Medallion Flower Tutorial

As Islay Lass has flattered my ego and has asked to see my Medallion Flower pattern here it is. Please visit her blog, she doesn't live on Islay anymore but a slightly warmer island slightly further south, a lovely read.

I wanted a simpler decoration to finish my Tropical Bag so I came up with these medallions.

I am supposed to be painting our only wooden windows, outside on the kitchen and conservatory but obviously 2 dry days was more than our allocated quota. I'm just so relieved I didn’t start on the painting! Hark, I hear thunder, I think the golfing husband may be home early, the common is rather exposed when you have a metal stick in hand.

Just a minute, I need to go and get my mug of tea…

Medallion Flower

OK here we go, a walk through with photos then an easy to copy and paste regular pattern at the end. I haven’t done this before so please tell me if its gobbledegook. It’s dead easy to crochet, and based on the circle principle from the base of Lucy’s crochet bag pattern. I use UK terminology.

I’m using 2 colours of Rico Creative Cotton that is a light Aran weight and a 4mm hook to make it firm. I’d go down to a 3.5mm if making in double knit. 1 wooden button 3cm and a darning needle thick enough for the yarn. Any button you like with holes and 2-3 cm in diameter would be fine. The finished medallion is 9cm diameter made with trebles or 8cm in half trebles, as I did for the ones on my bag. The tutorial flower is pictured with trebles.

Leaving a good long tail to sew your medallion onto whatever you are using it for later, start with a chain of 4 and slip stitch into a circle.

Round 1 Chain 3 (always counts as 1st treble of the round)

Now make 11 trebles into the circle, holding the tail and crocheting over it. 12 trebles in total counting the 3 chains.
Slip stitch into the 3rd chain to complete the ring.

Pull the tail to close the circle.
Round 2 Chain 3 and 1 treble into 1st treble, and then 2 trebles into every stitch. Slip stitch to 3rd chain again to finish round. 24 trebles.

Round 3 Chain 3 again and 1 treble into same stitch as before. Now 1 treble into next stitch, then 2 trebles into the stitch after that, repeat until you are all the way round, you will finish with one treble and again close the circle with a slip stitch into 3rd chain. You should have 36 stitches.

Round 4 Chain 3 again and 1 treble into same stitch as before. This time you repeat round 2 by making 2 trebles into every stitch again to make a slightly wavy edge. It doesn’t look very wavy now but fear not, it’s more of a ripple effect when sewn on. 72 stitches. Fasten off.

Round 5 (Contrast) Flip your circle, what was the right side is now your wrong side. You should be able to see 3 circles that look like running stitches at intervals.

You now want to work onto the middle round picking up one thread as shown. (They are the outer edge of Round 2) It can be a bit fiddly so no getting cross! Starting anywhere, loop the contrasting colour and work 3 chains and 1 treble into 1 stitch.

Continue working 2 trebles into the next loop all the way round.

I found it easier to hold the rest of the main medallion out of the way. You will finish with 48 trebles, but it’s not critical. Slip stitch to 3rd chain to close and finish off.

That was easy!  Weave in the 3 ends (not the 4th centre one) securely and snip.

I used a 3cm wooden button with decent sized holes to finish and my darning needle allowed me to sew the button on to the centre before sewing onto my bag. The medallion squishes up nicely once sewn on, it looks worryingly flat and boring on a flat surface before the button is attached, fear not. Finish off very thoroughly!

I like my medallion, a bit more contemporary in a appearance than a ruffly flower, you could make the circle bigger and have several inner ruffles, just always make sure the last round is 2 trebles into every stitch. I made 4 different combos for my bag.

Medallion Flower Pattern

ch=chain
sl-st= slip stitch
tr=treble (dc in US)

4 ch and sl st to circle leaving a generous tail.

Round 1 - 3ch (always counts as 1st tr) 11tr into ring, catching tail as you go. Sl-st to 3rd chain to close. 12 st. Pull tail to close ring, do not cut off.

Round 2 - 3ch 1tr into 1st st, *2 tr into each subsequent st. Repeat from * to end. sl-st to 3rd chain to close. 24 st

Round 3 - 3ch 1tr into 1st st, *1 tr into next st, 2 tr into next st * Repeat from * to * to last stitch 1tr then sl st to 3rd chain to close. 36 st

Round 4 - 3ch 1tr into 1st st, *2 tr into each subsequent st. Repeat from * to end. sl-st to 3rd chain to close. 72 st. Fasten off.

Round 5 (Contrast Round)
Using 2nd colour flip your medallion over and work into the single loop of the middle round of stitches showing (they look like running stitches, and are the outer st of round 2)3ch 1 tr into first loop. * 2 tr into next loop. Repeat from * to end. sl-st to 3rd chain to close. 48st

Fasten off. Sew in outer 2 ends. Using starting tail, sew on your button and sew onto bag, hat or whatever!

I made the medallions for my bag using half trebles, it's slightly smaller just substitute for all trebles if desired. The photo tutorial is using trebles.

©KnitKnatKnotUK A link back to this post would be appreciated if you use and/or like my flower medallion, thank you!

I am really sad that the Olympics finishes today, the closing ceremony should be amazing I would award a medallion flower to every competitor! I reckon they are digging out the Spice Girls.

Is the rain stopping? Can I go and paint? Will it be dry for the next 16 hours? Is the Pope Catholic?!