Crochet Doily For Laxmi Pujan (Navaratri) 9:

Friends, This is my last Aasan (thing used to sit) for Goddess Laxmi. As told in the first post in this series of Lotus based doilies (Aasan) that lotus is thing on which Goddess Laxmi use to sit. Naturally my last piece in this series is real Lotus flower. Actually I had made the complete set, means lotus flower, bud and leaf as in second figure. But as the aasan of Goddess, it is lotus flower as shown in fig 1. The lotus I have made is based on Natagor Finlayson's this lotus. Changes are made according to the yarn. For this I used 4 ply yarn and 1.75 mm crochet hook. Pattern: Petal: Ch 21. R1: From second ch, make sc 1 in each of 4 sts, hdc 1 in 3, dc 1 in 2, tr in 1 st, dc 1 in 3 sts, hdc 1 in 3 sts, sc 1 in 4 sts, at corner st, (sc1, ch1, sc1),

R2 on other side: sc 1 in 4 sts, hdc 1 in 3, dc 1 in 1 st, dc2 in each of the next 2 sts, dc1 in 2 sts, hdc 1 in 3 sts, sc 1 in 4 sts. Again at corner (sc1, ch1, sc1).

R3: on other side: sc 1 in 4 sts, hdc 1 in 3 sts, dc 1 in 2 sts, (dc2) in each of the next 2 sts, dc 1 in next, hdc 1 in 3 sts, sc 1 in 5 sts, at corner (sc1, ch1, sc1).

R4: on other side: sc 1 in 5 sts, hdc 1 in each of the middle st till 5 sts remain, sc 1 in each of the last 5 sts, at corner (sc1, ch1, sc1).

R5: on other side:sc 1 in 6 sts, hdc 1 in each of the middle sts, sc 1 in last 5 sts, at corner (sc1, ch1, sc1).

R6: on other side: Insert wire in this round. sc 1 in first and last 6 sts, hdc 1 in each of the middle sts, at corner make sc 3 in previous ch1-gap,

R7: on other side: sc 1 in first and last 6 sts, hdc 1 in each middle sts, lastly sc 1 on the first st of other side, bind off and cut the yarn keeping 5-6 inches yarn end and cut wire also keeping 1". Twist the wire ends. Put some fabric fevicol on that and wrap the yarn over it. One petal is ready. Make 11 petals more, if you want you can make more than 11 also to get dense flower.

Central Seed Pod (yellow part):R1: In a magic loop make ch1, sc 5, cl (5 sts) R2: ch1, sc 2 in each st, cl (10 sts) R3: ch1, (sc2, sc1) rep, cl (15 sts) R4: ch1, (sc2, sc 1 in 2 sts) rep, cl (20 sts)

R5: ch1, (sc2, sc1 in 3 sts) rep, cl (25 sts) R6: ch1, sc 1 in back loop of each st, cl (25 sts)

By embroidery make dots 5 in inner round, 5 in middle round and 5 in outer round.

R7: ch3, dc 1 in back loop of each st, cl (25 sts) R8: (dc 1 in 3 sts, 2dctog next) rep,, cl (20 sts) R9: (dc1 in 2 sts, 2dctog) rep, cl (15 sts)

R10: (dc1, 2dctog) rep, cl (10 sts). Fill fiber in that.

Now for Stamen: Cut 30 pieces of dark colour yarn with length more than the double of the height of this seed pod. I cut 4.5" each R11: Make sc 1 in each st taking 3 pieces of cut yarn. repeat around, cl, bind off. From embroidery side cut these yarn pieces uniformly. Put some fevicol on broad wire and insert in this seed pod.

Now first paste each petal by fevicol and then fix it by wrapping green yarn. Shape the petals with the help of wire properly.

The beautiful Lotus flower is ready. If you want you can fold 5 petals inside as in fig 2.

The following video with English subtitles may help you in making this.

ETC: Enjoy the Creativity.