About This Pattern
I love small things that fit in an evening. This ear climber is three sunflower motifs on a curved wire frame. Each flower has a dark brown center and golden petals. Sage leaves tuck between them, and amber seed beads fill the gaps. A gold chain and two wooden beads hang from the bottom. It needs steady hands, fine thread, and a tiny steel hook. Plan for drying time between stiffening and assembly.
The finished piece measures approximately 2.75 inches tall by 1.25 inches wide when mounted on the wire frame. Each sunflower motif measures about 0.6 inch in diameter after blocking, and each leaf measures approximately 0.5 inch long. This is an intermediate-level project: the stitches themselves are basic, but you will be working at a miniature scale with fine thread and a tiny steel hook, and you will also need to be comfortable with basic jewelry assembly techniques like wire wrapping. If you have never worked with crochet thread before, practice the flower motif once or twice before starting your final pieces.
In the basket
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- sl st
- slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through stitch and loop on hook in one motion
- sc
- single crochet: insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops
- hdc
- half double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 3 loops
- dc
- double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, (yarn over, pull through 2 loops) twice
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- sp
- space
- rnd
- round
- MR
- magic ring: an adjustable starting loop that can be pulled tight
- yo
- yarn over
- sk
- skip
- RS
- right side
Three tiny sunflowers on a wire ear climber
Center (Color B)
- Round 1Begin with MR. Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch here or throughout). Work 6 sc into MR. Pull ring closed. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sc)
- Round 2Ch 1. Working in both loops, [sc in next st, ch 1] 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-1 spaces)Fasten off Color B, leaving a 4-inch tail. Use the tail to weave through the center back to reinforce the magic ring.
Leaf (Color C)
Use Color C throughout, and make 4 leaves in total.
- FoundationCh 6.
- Row 1(RS): Sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, 4 hdc in last ch (this is the tip of the leaf). Rotating to work along the opposite side of the foundation chain: hdc in next ch, sc in next 2 ch, sc in last ch. Do not join. (12 sts total around the leaf outline)
- Row 2Ch 1, sl st in first sc, sc in next sc, hdc in next sc, hdc in next hdc, sk 2 sts of tip cluster, sl st in center st of 4-hdc tip cluster, sk 2 sts of tip cluster, hdc in next hdc, hdc in next sc, sc in next sc, sl st in last sc. (10 sts)Fasten off, leaving a 5-inch tail for attachment.
The leaf will naturally curl slightly at the tip. Stiffening and pinning it flat will correct this.
Checkpoint: Each leaf should measure approximately 0.5 inch long and 0.3 inch at the widest point after blocking.
Petals (Color A)
Special Stitch: Petal Stitch This stitch creates the rounded petals on your sunflowers. It looks complicated written out, but once you do it once, it clicks. Step by step (worked in a ch-1 space): insert hook into the indicated chain-1 space; yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook); yarn over and pull through 1 loop to create a chain base. Now work 4 partial double crochets into the same space: yarn over, insert hook into same space, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops; repeat this 3 more times until you have 5 loops on your hook plus 1 from the beginning. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops on hook. Chain 1 to close. That creates one rounded petal. Practice this stitch on scrap thread before starting your actual flowers.
- Round 3Join Color A with sl st to any ch-1 space from Round 2. Work one Petal Stitch into same ch-1 space. [Sl st to next ch-1 space, work one Petal Stitch into same ch-1 space] 5 times. Join with sl st to top of first Petal Stitch. (6 Petal Stitches)Fasten off Color A, leaving a 6-inch tail for attachment to wire.(6)
Your completed motif should lie flat and circular with 6 evenly spaced rounded petals surrounding the brown center.
Checkpoint: Each sunflower should measure approximately 0.6 inch across at the widest point after stiffening. If larger than 0.75 inch, reduce hook size. If smaller than 0.5 inch, increase hook size.
Before the first stitch
- Check your thread amounts: 25 yards gold, 8 yards brown, 12 yards sage.
- Practice the petal stitch once before your final motif.
- Read Round 2 first, so you see the six ch-1 spaces you will need.
Minutes per piece
- Three sunflower motifs (center, leaf, petals) about 2 hours, because each motif works across three small parts and two color changes
- Wire assembly, beading, and stiffening about 2 to 3 hours, because drying time and bead placement both take patience
Other yarns that work
- DMC Petra Crochet Cotton, Size 5, a Motifs come out approximately 20 percent larger than with Size 10 thread. You will need a longer wire blank to accommodate the bigger flowers.
Joining up
- Step 1 Stiffen all motifs and leaves. Mix equal parts white craft glue and water in a small dish, or use undiluted liquid fabric stiffener. Dip each motif and leaf into the mixture and gently squeeze out excess. Lay all pieces flat on a foam pinning board with the right side facing up. Use straight pins to hold petals open and leaves flat. Allow to dry completely, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Step 2 Prepare the wire armature. Examine your ear climber wire blank. It should have a coiled or looped section at the top.
- Step 3 Run your finger along the back of the piece to confirm it is smooth and comfortable. If any wire ends poke out, use flat-nose pliers to press them flat against the armature.
- Step 4 Weave in all remaining thread tails using a fine tapestry needle. A small dot of jewelry adhesive on each woven tail will prevent unraveling over time.
Small notes
- One completed sunflower motif through Round 3 should measure about 0.6 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter after blocking and stiffening. Use a US size 7 steel hook (1.65 mm) for this gauge. If your motifs run large, move down to a US size 8 steel hook (1.50 mm); if they run small, move up to a US size 6 steel hook (1.80 mm).
- Join Color A to any ch-1 space from Round 2 for the petals. Keep your tension even, so the six petals stay symmetrical.
- Each leaf will curl slightly at the tip after Row 2. Pin it flat before stiffening to correct the curl.
- All motifs begin with a magic ring (MR). Pull the ring snug before continuing to the next round.
- You will make 3 sunflower motifs and 4 leaves. All three flowers are identical; positioning on the wire differentiates them.
- Weave in all thread ends securely before assembly. Ends that are not woven in will show through the stiffener.
- Stiffening is essential. Apply fabric stiffener or a mixture of equal parts white craft glue and water to each motif and leaf before assembly. Without stiffening, the tiny motifs will droop on the wire.
- Join each round with a slip stitch to the first stitch of that round unless instructed otherwise, and do not turn between rounds unless explicitly told to do so.
- This pattern is sized for the right ear as shown. For the left ear, mirror the assembly by curving the wire blank in the opposite direction.
Little questions
Why is my sunflower motif not 0.6 inch across?
Your hook size changes the finished measurement. Move to a smaller steel hook, like a US size 8, if your motif runs large. Move up to a US size 6 if it runs small.
How do I stop the leaf from curling at the tip?
This curl is normal after Row 2 of the leaf. Pin the leaf flat, then let the stiffener dry fully before you unpin it.
Can I leave out the amber seed beads?
Yes, the beads are decorative fill between the motifs. Skipping them changes the look but not the structure of the piece.
What thread should I avoid for this pattern?
Skip anything with high sheen or a wax coating. These resist stiffener and will not hold the petal shape.
Original pattern: https://crochr.com/sunflower-ear-climber-free-crochet-pattern/
About the Author
Tamsin Okoro Who writes the patterns at Yarn Gallery, how a pattern gets from the hook to the page, and what this site will never do.
