Cherry Blossom in the Snow

Inspired by Clarens, a delightfully quaint little hamlet nestled into the

hills of the eastern - Free State in South Africa.
This is square two of a series based on my favourite towns here, special
places for different reasons which have touched my heart or inexplica-
bly moved me in some way.
Our stay in Clarens was magical, with a liberal sprinkling of Fairy Tale
about it, especially since it spanned over the unique winter months
there. Clarens is unlike any idea someone may hold in their minds of
Africa. There, a few feet or at least a dusting of snow each winter is al-
most expected. Our backyard , with its Apple and Cherry Trees , was the
prettiest I’d ever seen, particularly when the fruit trees bloomed .
In early Spring, while the kettle boiled water frozen overnight, I’d gaze
out over our small yet picturesque back yard and marvel at the display
of blossoms, daydreaming about the potential of each one…a ripe, de-
lectable fruit. One morning shortly after this as I stood barefoot on the
icy stone floor arranging mugs on a tray for our morning coffee ( and
hot chocolate for the boys ) from the corner of my eye I noticed a
change, the same yet different, but change it was.
It had snowed overnight! My heart almost stopped with the over-
whelming beauty of it all. Still barefoot, not even noticing the cold
ground, I stepped outside to walk between the trees , inspecting each
one in turn, ascertaining whether damage had been inflicted. Unbeliev-
ably all was intact, each blossom and their leaves delicately frosted and
at my feet one single Cherry Blossom in the Snow.
Now you know. :D
 Cherry Blossom in the Snow
Jen Tyler /October 2016

Hook Size: 3.5mm

Yarn: Elle Family Knit DK
Colourway Flower One
*Antique * Grape *Claret *Just Pink *Shell Pink,

*Skintone *Aran *Mistletoe *Duck Egg *Gravel

Colourway Flower Two

*Grape *Just Pink * Coral *Shell Pink *Mistletoe

*Duck Egg *Aran *Soft Lime *Watermelon *Turquoise

Special stitches: Puff, Front Post, Clusters

Square measures: 6 ½” x 6 ½” or 17cm x 17cm
Special notes about this square.
This is a 5 Petal Flower Motif design based on the 5 – petal Cherry Blossom.
Rounded off and then squared.
Round One
Choose you beginning colour: Grape
10 x sc into a Magic Loop
Slip stitch into first sc, fasten off.
Attach your next colour: Just Pink
Into any sc1, ch3 ( = 1 x sc and 2 x ch )
Next, skip 1 x sc ( from your starting Loop ) then single crochet into next sc, ch2,skip one single crochet, sc1
into next sc, then ch2 …. continue the sequence until you have 5 x sc and 5 x ch sp.
= 15 stitches
Round Two
Attach new colour: Coral
Attach your new colour so.
** sc1 into any ch2 space.
Then, in the same ch2 sp, hdc1, dc2 , hdc1, sc1**
Repeat this sequence ** ---- ** until you have five petals.
= 30 stitches
Round Three
Attach new colour: Just Pink
Attach with 1 x sc between any of the petals from the previous round, this does not count as a stitch, it’s just
a “ starting stitch” as I call it.
Then into the top of your very next stitch,
Dc1, then dc1 into the top of each stitch of “petal set “ ( = 5dc ). Then before you pop over to the next “petal
set” make a fptr1( front post treble ) around the single crochet stitch from colour round one Shell Pink
( around the single crochet stitch before the 2 x chain spaces). Complete the sequence. Slip stitch into top of
1st dc. Fasten off. Total for this round, is 25 dc and 5 fptr
= 30 stitches in all.

Round Four
This is the last round for the Cherry Blossom.
Attach new colour: Shell Pink
Crochet 2ch into top of very next dc after your front post treble from the previous
round.
Then into that same dc, do 1hdc, into top of next dc do **2dc, then into next dc , 3dc,
into next dc do 2dc, and into last dc do 2 hdc. = 11 stitches. Then, fp1hdc ( front post
half double crochet ) around the top of the fp1tr from the previous round.
Then, hdc2 into next dc** Repeat the sequence from ** ---**
End off with a slip stitch into the top of the 2ch’s ( =1hdc ) you made at the beginning
of this round.
Fasten off and work in your tails! = 60 stitches.
Round Five
Attach new colour: Mistletoe
Behind your fp1hdc of the previous round find “two
strands” into this crochet 3chain ( = 1dc )
Then into that same space, crochet 2dc cluster ( 3ch
+ 2dc cluster = 1 x dc3cluster )
Then ch3 and do 1 x dc3cluster into same space. This
will create two “leaves” with a 3ch between them.
Ch3 and sc into two strands behind the 3dc of the
petal from the previous round, then ch3 and do 1 x
dc3 cluster into the two strands behind the front post
stitch, ch3, do another 1 x dc3cluster, ch3 then 1sc
into two strands behind 3dc of petal from previous
round.

Continue this sequence until you have 10 “leaves”

and 15 x 3ch sp’s.

NOTE: you will be working on the Wrong Side this

round.
Round Six
Attach new colour: Aran
4sc over the 3ch sp left of the 1sc behind
the petal from previous round.
Then into 3ch sp between the “leaves”
make a Puff stitch but yarn over only
three times ( instead of 5 times ). Then,
ch2 and do the same Puff stitch as the
first one, then ch2 and finish off with the
same kind of mini-puff stitch ( yo x 3 ),
ch1 and then 4sc over the 3ch, then sc1fp

Round Seven
Attach new colour: Coral
Attach new colour by doing 1sc into the top
of the scfp of previous round ( aran ).
Then ch3, then into the space between your
mini-puffs,** hdc3, ch1, hdc3,ch1,hdc3,
ch1,hdc3, ch3, 1sc into top of scfp, ch3 **
and repeat sequence ** to **.
You should end up with:

5 sets of 4 x hdc3 and 10 x ch3 spaces.

Round Eight
Attach new colour: Duck Egg
Attach by making a sc into any ch sp made between the 3hdc from previous round.
Then crochet 3 more sc ( 4 in total ).
Then 4sc into next chain space and 4sc into next chain space.
***Then ch1 and do 1 x fptr3cluster into the two strands around the base of the sc post from
round six ( aran colour ) where you did the sc1fp’s around the 1sc of round five (mistletoe col-
our ).
Then ch 1, and 1sc over chains, and 1sc into the 1sc from previous round ( coral ).***
Then repeat your “leaf” sequence: 1 x fptr3cluster into same space as your other “leaf”
Then ch1 and repeat sequence : **4sc into chain spaces between the 3hdc, 4sc into chain
space between the 3hdc and two more times ** and the next sequence : *** to ***
Finish with a slip stitch into top of 1st sc ( the one you started with. )
I hope this made sense!
Round Nine
Attach new colour: Soft Lime
Attach new colour with 1sc into 1sc of round seven ( coral ).
Then, chain 3 ( = dc1 ). **Second “fan” will start with a dc.
Then dc4 into that same single crochet stitch from round seven ( coral ).
You will be creating a “fan” between your “leaves” from round eight ( duck egg ).
Then, do a fphdc around the top of your “leaf” from round eight ( duck egg ).
Then sc1 into the top of the next 11 stitches, then fp1hdc around the top of your “leaf” from previous
round ( duck egg ) ** and then you’ll be back to your 5dc “fan”
Repeat sequence from ** to ***
This completes your flower in full. Now on to the border! Yay! I hope you have managed to stay the course
and my directions are not too confusing to follow!
Round Ten
Cut a small piece of yarn measuring 1 inch I’m perfectly serious! J
Now turn your work to the Wrong Side and using your stitch markers, or bits of yarn, mark out 18 equal
spaces around the circumference of round eight ( duck egg ). Approximately 1 inch spacing between.
Attach new colour ( watermelon )with one single crochet into the back of any stitch available where
you have marked a spot with your stitch marker or bit of yarn. Check to make sure it isn’t showing
through on your Right Side. Now, ch4 and then sc1 into your next marked bit and so on until you have 18
ch4 spaces and 18sc. Slip stitch into 1st ch sp. Fasten off and tuck away your tails.
In these images of the Wrong Side you can see the * more or less equal* spacing of the Watermelon
stitches using your 1inch yarnstick! Haha
In the next round you will crochet into the chsp’s in between these.

Round Eleven
Attach new colour: Turquoise
Attach new colour and ch2 ( = hdc1 )
Now do 3 more hdc into that 4ch sp.
Then hdc4 into next chain space and continue with this sequence all the way around.
Slip stitch into top of ch2 ( =hdc1 ). Do not fasten off your yarn here.
= 72 stitches.
Round Twelve
Continue with previous colour
This is a bit tricky.
Position your flower so that you can find a geometrically pleasing starting point.
Your last round yielded 72 stitches.
72 divided by 4 = 18
From your centre point which you have marked off with your stitch marker or bit of yarn, clockwise count 9
and into that 9th stitch do:
Chain3, 1 x dc2 cluster ( = 1 x dc3 cluster ), ch2, 1 x dc3 cluster, ch2, 1 x dc3 cluster, ch1 ( this will be your first
corner ! ).
**Now this sequence:
Next, dc1 into next 4 stitches, hdc1 into next four stitches, sc1 into next stitch, hdc4 into next four stitches,
dc1 into next four stitches and then you’ll be at your next corner set .
*** Now this sequence:
1 x dc3 cluster, ch2, 1 x dc3 cluster, ch2, 1 x dc3 cluster, ch1 and repeat sequence **.
= 100 stitches. ( the square in this image is unblocked ).

Round Thirteen
This round is optional!
Attach new colour ( soft lime ) into 1st dc left of your last cluster.
Then, sc3, then 1sc into top of next 16 stitches, then sc3 into space
between dc and next dc3 cluster, then sc3 into space between clus-
ters ( in all 4 sets of sc3’s ). Then again sc1 into next 16 stitches.
Slip stitch into 1st of sc3 ( your fist set of sc3’s ). Fasten off and work
away your tails.
Hip hip hooray!