Make a crochet houseplant: The Spider Plant

This is one of the most popular houseplants (Chlorophytum comosum) for two reasons: it appears to be almost indestructible, and it  has little offshoot babies that grow at the end of long stems. The attractive crochet version looks great in a hanging pot.

FINISHED SIZE
The plant in its pot is approximately 10in (25cm) tall and 10in (25cm) wide.

What you need

YOU WILL NEED

Scheepjes Metropolis, 75% wool, 25% nylon (219yd/200m per 50g ball): 1 ball in 033 Atlanta (A) 031. Canberra (B) and 032 Abu Dhabi (C)
Scheepjes Merino Soft, 50% wool, 25% microfibre, 25% acrylic (115yd/105m per 50g ball): 1 ball in 607 Braque (D)
3mm (UK11:US–) crochet hook
3.5mm (UK9:USE/4) crochet hook
Polyester stuffing
Tapestry needle
Floristry wire
Plant pot approximately. 4in (10cm) in diameter

TENSION

Tension is not essential for this project.

Instructions

NOTE

The plant leaves are worked in rows. Create strength in the leaf by working around a wire on row 2 (see page 133). Work one side of the leaf, then the other side, and then complete the leaf by working
a final row of dc in yarn B or C.

LARGE LEAF (make 3)

Row 1: Using 3mm hook and A, ch 37 sts.

Hold your floristry wire above your ch sts; you will work around the wire to encase it in the crochet.

Row 2: Insert your hook into the 2nd st from the hook, yarn over the hook, pull through the stitch, put your hook over the wire and the stitches and wrap the yarn over the hook and pull through both loops on the hook, encasing the wire. Rep to the end of the ch stitches, pm, turn (36 sts).

Pull the wire so that it is at the beginning of the row.

Row 3 WS: Ch 1, 33 dc, 3 sl st, 1 ch, (now work down the other side of the leaf into the other side of the ch sts),
3 sl st, 33 dc, turn (73 sts).

Fasten off yarn A and leave a long tail of yarn.

Row 4 RS: Change to yarn B, 1 ch, 33 dc, 3 sl st, (1 sl st, 2 ch, 1 sl st) in
ch sp, 3 sl st, 33 dc.

Fasten off and leave a tail of yarn.

MEDIUM LEAF (make 6)

Make 3 using A and B and another
3 using A and C.

Row 1: Using 3mm hook and A, ch 31 sts.

Hold your floristry wire above your
ch sts; you will work around the wire
to encase it in the crochet.

Pull the wire so that it is at the beginning of the row.

Row 3 WS: Ch 1, 27 dc, 3 sl st, 1 ch, (now work down the other side of the leaf into the other side of the ch sts),
3 sl st, 27 dc, turn (61 sts).

Fasten off yarn A and leave a long tail of yarn.

Row 4 RS: Change to yarn B (or C), 1 ch,
27 dc, 3 sl st, (1 sl st, 2 ch, 1 sl st) in ch sp, 3 sl st, 27 dc.

Fasten off and leave a tail of yarn.

SMALL LEAF (make 4)

Row 1: Using 3mm hook and A, ch 21 sts.

Hold your floristry wire above your ch sts; you will work around the wire to encase it in the crochet.

Pull the wire so that it is at the beginning of the row.

Row 3 WS: Ch 1, 17 dc, 3 sl st, 1 ch, (now work down the other side of the leaf into the other side of the ch sts),
3 sl st, 17 dc, turn (41 sts).

Fasten off yarn A and leave a long tail of yarn.

Row 4 RS: Change to yarn C, 1 ch, 17 dc, 3 sl st, (1 sl st, 2 ch, 1 sl st) in ch sp, 3 sl st, 17 dc.

Fasten off and leave a tail of yarn.

LONG STEM

Take a strand of wire and work chain stitches around the wire. Using A and 3mm hook, place a sl st on the hook. With the wire in the hand that holds your yarn, place the yarn under the wire and the hook over the wire, yarn over the hook and pull through the sl st.

Put your hook under the wire and yarn over, pull up, then put your hook over the wire, yarn over, pull through both loops on the hook. Rep until you have 31 sts.

BABY LEAF (make 3)

Make 1 using A and 2 using B.

Row 1: Using 3mm hook, ch 17 sts.

Hold the floristry wire above your ch sts; you will work around the wire to encase it in the crochet.

Pull the wire so that it is at the beginning of the row. Cut off the wire to fit the chain stitches. Weave in all ends.

SOIL

Using 3.5mm hook and D, make
a magic ring (see page 129).

Round 1: 1 ch, 6 dc into the centre
of the ring.

Round 2: 2 dc into each st (12 sts).

Round 3: (1 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (18 sts).

Round 4: (2 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (24 sts).

Round 5: (3 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (30 sts).

Round 6: (4 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (36 sts).

Round 7: (5 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (42 sts).

Round 8: (6 dc, dc2inc) 6 times (48 sts).

Rounds 9–16: Work 8 rounds straight.

Round 17: (6 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (42 sts).

Round 18: (5 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (36 sts).

Round 19: (4 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (30 sts).

Round 20: (3 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (24 sts).

Round 21: (2 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (18 sts).

Stuff firmly with polyester stuffing.

Round 22: (1 dc, dc2tog) 6 times (12 sts).

Round 23: (Dc2tog) 6 times (6 sts).

Using a tapestry needle, weave this yarn through the last dc sts of the round and gather hole together. Fasten off and weave in ends.

MAKING UP

Weave in the stray ends of yarn B and C on each leaf. Poke the wire of each leaf into the soil, then use the long tails of yarn A to sew the base of the leaf securely to the top of the soil. Fold each of the baby leaves in half and sew the centre of the leaves to one end of the plant strand. Then sew the plant stem to the soil at the outer edge of the leaf clump. Curl the leaves slightly to create a natural plant shape.

CROCHETING CHAIN STITCHES AROUND WIRE

Several projects in this book feature this technique of incorporating wire into the crochet to add structural integrity to either the stem or the leaves of a plant. This both stops the project from drooping and allows you to manipulate it once it is complete to create a naturalistic effect when you display it.

Place a sl st on your hook. With the wire in the hand that holds your yarn, place the yarn under the wire and your hook over the wire, yarn over the hook and pull through your sl st.
Put your hook under the wire and yarn over.
Pull up, then put your hook over the wire, yarn over.
Pull yarn through both loops on the hook.