Have you ever heard of African Flower? This crochet motif is very popular, because it’s easy to do and you can adjust it to any shape you like. You will find these cute flowers used in afghans, baby blankets, as coasters or even as parts of amigurumi animals.
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Never tried it before? Read the article to learn all about it, and look for free patterns, video tutorials and color inspiration! Below you can see a little snippet of what’s to come.


- click for photo sources: top, top left, bottom left, bottom right. All of the sources are properly credited later in the article.
popular and versatile motif
Today’s hero has simple center and rounded petals, usually six of them, but you can find lots of variations. Shape of the petals is the most characteristic part of this motif, and you will recognize it without problems, even if the pattern is slightly modified from the original.
The most popular way to use African Flower is putting it in a square, or a hexagon. This allows you to easily join them together and create repeating patterns. As I mentioned at the start, you will most likely find it in afghan designs, baby blankets, or used as coasters. There is a whole bunch of amazing patterns, which use it to create amigurumi, too! I will write more about it further in the post.
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Our growing website and library of free crochet patterns has some projects that might interest you, too. If you want to know more about crochet, read my articles on different topics, for example explore Nature’s Walk CAL Ideas.
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crochet roundup!
African Flower motif is definitely one of my favorites, and in this part of the post, you will see exactly why. I believe that abundance of colors, clever versions and simple ideas will make you inspired to find your own way with this crochet project. Below you will see a collection of the most beautiful projects featuring African Flower, so let’s not waste any more time and dive right into it!
Read carefully for free crochet patterns and tutorials.
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6 Petal African Flowers Designs
Colorful Pastels
African Flowers by Mamlik
This cute blanket by Mamlik uses seven pastel colors, which look phenomenal together – just take a look at the photo below to see for yourself! Simple hexagons employ colors in strategic places, but by mixing and matching, the whole project looks very thought through and polished. Pay attention to beautiful half-hexies in the edges, because it’s a great idea for straightening the whole piece up!


- photos by @mamlik_etsy on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern –African Flower Hexagon by Lounette Fourie & Anita Rossouw.
You may also like this article – Catherine Wheel Stitch Ideas.
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African Flower Hexagon by Ella and the Ricks
Ella decided to go for multicolored yarn and make all the flowers from it, and I must admit that it was a great idea! Just look how the color flows from one flower to another, but what’s more, simple white background makes all of them pop! To make spaces between the flowers even bigger, she did two rounds of double crochet in the outermost part of the hexagon, so keep it in mind – it’s a clever technique!


- photos by Ella and the Ricks from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here: African Flower Hexagon by Heidi Bears. More info is on Ravelry here.
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African Flowers by Raquel Porter
Pale palettes like a pop of color, and this blanket by Raquel definitely proves it right. Neutral borders, delicate pastel flowers with mixed and matched petals… and suddenly, pop of red! Take a look at the photos below and admire the beauty of the unexpected.


- photos by @_woolala_ on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Centerpiece by Glowing Grace.
You may also like this article – Larksfoot Stitch Ideas.
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Blue Vibes
African Flower by knittinghun
Such simple pattern as an African Flower can look very different, depending on the color scheme you choose. The order of the colors is crucial, too, because it changes the vibe very much! Take a look at Knittinghun’s flowers in the photo below, and see how many different combinations you can make, using a very limited color palette.


- photos by knittinghun from Ravelry
This project was based on a paid pattern for African Flower Shoulder Bag by JOs Crocheteria.
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African Flower Hexagon Blanket by Gemini & Crochet
Pastels doesn’t always have to be sweet, and this delicate blanket will be perfect for both boys and girls. Simple cream background makes the hues of blue-green really stand out, because of the subtle contrast. If you don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet, go for this kind of neutral palettes.


- photos by @geminicrochet on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Hexagon by Heidi Bears. More info is on Ravelry here.
If you need a joining tutorial, check out the free crochet pattern here: Single Crochet Join-as-You-Go by The Hat & I.
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Lovely Pinks
African Flower Hexagon by Ella and the Ricks
Another beautiful baby blanket by Ella stunned me with the sharpness and simplicity of its colors. Once again, the author used multicolored yarn to achieve delicate color flow in the flowers, which is a great idea, because the effect is so unexpected! Notice, that she used pure white yarn for half-hexagons on the sides, so that they are not grabbing any attention.


- photos by Ella and the Ricks from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here: African Flower Hexagon by Heidi Bears. More info is on Ravelry here.
You may also like this article – Millstone Stitch Ideas.
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African Flower Hexagon Blanket by Gemini & Crochet
Four colors are enough to create eye-catching design with African Flower motif. In this beautiful blanket, which you can see below, author chose contrasting dark yarn to go next to the petals, because it creates depth. Simple cream is a great choice for background, as usual, because it makes the flowers sing!


- photos by @geminicrochet on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Hexagon by Heidi Bears. More info is on Ravelry here.
If you need a joining tutorial, check out the free crochet pattern here: Single Crochet Join-as-You-Go by The Hat & I.
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Bold and Vibrant
African Flower Hexagon Blankets by Sinems Crochet
This may not be the first choice to make with scraps of yarn, but it definitely works as one! Just take a look at these lovely blankets and tell me, that they are not stunning – of course, they are! In fact, you need very little yarn to make an African Flower work, so gather all of your leftovers and make a blanket out of them!


- photos by @sinemakbalaban on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Hexagon by Heidi Bears. More info is on Ravelry here.
If you need a joining tutorial, check out the free crochet pattern here: African Flower Hexagon Joining by Heidi Bears.
You may also like this article – Moss Stitch / Linen Stitch Ideas.
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African Flowers by Sinems Crochet
We’ve seen a lot of light, pastel palettes, but this one is something different. Each color in this project is a statement – dark violet, vibrant yellow, electric blue, or cheerful pink? They all work perfectly well together, but who would have thought? As you can see in the photos, experiments are worth taking some risks, because you can come up with projects as beautiful as this one.


- photos by @sinemakbalaban on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Pincushion by Camilla N. Skjoenhaug. More info is on Ravelry here.
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8 Petal African Flower Designs
Bold Colors and Contrasts
African Flower Baby Blanket by Adri Smit
This project is a pink explosion! Vibrant and colorful blanket like this will look fantastic in a girls’ bedroom, or in an eclectic interior. Adri chose juicy colors for her squares, and decided to use pink for the details – you can see it in the join, as well as in an edging. Lacy border is a great idea that complements flowers beautifully!


- photos by Adri Smit from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here: African Flower Square by Barbara G Smith. More info is on Ravelry here.
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African Flower Blanket by Arzu Ürkmez
Classic color combo of blue, yellow and white is a color choice well known to designers! This cheerful palette will be suitable for both boys and girls – just take a look at the photo and see for yourself! Cute spiky edging with two colorful stripes is a perfect finishing touch.


- photos by @altinorgu_ on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern here – African Flower with 8 Petals by Laura Pavy.
You may also like this article – Popcorn Stitch Ideas.
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African Flower Afghan by Linda
If you like to use flower motifs as details, you’ll like this project by Linda, because she decided to take a different approach than other authors. In her blanket, flower is at the center of the square, but the square itself is quite big. In addition, she decided to go for contrasting thick join, which further underlines graphic character of the whole blanket.


- photos by labullard from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here – African Flower with 8 Petals by Laura Pavy.
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Delicate and Romantic
African Flower Blanket by Fehime Öztürk
This gender-neutral blanket is a true gem, and Fehime did a fantastic job! As you can see in the pictures, it’s all in the details – two colors for the join, or lovely petal-like edging in corresponding colors. She also decided to make her squares one row bigger than usual, which is a very clever concept, because it makes the flowers pop even more on the lovely cream background.


- photos by @byfehimeozturk on Instagram: top, bottom
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African Flower Squares by Marun Crochet
As I mentioned before, African Flower can have more than six petals, but nevertheless you will recognize it in an instant. This project by Marun Crochet featured two-row center and eight petals, which makes the whole motif bigger. In addition, author decided to enclose it in a square, which has lovely teardrop eyelets in each corner. Beauty!


- photos by @marun_crochet on Instagram: top, bottom
You can find a similar project as a free crochet pattern – African Flower Centerpiece by Glowing Grace, or use this free pattern for African Flower with 8 Petals by Laura Pavy.
Do you like working with squares? Great, because you may also like this article – Battenberg Blanket Crochet Ideas.
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African Flower Baby Blanket by Victoria
Eight petal African Flower needs bigger center, but you can also play with the way you divide the petals. Victoria decided to add a very simple, yet powerful detail – elongated single crochet is anchored all the way down, at the center. This graphic line makes the flower even more interesting!


- photos by victoriaoc from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here – African Flower with 8 Petals by Laura Pavy.
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Moody and Elegant
African Flower Blanket by Katya Novikova
How to achieve perfect balance between romantic and elegant? Katya chose a truly timeless palette, which is a combination of cream, dusty green and hues of pink and violet. I’m sure, that blanket like this one would look amazing both in a modern interior and a classic one. Take a look below to see, how good it looks, when finished off with wide granny border.


- photos by Katyanovikova from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here: African Flower Square by Barbara G Smith. More info is on Ravelry here.
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African Flower Blanket by sinemakbalaban
This color palette, which you can see in the photos, is one of my favorites ever, because it reminds me classic old-school teddy bears! Cream, chocolate and blue sounds like an ultimate combination for a little boy, but I’m sure that every little girl will be happy to receive it, too! Lovely scalloped edging is a perfect finishing touch in this amazing project by Sinemakbalaban.


- photos by @sinemakbalaban on Instagram: top, bottom
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African Flower Motif in Home Decor
African Flower Pot Holder by Hard Days Knit
Do you need a simple project, or have enough of these blankets? Well, these potholders are a perfect design for you, especially if you don’t have a lot of time for crocheting. Simply adding a couple of rows to an African Flower hexagon can transform it into a potholder, table centerpiece or set of coasters.


- photos by HardDaysKnit from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here – African Flower Mandala Pot Holder by Crochet with Raymond. More info is on Ravelry here.
You may also like this article – Easy V-Stitch Ideas.
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African Flower Hot Air Balloon by Ina Rho
Oh yes, you definitely can make amigurumi projects with this motif, so don’t waste any more time! This absolutely adorable hot air balloon will be a beautiful addition to a nursery, or a decoration of kids’ room. Ina came up with a brilliant idea of simply making a crochet cover for a regular white balloon. Clever!


- photos by Ina Rho from Ravelry
You can find this free crochet pattern here – African Flower Hot Air Balloon by Ina Rho. More info is on Ravelry here.
Are you a fan of the African Flower motif? Take a look at amazing paid patterns by Heidi Bears here, because they feature lots of amigurumi animals.
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That’s all for today, but I’ll be back with much more inspiring projects and free patterns. Like, share, and subscribe if you like what you see. Stay tuned!
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You may also like: Puff Flower Crochet Ideas


i love your blanket patterns i am 87 and have just had eye op
please help how would i know how many african flowers to make for a double bed or queen size hopefully i will have many yrs
so i would like to make for my grandchildren all adults
thank you for a wonderful web
please carry on making beautiful articles
i live in south africa and we are in lock down very sad world regards shirley
Hi Shirley! Thank you for your kind words!
First you need to decide what size you want your bed spread to be, and then make one African flower hexagon or square to measure its width. Then you should calculate how many of them fits into your desired size. The simplest way would be choosing one of the free patterns I link below the pictures and starting from there – the measurements of one block are usually provided in the pattern.
Hope it helps!
I really loved the pastel blanket you featured! I want to make one for a grand baby. I was wondering what yarn brand or type you would recommend that can be machine washed (since it will be for a baby). I can’t seem to find one that’s really soft but doesn’t pill when washed. Thank you for including links to patterns, etc.!
hi Kim! glad you like my selection <3 I would choose yarns that are specifically designed for babies, but you can go for most acrylics or cotton yarns. Wool yarns have to be treated to be washable, so they are harder to find. Stylecraft Special DK is a very common choice for baby blankets! Many online shops, such as LoveCrafts have special category for machine washable yarns, so you can search this way, too!
hope it helps a bit 🙂
Thanks for this inspirational article! So many possibilities. After reading it I have made a really lovely African Rose blanket in pinks (inspired by Ella & the Ricks) and have now embarked on a baby blanket in Manchester City blues.
Hi Clare! It’s great to hear. That’s exactly what I wanted to achieve – inspire 🙂 Good luck with the blanket! If you like, please share your makes with me by sending them to my email or tagging me on social media!
Wow also used this pattern. Very easy and the end result is beautiful
I would like to know the crochet stitches were used to join the squares of the Linda blanket. A of squares floral and junction of squares in brown.Could you send me the pattern of the joint? my mail:[email protected]
hi Rita, it’s not my project. I linked author’s social media below the photo – please contact them for more info.
Fabulous patterns … all of them! Thank you, Kate.
♥️