Crochet Watermelon Coleus Plant with Five Leaf Sizes
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This crochet watermelon coleus plant has contrasting leaf centers and bright green edges. This crochet version builds the plant from twelve separately wired leaves in five sizes. Small leaves sit near the top and larger leaves fill out the lower part of the plant. The source places the project at intermediate-to-advanced level and gives an approximate size of 18 cm tall without the pot and 23 cm wide, depending on the shaping.
Crochet Watermelon Coleus Plant Materials
- A 1.5 mm crochet hook and 3-ply yarn or thread. The source uses DMC Petra No. 5 and gives alternative 4-ply yarn or crochet cotton No. 10 with a suitable hook.
- Contrasting leaf-center colors and green edging yarn. Exact per-color amounts are not supplied.
- Florist wire, 26 gauge or thicker, for leaf edges; garden wire of about 2–3.5 mm for the main stem, or a suitable garden stake.
- Green floral tape and a display pot with fitted foam or dry florist support; optional pebbles or moss for covering it.
- Scissors, a needle and wire cutters.
Before you begin
Use US terms. This is a detailed shaped-leaf project rather than a simple circular motif. Make four A leaves and two each of B, C, D and E, twelve in total. Keep the wire inside the edge stitches. The source includes mixed inch/centimeter labels that are not equivalent; this adaptation keeps the metric labels and treats the wire lengths as approximate, leaving room to adjust to the actual leaf.
Understand the long stitches and notation
The long sc, long hdc, long dc and long tr are spike-like stitches. Make the named stitch into the round below the wired round, one stitch back from the last stitch worked. Draw the loop up to the height of the current round and finish the stitch normally. The source usually pairs a normal stitch with its long version, then a slip stitch. Check that the slip stitch is placed in the intended next stitch rather than a loop hidden under the long stitch.
In the sequences below, a parenthesized group shares one stitch or space; ungrouped stitches continue into successive stitches. “Repeat ×N” means N total repeats, not N extra repeats. At each tip, rotate and continue down the opposite side. An increase is 2 of the named stitch in one stitch. Sl st means slip stitch; dec means sc2tog. The source’s tc is written as US tr here.
Leaf A: make four
| Round | Stitch sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ch 25 and skip the chain nearest the hook. Work 2 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, dc inc ×2, 9 dc, 4 hdc, 3 sc; work 3 sc in the last chain. Return along the other side: 3 sc, 4 hdc, 9 dc, dc inc ×2, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the skipped starting chain. |
| 2 | 2 sc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, dc inc, (dc, tr), (tr, tr inc) ×2, 3 tr, 4 dc, 4 hdc, 3 sc; 3 sc in the tip. Return: 3 sc, 4 hdc, 4 dc, 3 tr, (tr inc, tr) ×2, (tr, dc), dc inc, 1 dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc. Join at the base. |
| 3 | Introduce approximately 50 cm of florist wire and crochet over it. Ch 1; 8 sc, (sc inc, sc) ×3, 17 sc. In the tip stitch, work (hdc, ch 4; skip the first of those new chains and work sc then hdc down the chain; hdc back into the tip). Return: 17 sc, (sc, sc inc) ×3, 8 sc. Join on the opposite side and change color. |
| 4 | Ch 1; 4 sc, hdc; (hdc, long hdc), sl st; dc, (dc, long dc), sl st; [dc, (tr, long tr), sl st] ×4; [dc, (dc, long dc), sl st] ×2; [hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st] ×2; 2 sc, then 3 sc in the tip. Return: 2 sc; [sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc)] ×2; [sl st, dc, (dc, long dc)] ×2; [sl st, dc, (tr, long tr)] ×4; sl st, (dc, long dc), dc; sl st, (hdc, long hdc), hdc; 5 sc and join. |
| 5 | Ch 1; 4 sc, sl st into the row below. [sc, hdc, hdc inc, sl st at the side of the preceding slip stitch] ×10; 3 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 3 sc; [sl st at the side, hdc inc, hdc, sc] ×10; sl st in the row below, 5 sc. Change color. |
| 6 | Ch 1; 4 sc; dc beside the preceding slip stitch. [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×10; 3 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the unused skipped chain at the tip. Return: 2 sc, 3 hdc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×10; 5 sc and join. |
| 7 | Ch 1 and sc, then 7 sc. [(sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st), 2 sl st] ×11. At the tip: (dc, tr, ch 1, sl st, dc). Return: [2 sl st, (sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st)] ×11; 8 sc. Leave a long tail and wrap about 5 cm of wire below the leaf. |
Leaf B: make two
| Round | Stitch sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ch 20; skip one. 2 sc, hdc, dc, dc inc ×2, 6 dc, 3 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the last chain. Return: 2 sc, 3 hdc, 6 dc, dc inc ×2, dc, hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the skipped starting chain. |
| 2 | 2 sc, 2 hdc, dc, dc inc ×2, dc, dc inc, dc, dc inc, 3 dc, 3 hdc, 3 sc; 3 sc in the tip. Return: 3 sc, 3 hdc, 3 dc, dc inc, dc, dc inc, dc, dc inc ×2, dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc and join. |
| 3 | Introduce approximately 50 cm of wire. Ch 1; 5 sc, (sc inc, sc) ×3, 15 sc. In the tip stitch, work (hdc, ch 4; skip the first of those new chains and work sc then hdc down the chain; hdc back into the tip). Return: 15 sc, (sc, sc inc) ×3, 5 sc and join. Change color. |
| 4 | Ch 1; 4 sc; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; dc, (dc, long dc), sl st; [dc, (tr, long tr), sl st] ×3; [dc, (dc, long dc), sl st] ×2; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; 3 sc, then 3 sc in the tip. Return: 3 sc; sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc); [sl st, dc, (dc, long dc)] ×2; [sl st, dc, (tr, long tr)] ×3; sl st, dc, (dc, long dc); sl st, (hdc, long hdc), hdc; 5 sc and join. |
| 5 | 4 sc and sl st into the row below; [sc, hdc, hdc inc, sl st at the side] ×8; 4 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 4 sc; [sl st at the side, hdc inc, hdc, sc] ×8; sl st below, 5 sc and join. Change color. |
| 6 | Ch 1; 4 sc, dc beside the preceding slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×8; 4 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the unused tip chain. Return: 2 sc, 4 hdc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×8; 5 sc and join. |
| 7 | Ch 1 and sc, then 7 sc; [(sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st), 2 sl st] ×9. Tip: (dc, tr, ch 1, sl st, dc). Return: [2 sl st, (sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st)] ×9; 8 sc and join. Wrap part of the tail around the wire. |
Leaf C: make two
| Round | Stitch sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ch 15; skip one. 2 sc, (hdc, dc), (dc, tr), (tr, dc), 2 dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc; 3 sc in the last chain. Return: 3 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, (dc, tr), (tr, dc), (dc, hdc), 2 sc; 3 sc at the base. |
| 2 | 2 sc, hdc, (hdc, dc), dc, dc inc, 5 dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc; 3 sc at the tip. Return: 3 sc, 2 hdc, 5 dc, dc inc, dc, (dc, hdc), hdc, 3 sc and join. |
| 3 | Introduce approximately 42 cm of wire as given in the metric source label. Ch 1; 5 sc, (sc inc, sc) ×3, 9 sc; (hdc, ch 4; skip one new chain, sc, hdc down the chain) at the tip. Return: 9 sc, (sc, sc inc) ×3, 5 sc and join. Change color. |
| 4 | Ch 1; 4 sc; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; [dc, (dc, long dc), sl st] ×4; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; 3 sc, then 3 sc in the tip. Return: 3 sc; sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc); [sl st, dc, (dc, long dc)] ×4; sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc); 5 sc and join. |
| 5 | Ch 1; 4 sc, sl st in the row below; [sc, hdc, hdc inc, sl st at the side] ×6; 4 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 4 sc; [sl st at the side, hdc inc, hdc, sc] ×6; sl st below, 5 sc. Change color. |
| 6 | Ch 1; 4 sc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×6; 4 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the unused tip chain. Return: 2 sc, 4 hdc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×6; 5 sc and join. |
| 7 | Ch 1 and sc, then 7 sc; [(sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st), 2 sl st] ×7. Tip: (dc, tr, ch 1, sl st, dc). Return: [2 sl st, (sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1), (dc, ch 2, sl st)] ×7; 8 sc and join. Wrap part of the tail around the wire. |
Leaf D: make two
| Round | Stitch sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ch 12; skip one. Sc, (hdc, dc), dc inc, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the last chain. Return: 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, dc inc, (dc, hdc), sc and join at the base. Introduce approximately 25 cm of wire as labelled in the source. |
| 2 | Ch 1; 2 sc, sc inc ×3, 7 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 7 sc, sc inc ×3, 2 sc and join. Change color. |
| 3 | Ch 1; 2 sc; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; [dc, (dc, long dc), sl st] ×2; hdc, (hdc, long hdc), sl st; 2 sc, then 3 sc in the tip. Return: 2 sc; sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc); [sl st, dc, (dc, long dc)] ×2; sl st, hdc, (hdc, long hdc); 3 sc and join. |
| 4 | Ch 1; 2 sc, sl st below; [sc, sc, sc inc, sl st at the side] ×4; 3 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 3 sc; [sl st at the side, sc inc, sc, sc] ×4; sl st below, 3 sc. Change color. |
| 5 | Ch 1; 2 sc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×4; 2 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc in the unused tip chain. Return: 2 sc, 2 hdc, dc beside the slip stitch; [hdc, dec, hdc, dc beside the slip stitch] ×4; 3 sc and join. |
| 6 | Ch 1 and sc, then 4 sc; [(sl st, ch 1, hdc, ch 1), (hdc, ch 1, sl st), 2 sl st] ×5. Tip: (hdc, dc, ch 1, sl st, hdc). Return: [2 sl st, (sl st, ch 1, hdc, ch 1), (hdc, ch 1, sl st)] ×5; 5 sc and join. Wrap the tail around the wire. |
Leaf E: make two
| Round | Stitch sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ch 10; skip one. Sc, hdc, dc inc, 2 hdc, 2 sc; 3 sc at the tip. Return: 2 sc, 2 hdc, dc inc, hdc, sc; join in the skipped starting chain. Introduce approximately 25 cm of wire as labelled in the source. |
| 2 | Ch 1; 2 sc, sc inc ×2, 5 sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: 5 sc, sc inc ×2, 2 sc and join. Change color. |
| 3 | Ch 1; 2 sc; [sc, (sc, long sc), sl st] ×3; sc. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: sc; [sl st, sc, (sc, long sc)] ×3; 3 sc and join. Change color. |
| 4 | Ch 1; 2 sc; [(sl st, ch 3, sc), 2 sc] ×4. At the center tip, work (sc, ch 3; skip the first new chain and work sc, sc down the chain). Return: [2 sc, (sl st, ch 3, sc)] ×4; 3 sc and join. Wrap the remaining tail around the wire. |
Shape and assemble the plant
- Stretch the leaves gently into shape and flatten the edges. The source optionally uses hairspray and presses the leaves between two old placemats under a weight for about ten minutes; allow any applied finish to dry.
- Prepare a main garden-wire support of about 30 cm, trimming it later to suit the pot.
- Attach the two smallest E leaves opposite one another near the top, using floral tape to secure their wire stems.
- Add the two D leaves underneath and between the E leaves. Continue with C, then B, then the four A leaves, arranging the leaves in opposing pairs and staggering successive levels.
- Continue wrapping the main support after attaching each pair so all loose wires are covered.
- Trim the support for your pot or vase. Insert it into the fitted support and cover the surface with the finish you have chosen. Check the shape from several sides before making the final bends.
Questions before you finish
Do all leaves have the same number of rounds?
No. A, B and C have seven rounds, D has six and E has four. Keep the sizes separate during construction.
Can I change the size of the whole plant?
The source allows more or fewer leaves. Yarn, hook, wire support and the way the leaves are bent also affect the finished dimensions.
More Crochet Flowers and Plants
For another handmade botanical project, try our trailing leaf hanging plant or ribbed crochet cactus.
Design credit
Original design and reference photographs: the supplied Watermelon Coleus pattern. This article is an editorial adaptation of the supplied pattern.
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