then work a round of yellow petals directly onto the outer edge — either as simple chain-and-dc clusters or with a picot point — and optionally add separate green leaves sewn on behind. The exact round count and stitch numbers vary by pattern; see the three versions above for specifics.
Where can I find free sunflower crochet patterns? The three sources referenced in this guide (Clover, The Pink Craft Box, and A Pattern to Follow) each publish a complete free written pattern. Searching for a specific size or skill level (e.g., “quick” or “jumbo”) alongside “sunflower crochet pattern” will help narrow results to the right version.
How do I make a crochet appliqué? Crochet the motif flat, leave a long yarn tail, then sew or glue it onto your project. See the general method section above for more detail.
What yarn is best for sunflower crochet? Medium (worsted) weight yarn in acrylic or cotton-acrylic blends is the most common choice across published patterns, mainly because it’s widely available in the brown and gold shades needed and holds its shape without extra stiffening.