Florealis Neckwarmer ~ a Free Crochet Pattern

December is a wonderful time to break out the yarn and work up a bit of delicious warmth for the neck of someone we love (or for ourselves).

The Florealis Neckwarmer combines some of my favourite crochet techniques into a soft and snuggly, quick-growing project. An easy cluster foundation row replaces the starting chain; extended-in-the-middle stitches make the most of the yarn while adding lovely visual texture, and twisted stitch (a slip-stitch variation) accent rows break up the vertical lines.

Slight decreases are built into each end of the neckwarmer to give a neck-friendly shape. The spiral rose “buttons” are worked in one with the rows, and their shape is secured after finishing by sewing a couple of stitches into each. "Buttonholes" are provided by the space between the two tall stitches at the other end of the row.

For a shoulder-hugging fit, leave one or two roses unbuttoned:

Florealis Neckwarmer

Special thanks to Marty Miller for her generously detailed answers (way back in 2014!) to my questions on the terminology of extended stitches.

Size: 21" long at top edge, 24" long at bottom edge, 6" wide

Yarn Requirements: 150-160 yards of heavy worsted or light bulky yarn; lofty or roving yarns with long colour changes work especially well.

Yarn I Used: Elegant Yarns Kaleidoscope, 100% wool, 174 yds/100 grams, color 39 Purple Iris

How Did the Yarn Behave? Perfectly for this project! Soft, warm, and surprisingly froggable for a wool roving yarn, with beautiful shade changes.

Hook Size: US K10½/6.5mm, US J10/6mm, or size that gives desired stitch quality

Notions: Yarn needle, optional marker or scrap of yarn

All crochet terminology is American.

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Florealis Pattern

Notes:

• Keep relaxed tension and careful stitch count.
• When working the Front Loop Only Twisted Stitch, remember that it's a slip stitch variation - don't pull up an extra loop when completing the stitch!
• All single crochets at beginning and end of twisted stitch rows should be worked through both top strands of the stitch below.
• When working the Extended in the Middle Treble, remember to draw through 1 loop only in the lower middle of the stitch.
• For the Special Stitch instructions, I've written each step as a separate line of text. This takes up more page space, but it's also easier to read and understand.
• To increase or decrease the length of the project, or to match my project measurements with yarn of a different gauge, simply work more or fewer base row clusters to get the length you want. (Remember that stitch counts will be different if you change the number of base clusters.)
• Be sure that Row 8 ends with an even number of stitches - if necessary work one more or one less stitch to attain an even number.

Terms/Abbreviations/Special Stitches Used:

RS: Right Side
WS: Wrong Side
Chain
Slip Stitch
Sk: skip
Sc: single crochet
Hdc: half double crochet
Dc: double crochet
Tr: treble crochet
Front Loop Only
Back Loop Only

DcCl (double crochet cluster):
[Yarn over, insert hook in indicated stitch, pull up a loop, draw through 2 loops on hook] twice,
yarn over and draw through all loops on hook.

FloTwSt (front loop only twisted stitch):
Insert hook in front loop of same stitch,
yarn over and pull up a loop,
insert hook in front loop of next stitch (do not pull up a loop),
yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook.

EMtr (extended in the middle treble):
Yarn over twice,
insert hook in indicated stitch, pull up a loop,
yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook,
yarn over, draw through 1 loop on hook,
[yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook] twice.

Florealis Pattern

Base Row (RS): With larger hook, *chain 3, work DcCl in back bump of 3rd chain from hook (base row cluster made). Repeat from * 33 times = 34 base row clusters. Chain 1, rotate work to right (or to left if you crochet left-handed).
Row 1: Working loosely, *slip stitch in back loop of next dc row end, slip stitch in next back bar "hole". Repeat from * across, ending in back bar hole before last shell; skipping final dc row end, slip stitch in back bar hole of first cluster made = 67 stitches. Chain 1, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Single crochet in first stitch; starting in same st, FloTw St 65 across; single crochet (inserting hook in both top strands) in last stitch = 67 stitches. Chain 8, turn.
Row 3 (RS): Make rose: working in back loop only, (sc, 2 hdc) in second chain from hook, 3 hdc in each of next 4 chains, 3 dc in next ch, 3 tr in next ch (rose made). Inserting hook into both top strands, EMtr in each of next 65 sts, tr in next st (skip sc at end of row) = 66 sts (not counting rose). Chain 1, turn.
Row 4 (WS): Single crochet in first stitch; starting in same st, FloTw St 62 across, sc (inserting hook in both top strands) in next stitch, sk last 2 EMtr at end of row = 64 stitches. Chain 8, turn.
Row 5 (RS): Repeat Row 3, ending w/tr in last Tw St of row (skip sc at end of row) = 63 sts (not counting rose). Chain 1, turn.
Row 6 (WS): Repeat Row 4, ending w/sc in 3rd EMtr from end, sk last 2 EMtr = 61 sts. Ch 8, turn.
Row 7 (RS): Repeat Row 3, ending w/tr in last Tw St of row = 60 sts (not counting rose). Chain 1, turn.
Row 8(WS): Repeat Row 4, ending w/sc in last EMtr before rose = 60 sts. Chain 3, turn.
Top edging (RS): With smaller hook, make first cluster: yarn over, insert hook in back bump of 3rd chain from hook, pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (partial dc made); yarn over, insert hook in sc at base of ch-3, pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (partial dc made, 3 loops left on hook); insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook - first cluster made. *Chain 3, yarn over, insert hook in back bump of 3rd chain from hook, pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook; yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (3 loops left on hook), insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook. Repeat from * across, ending in starting sc of row.
Finishing: Form rose "buttons" into desired shape, then secure each with a few stitches on WS using yarn and yarn needle. Weave in all ends. Run to the mirror and try on your neckwarmer. :)

Florealis Pattern in Mostly Plain English with Photos

See "Terms/Abbreviations/Special Stitches" above if needed.

Base Row (Right Side facing):
Using the larger hook,
chain 3,
work Double Crochet Cluster in back bump of 3rd chain from hook (base row cluster made).
Repeat this 33 times - you should now have a long string of 34 base row clusters.
Chain 1, and rotate work to right (or to left if you crochet left-handed).

Making the Base Row Clusters

Now it's time to make a row of slip stitches along the edge of the clusters.
To make the slip stitches, you'll be working into 2 places of the base row cluster: the back loop of the dc cluster row end, and the "holes" between each cluster.
(What is a "row end"? It's the side edge of a stitch. If you tip your foundation clusters up, as in the right-hand photo below, you can see the side edges of the double crochets. You'll need to stitch into the back loop - the one that's farthest away from you - at the base of each dc. Then you'll stitch into each "hole" right next to it.)

Where to insert hook for slip stitch row (Row 1)

Row 1:
Working loosely, *slip stitch in back loop of dc row end, slip stitch in back bar "hole".
Repeat from * across, ending in back bar hole before last shell.
Skip the last last dc row end,
make final slip stitch in back bar "hole" at the very end of the clusters.
You should have 67 slip stitches.
Chain 1, turn.

End of Row 1 and beginning of Row 2

Row 2 (Wrong Side Facing):
Single crochet in first stitch (inserting your hook under both strands of stitch below).
Starting in same stitch, insert your hook through the front loop only, pull up a loop,
insert your hook into the next stitch (do not pull up a loop),
yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook.
This is your first Twisted Stitch.

Tip: Remember that every Twisted Stitch starts in the stitch you just made and ends in the next stitch. Be careful not to pull up a loop when you're finishing a Twisted Stitch!

To finish Row 2, make 64 more Front Loop Only Twisted Stitches across;
single crochet (inserting hook in both top strands) in last stitch.
You should have 67 stitches.
Chain 8, turn.

Now it's time to make the first rose "button".

Row 3 (RS):
Inserting your hook into the back loop only of each chain,
make [1 sc and 2 hdc] in second chain from hook,
make 3 hdc in each of the next 4 chains,
make 3 dc in the next chain,
make 3 tr in the next chain (rose complete).
Your "rose" will want to curl up - that's okay. If you like, place a marker or scrap of yarn through the top of the last treble to mark the end of the rose (this will help with stitch counting later).

Making the rose "button"

The rest of the row will be worked normally (inserting hook into both top strands).
Make an Extended-in-the-Middle Treble in each of the next 65 stitches (see Stitches/Terms above),
treble crochet in next stitch (skip the sc at the end of the row).
You should have 66 stitches, not counting the rose.
Chain 1, turn.

Row 4 (WS):
This is just like Row 2, except you'll be stopping short of the end of the row (doing this helps give the neckwarmer a trapezoid shape for a better fit around the neck).
Single crochet 1,
Front Loop Only Twisted Stitch 62 across (remember to start your first Twisted Stitch in the same stitch where you made the sc),
single crochet in next stitch (skipping the last 2 Extended-in-the-M-Trebles).
You should have 64 stitches in your row.
Chain 8, turn.

Row 5 (RS):
Repeat Row 3, starting with a rose, and ending with a treble crochet in last Twisted Stitch of row (do not work into the sc at the end of the row).
You should have 63 stitches (not counting rose).
Chain 1, turn.

Row 6 (WS): Repeat Row 4, making it a little shorter again:
Single crochet 1,
Front Loop Only Twisted Stitch 59 across (remember to start your first Twisted Stitch in the same stitch where you made the sc),
single crochet in next stitch (skipping the last 2 Extended-in-the-M-Trebles).
You should have 61 stitches in your row.
Chain 8, turn.

Row 7 (RS): Repeat Row 5, starting with a rose, and ending with a treble crochet in last Twisted Stitch of row (do not work into the sc at the end of the row).
You should have 60 stitches (not counting rose).
Chain 1, turn.

Row 8 (WS): Repeat Row 4, but go all the way to the end of the row, ending with a single crochet in last Extended Treble before the rose.
You should have 60 stitches.
Chain 3, turn. Time to start the edging!

The edging is really just a row of Dc Clusters worked sideways and "anchored" into every other stitch of the previous row. Each edging cluster takes up 2 stitches; follow the directions carefully so your stitch count doesn't go awry.

Top edging (RS):
Using the smaller hook,
yarn over, insert hook in back bump of 3rd chain from hook, pull up a loop,
yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (partial dc made),
yarn over, insert hook in sc at base of chain, pull up a loop,
yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook
(2nd partial dc made; you should now 3 loops left on your hook);
insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook to "anchor" the cluster.
First cluster made!

Making the first Edging Cluster

Let's finish this baby:
*Chain 3,
yarn over, insert hook in back bump of 3rd chain from hook (see Photo 6 above), pull up a loop,
yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (partial dc made),
yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, pull up a loop,
yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook,
(2nd partial dc made; you should now 3 loops left on your hook);
insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and immediately draw through all loops on hook to "anchor" the cluster.

Repeat from * across, ending in starting sc of row. Woo hoo! Almost done.

Final cluster should end in the sc at beginning of row
(sc indicated by arrow)

To finish your neckwarmer:
Cut a short length of yarn (about 8") and thread it onto a yarn needle. Form one of your rose "buttons" into the desired shape, then secure it with a few stitches on WS, making sure the center of the rose will not pop loose. Repeat with the other two roses.
Weave in all ends. Admire your gorgeous Florealis Neckwarmer and decide whether you want to give it away or keep it for yourself.

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You may do whatever you like with the items you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern or reproduce the text without permission. (Links to this post are welcome.) If you make these for sale, please credit the designer.

If you have any questions about this pattern, or find any mistakes (it happens all the time), don't be shy: ask or tell in the comment box below, or contact me in Ravelry (where I'm MrsMicawber).

Thanks for viewing, and happy crocheting!

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