[RhymeswOrange]

I've been thinking about tralee's request for a lilac pattern I saw in Seeking Patterns the other day and about the surprising lack of lilac patterns that can be found on the web for free or for sale!

I grew up in New York where we always had lots of lilac bushes, but like lilac crochet patterns there are very few to zero lilac bushes here in North Carolina.

In the end, I put my little brain to work, thinking, "I can do that!" Here is my take on the lilac in crochet. It is untested so use at your own risk. Feedback on errors would be appreciated. All in all not bad for my first original pattern!



Photo here:
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l.../Lilac5Web.jpg

Lilac Pattern
Worsted weight yarn in colors, lilac, green, brown
Crochet hooks, size 5.00 mm (H) and size 4.00 mm (F)
Floral wire (18 gauge) for twig/stem
Tapestry needle
Green floral tape

Lilac Body - With lilac color and H hook
Row 1 - 6 sc in ami ring, do not join, crochet in round.
Row 2 - *Sc, 2sc in next sc*, repeat * to * around (9 sc)
Row 3 - sc around (9 sc)
Row 4 - sc around (9 sc)
Row 5 - sc around (9 sc)
Row 6 - *2 sc in next sc, sc *, repeat * to * around (14 sc)
Row 7 - sc around (14 sc)
Row 8 - sc around (14 sc)
Row 9 - sc around (14 sc)
Row 10 - *sc, sc, 2 sc in next sc* , repeat * to * around (18 sc)
Row 11 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 12 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 13 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 14 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 15 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 16 - sc around (18 sc)
Row 17 - *sc, sc, sc, 2 sc in next sc *, repeat * to * around (22 sc)
Row 18 - sc around (22 sc)
Row 19 - sc around (22 sc)
Row 20 - sc around (22 sc)
Row 21 - sc2tog around (11 sc)
Row 22 - sc2tog around, sl st in last sc, fasten off leaving a long tail to secure to stem.

Flower - With lilac color and F hook
*Slip stitch in any stitch near the ami ring start on the lilac body, ch 3 slipstitch in another stitch on the body, ch 3* repeat in a random meandering pattern over the entire lilac body being sure not to cross over stitches. (See photo below for meandering pattern.) Fasten off when body is covered and weave in ends.

Leaf - Make 2, with green color and H hook
Chain 12
Row 1 - Sl st in second chain from the hook, sc, hdc, dc, dc, tr, 3 tr in next stitch, 3 dc in next stitch, hdc, sc and chain 5 past the end.
Row 2 - Turn and Sl st in second chain from the hook, sl st in next 4, continue stitching in the opposite side of the beginning chain hdc, 3 dc in next stitch, 3 tr in next stitch, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st. Fasten off.

Preparing stem and attaching leaves.
Wrap 2 pieces of floral wire together with floral tape. Bend a third piece of floral wire about 3 inches inches from one end at a about 45 degrees. This will be the offshoot twig. Hold one leaf stem on the end of this twig and attach by wrapping with floral tape.
Hold the floral wire with leaf attached along side the first 2 pieces wrapped together, using floral tape wrap the three wires together beginning at the bend in the third wire. Attach the second leaf to stem about 3 inches below the bend using floral tape.

Attaching the lilac body to stem.
Using long tail from lilac body and tapestry needle, weave in and out of last 6 stitches to gather. Insert stem. Pull gathering together tightly around stem. Wrap stem with yarn tail. Wrap yarn tail and stem with floral tape to secure.

Finishing stem.
Using brown yarn, wrap stem to cover, overlapping the yarn end to secure. Once completed wrapping use tapestry needle to weave yarn end under and trim close.