Cactus- free crochet pattern

Check out my Youtube tutorial for this pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_dGdkKl4KY

Materials needed:

DK yarn in green, brown, beige, pink and white

3mm crochet hook

Stitch marker

Scissors

Stuffing

Yarn needle

Plastic pellets to weigh down pot- optional (can use stuffing instead or a mixture of the two) the pellets I used were 2-3mm in size.

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

mr- magic ring

ch- chain

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

inc- increase

hdc- half double crochet

BLO- back loops only

Cactus:

In green, make 6:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: sc in every st (30)

Place marker in last st you did, fold the piece in half with the right side of the stitches facing outwards, and the marker at the end, push a small amount of stuffing inside and hold the edges together. sc through both layers all along edge, starting in the st next to the one with the marker in it (this one won't be used). Take out marker.

Fasten off leaving a long tail on one of them which will be used for joining all of them together. Weave in the tail from the magic ring and the end tail on the remaining 5. Cut excess yarn close to the edge of the work and use the end of your needle to push end inside.

Thread the long green tail onto your needle, make sure that the direction of the stitches where you sc through both edges is facing the same direction on each piece, weave through a loop at the top corner of each piece, then go back through the same loop on the first piece, pull tight to gather all of these pieces together to get the segmented effect. Arrange them and make sure they're in the right position, then fasten off by finding a loop nearby, go through the loop but not all the way, leave a loop and go through it from behind, pull tight to make a knot.

Now weave that tail through the inside of one of the pieces, come out at the bottom. Repeat the same for the bottom- go through a loop at the end of each piece, pull tight to draw them in together, fasten off in the same way using a nearby loop. Weave in and hide end.

Soil:

In brown:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x6 (42)

Rnd 8: sc in every st (42)

sl st in nxt st, fasten off leaving long tail for sewing.

Pot:

In beige:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: inc in every st (12)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt st, inc) x6 (18)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x6 (24)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 7: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x6 (42)

Rnd 8: sc in every st (42)

Rnd 9: In BLO: sc in every st (42)

Rnds 10- 16 (7 rnds): sc in every st (42)

sl st in nxt st, fasten off and weave tail into back of stitches on inside of last rnd, trim excess.

Pour the plastic pellets inside the pot or stuff. Place lid on top with the right side of the stitches facing you, thread tail onto needle and sew to the inside edge of the pot using the back posts of the stiches on the last rnd and going underneath the V shape of the top of the brown stitches. Fasten off in the same way as you did with the cactus, weave end through the inside, trim excess and push end inside with your needle.

Flower:

In white:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr, sl st in first st, fasten off (6)

Rnd 2: Pull up a loop of the pink in the same st you sl st in. ch 1, make 2 hdc stitches in the same st, ch 1, sl st in same st, (ch 1, make 2 hdc stitches in nxt st, ch 1, sl st in same st) Repeat section in brackets all the way around until you have 6 petals. When you get back to the beginning, sl st in the first st from rnd 1 (the base of the first petal). Fasten off leaving tail for sewing.

Weave the short tails into the back of the pink stitches, trim excess. Thread long pink tail onto needle, weave through the back to the middle white part, sew to the top of the cactus by going through the white loops at the top of the back of each st and the green loops where you joined all the pieces together (6 on each). Fasten off in the usual way on a st nearby, weave end through the inside of one of the segments, trim and hide end.

Spikes:

Cut an 80cm long piece of white yarn, tie 3 knots near the end on top of each other, go through the bottom hole and come out through one of the segments, a few stitches from the end and near the edge where you sc the two edges together, make two short diagonal stitches in a cross and then weave through the inside, coming out in the middle of the segment, make another cross, weave through to near the top and make a third cross. Then weave through near the underneath of the flower and come out near the top of the next segment. Repeat this all the way around, making 3 crosses on the edge of each segment and weaving inside to get to each one. When you finish the last cross, weave through to the bottom and find a loop to fasten off around in the same way as usual. Weave in the end through one of the segments, trim excess and hide end.

Sewing cactus to soil:

Cut a 60cm long piece of green yarn, place the cactus on the soil, line up the end of each segment with the soil and see where the closest loop is, go through that loop but not all the way, tie a knot around that loop. Then use a loop from the end of each segment and sew to the nearest brown loop, weave through underneath the brown piece and come out at the next point, keep lifting it up to check positioning. When you get back to the beginning, fasten off in the usual way, weave both ends in.

The cactus is finished! I'd love to see a photo of yours, you can share it with me by tagging me on instagram @laura_wilson01

Check out my Etsy shop for more patterns: https://laurawilsondesigns.etsy.com

This pattern was designed by Laura Wilson of Laura Wilson Designs. This pattern is strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Copy, distribution or commercial use of this pattern or any of its parts is not allowed. Please give credit if posting photos or selling finished item. © Laura Wilson 2024- All rights reserved.