A crochet lily flower is built from six long pointed petals, a green leaf and a small bundle of yellow stamens, and every petal is crocheted around a piece of flower wire so it can be bent into shape. The petal starts from a 25-chain foundation and grows into a narrow leaf-shaped oval in four short passes. Six of them, joined round a stamen bundle, make a lily that looks far more complicated than it is.
This free crochet lily flower pattern is written for crocheters who already know the chain, the single crochet and the double crochet. Every stitch count below is marked as stated by the designer or derived by us, and the arithmetic is shown so you can check it. Each step has its own photo.
Key numbers. Foundation chain: 25 (stated, designer’s correction) ยท petal rows: 23 + 3 + 23 stitches (derived) ยท outer round: 25 stitches (derived, 13 + 12) ยท petals: 6 (counted on the finished flower) ยท leaf: 28 stitches along each side, 20 of them double or half double crochet (derived, designer’s correction) ยท hook: 2.5 mm (stated) ยท yarn: 4 ply (stated).
On this page
- What you need for this crochet lily flower
- Stitches and the crochet lily flower pattern at a glance
- Work the base rows of the crochet lily flower petal
- Add the flower wire and shape the petal
- Make the leaf for your crochet lily flower
- Make the stamens and put the crochet lily flower together
- Where the crochet lily flower goes wrong
- 4 more free crochet lily flower patterns
- FAQ
- Where to go next
- Sources
What you need for this crochet lily flower
You need three colours of yarn, a small hook, flower wire, fabric glue, a yarn needle and scissors. The designer works the petals in pink, the stamens in yellow and the leaf and the wrapping in green.
| Item | What the designer uses | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn | 4 ply milk cotton, pink + yellow + green | Stated |
| Hook | 2.5 mm | Stated |
| Flower wire | One length per petal and per leaf, plus short pieces for the stamens | Stated as “flower wire”; gauge not given |
| Fabric glue | Yes | Listed with the materials |
| Yarn needle | Yes | For the tails |
| Scissors | Yes | Strong enough to cut the wire is best |
| Yardage | Not stated | Small project; the exact use is not given |
| Finished size | Not stated | It depends on your yarn and hook |
Ply names are weight names, not strand counts. The yarn weight chart at Yarn.com places 4 ply with super fine (fingering) yarn. Labels vary between brands, so check the length per ball and the hook size printed on yours.
The Craft Yarn Council’s yarn weight standard lists crochet hooks of 2.25 to 3.5 mm for super fine yarn, and the designer’s 2.5 mm sits inside that range. The other free lily patterns further down use 2.0 to 4 mm hooks, so the flower can be made smaller or larger by changing yarn and hook together.
Stitches and the crochet lily flower pattern at a glance
Crochet has two naming conventions for the same stitches. This pattern uses the names the designer’s labels use. If you learned the other convention, the table gives the matching name. The Lovecrafts term conversion chart lists the pairs, and warns that mixing the two systems can make a piece come out far larger or smaller than planned.
| Name used here | Abbreviation | Other convention | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain | ch | Chain | 25 to start; 1 to turn; 2 at the tip |
| Slip stitch | ss | Slip stitch | Turning, tip and finishing |
| Single crochet | sc | Double crochet | Base and tip of every row |
| Half double crochet | hdc | Half treble | Shaping at both ends of a row |
| Double crochet | dc | Treble | The wide middle of the petal |
| Double crochet increase | dc inc | Treble increase | Two double crochet in one stitch |
A double crochet is about twice the height of a single crochet, according to the Sarah Maker guide to the double crochet. That height difference is what shapes the petal: low stitches at the ends, tall stitches in the middle.
This pattern has no stitch multiple to repeat. The counts are tied to the 25-chain start, so keep the chain at 25 or the numbers below will not fit. The chain is 2 more than the stitches along one side (23 + 2 = 25): one chain is the loop on your hook, and the last chain takes 3 sc instead of 1.
Here is one petal in one table, with the arithmetic in the right-hand column.
| Part | Instruction | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Chain 25 | Stated (designer’s correction; the label reads 30) |
| Row 1 | 2 sc, 2 hdc, 14 hdc, 3 dc, 2 sc along the chain | 2 + 2 + 14 + 3 + 2 = 23 stitches (derived) |
| Tip | 3 sc in the last chain | 23 + 3 = 26 stitches in row 1 (derived) |
| Row 2 | 2 sc, 3 hdc, 14 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc down the other side | 2 + 3 + 14 + 2 + 2 = 23 stitches (derived) |
| Turn | Slip stitch, chain, then sc to take in the flower wire | Stated |
| Round 3 | 2 sc, 2 hdc, dc, dc inc, 4 dc, dc inc, 5 dc, 3 hdc, 4 sc | 23 worked, 25 made (derived) |
| Round 3 tip | sc, 2 ch, ss, sc | Stated |
| Round 4, side 1 | 4 sc, 3 hdc, 5 dc, dc inc | 13 worked, 14 made (derived) |
| Round 4, side 2 | 4 dc, dc inc, dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc | 12 worked, 13 made (derived) |
| Check | Round 4 stitches against round 3 | 13 + 12 = 25 = the 25 made in round 3 |
The owned figure: the outer round is worked into 25 stitches, and those 25 are exactly the 23 stitches of row 2 plus the 2 stitches the two increases add.
Work the base rows of the crochet lily flower petal
The petal is crocheted flat, along a chain, in two long rows that meet at a pointed tip. Take your time over these first rows: once they are right, the rest of the petal is shaping.
Step 1: Chain 25
Make a slip knot on the 2.5 mm hook and chain 25. The designer’s own correction note says the petal starts with 25 chains, not the 30 printed in one label, and that is the count used in every number here. Count the chains before you go on: the whole petal depends on them.
Step 2: Work row 1 along the chain
Work into the 2nd chain from the hook. The label for row 1 reads 2 sc, 2 hdc, 14 hdc, 3 dc, 2 sc, which is 2 + 2 + 14 + 3 + 2 = 23 stitches. Start with 2 sc, then 2 hdc, then 14 hdc.
Step 3: Finish row 1 with double crochet
Work 3 dc, then 2 sc. The petal gets taller here, so the tip stands higher than the base. An early version of this label reads 3 hdc, and the later version reads 3 dc; the arrow follows the later one, so this pattern does too.
Step 4: Work 3 sc in the last chain
Work 3 sc in the last chain, the label reads “3 sc (last chain)”. That makes the tip. Row 1 now holds 23 + 3 = 26 stitches.
Step 5: Start row 2 down the other side
Turn the work and start down the other side of the chain with 2 sc. The label reads 2 sc, 3 hdc, 14 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc; it is 2 + 3 + 14 + 2 + 2 = 23 stitches. An early version reads 2 dc at the end, and the later one reads 2 hdc, so this pattern uses 2 hdc.
Step 6: Work 3 hdc, 14 dc and 2 hdc
Work 3 hdc, then 14 dc across the widest part of the petal, then 2 hdc, then 2 sc. Count the 14 dc: they are the widest, tallest part of your crochet lily flower petal.
Step 7: Slip stitch and chain
Work a slip stitch and a chain. The label reads “ss, ch” with no number; chain 1 is the usual turning chain, so that is what we use (our reading, not a stated count).
Add the flower wire and shape the petal
The wire is what lets the lily open out and hold its curve. It goes in before the outer round, so it ends up inside the edge.
Step 8: Single crochet and insert the flower wire
The label reads “sc, insert flower wire”. Hold a length of flower wire along the edge of the petal and work the stitches that follow over it, so the wire runs inside the edge of your crochet lily flower petal. The designer does not state the wire gauge or length, so choose a thin, bendable florist wire and cut it a little longer than the petal.
Step 9: Single crochet again in the same chain
The next label reads “sc again on the same ch”: work a second single crochet into that same chain, so the wire is held firmly at the base of the petal.
Step 10: Start round 3
Work round 3 as written: 2 sc, 2 hdc, dc, dc inc, 4 dc, dc inc, 5 dc, 3 hdc, 4 sc. The dc inc is two double crochet in one stitch. You work into 23 stitches and finish with 25.
Step 11: Finish round 3
Finish with 5 dc, 3 hdc and 4 sc. Count: 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 5 + 3 + 4 = 23 worked, plus the 2 increases = 25 made.
Step 12: Make the tip
At the tip, work sc, 2 ch, ss, sc. The 2 chains and the slip stitch make a small point that gives the lily its sharp end.
Step 13: Work round 4, first side
Now work the last round down the first side: 4 sc, 3 hdc, 5 dc, dc inc. That is 4 + 3 + 5 + 1 = 13 stitches worked, and 14 made after the increase.
Step 14: Work round 4, second side
Work the other side: 4 dc, dc inc, dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc. That is 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 12 stitches worked, and 13 made. The two sides together are 13 + 12 = 25, which matches the 25 made in round 3.
Step 15: Close the petal and cut the yarn
Work a slip stitch and a single crochet to close the round, then cut the yarn and pull the end through. The wire ends stick out of the base of the petal. Make six petals in all: the finished flower has six, and the designer works one in full.
Make the leaf for your crochet lily flower
The leaf follows the same plan as the petal, in green, with more stitches along each side.
Step 16: Chain for the leaf
Join the green yarn and make a foundation chain. The chain length is not shown. With the same plan as the petal, 28 stitches along one side plus 2 gives 30 chains. This is our derived figure, so check the length against your first row.
Step 17: Work leaf row 1
Work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 20 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc. The label reads 30 dc; the designer’s own correction note says the leaf should have 20 dc. That gives 2 + 2 + 20 + 2 + 2 = 28 stitches.
Step 18: Work 3 sc in the last chain
Work 3 sc in the last chain, just as you did for the petal. Row 1 holds 28 + 3 = 31 stitches.
Step 19: Work leaf row 2 and finish
Work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 20 hdc, 2 hdc, 2 sc down the other side, then slip stitch and chain. The label for this row also reads 30; the other side of the same chain has to match the first side, so we use 20 (derived). A short label reads “hide the tail”, so weave the tail in.
Make the stamens and put the crochet lily flower together
The yellow stamens and the green wrapping hold the whole crochet lily flower together. This part is shown without counts, so what follows describes only what the photos show.
Step 20: Make a loop of yellow yarn
Make a small loop of yellow yarn and fix it to a short piece of flower wire. Make several; each one is a stamen of your crochet lily flower.
Step 21: Wrap the stamens in green
Bring the stamen wires together and wind green yarn round them to make one slim bundle, with the yellow loops sticking out of the top.
Step 22: Add the petals
Hold a petal against the stamen bundle at its wire, with the pointed end opening away from the yellow loops. Add the petals one after another, evenly round the bundle.
Step 23: Wrap the base
Wind green yarn firmly over the joined wires at the base. The designer lists fabric glue with the materials, so a dab under the last turns helps the wrapping stay put.
Step 24: Open out the petals
Bend the wired petals outward so they open flat, and your crochet lily flower is finished. The green leaf sits at the base of the flower.
Where the crochet lily flower goes wrong
Three things go wrong often, and each has a quick fix.
- The petal is too long or too short. The foundation chain is not 25. Count it before row 1, because every later number depends on it.
- The counts do not add up. Add up each row: row 1 is 23 plus 3 at the tip, row 2 is 23, and round 3 ends at 25 stitches. If one row is off, fix it before you add the wire.
- The wire shows or slips out. The wire is worked over in step 8, so make sure the stitches close tight around it, and keep a dab of fabric glue ready at the base.
A petal that curls a little is not a mistake: the wire lets you bend it flat or leave it curved.
4 more free crochet lily flower patterns
Each of these is free on the designer’s own site, and each changes one thing about the flower.
- Free Crochet Lily Flower Pattern by Nicki’s Homemade Crafts: worsted weight yarn, 4 mm hook, 6 petals built on floral wire with floral tape, plus a stamen and two leaves.
- Free Lily Crochet Pattern by Sierra Miral on Red Ted Art: size 4 worsted yarn, 3.5 mm hook, 6 petals each wired with flexible floral wire, with a larger and a smaller lily.
- How to Crochet a Lily Flower by Hookok: a 2.0 mm hook, 6 petals (3 small and 3 big) with a 3-chain picot edge; the page suggests bouquets, appliques and decor.
- Crochet Calla Lily by Moara Crochet: fingering weight yarn, 2.2 mm hook, a spiral yellow centre and a wired flower.
FAQ
How do you crochet a lily flower?
Chain 25 and work two long rows along it, then add a wire and a final round to make the pointed petal. Make six petals and a green leaf, bundle yellow stamens and wrap everything with green yarn.
How many petals does a crochet lily flower have?
This one has six, counted on the finished flower. The designer works one petal in full and repeats it.
What hook size do I need for a crochet lily flower?
The designer uses a 2.5 mm hook with 4 ply yarn. Use the hook your yarn label suggests, or go down half a size for a firmer petal.
Do I need flower wire for a crochet lily flower?
The designer uses it in every petal, and it is what lets the flower open and hold its shape. Without it the petals hang soft.
Can I make a crochet lily flower with thicker yarn?
Yes, but the counts are written for 4 ply yarn and a 2.5 mm hook. With thicker yarn the petal grows larger and the stamens need bigger loops, so make a test petal first.
What can I use a crochet lily flower for?
Hookok suggests bouquets, appliques and decor. A wired lily also works as a single stem in a vase.
Where to go next
For another flower with petals worked round a centre, the crochet flower pattern builds a bloom in five rounds. For more choice, browse the crochet flowers free pattern roundup, try the crochet rose pattern, or put your finished lily in a mini crochet flower bouquet.
Sources
- Craft Yarn Council, Standard Yarn Weight System: crochet hook ranges by yarn weight.
- Yarn.com, Yarn Weight Chart: ply names matched to yarn weights.
- Lovecrafts, stitch term conversion chart: matching stitch names across the two conventions.
- Sarah Maker, Double crochet: height of a double crochet compared with a single crochet.
- Each of the four patterns above, on its designer’s own site.
Design credit: this crochet lily flower design comes from the crochet channel Avley Crochet.
