About this Design
As Summer turned to Autumn this year I found myself pining for the flowers of Spring. This yearning, plus a renewed interest in crocheting, encouraged me to reach for my hooks and to start playing with colour and a very simple, join-as-you go floral motif. The end result was Flos Hortus (although I’ve subsequently learned, courteous of a very knowledgeable and lovely Raveller, that the correct Latin should Hortus Florum) – a beguiling scarf that hints at the ebb and flow of the seasons of the year just as these changing seasons are reflected in your garden.

What makes this design special is the use of two different, but coordinating, long transition colour gradient yarns to build a random but pleasing flow between different colours, with several major colour transitions occurring across the length of the scarf. Because the scarf is quite long, you will be able to style it in a variety of ways that will showcase the colour transitions and also keep you snuggly warm as the seasons transition.

The techniques used in the design are very simple – each motif is made up of single (UK/Australia double) crochets and chain stitches, all held together by an adjustable (magic) loop in the centre and joined to neighbouring flower motifs by slip stitches (UK/Australia single crochet). Because each flower motif is underpinned by multiples of 6, the joining pattern for the motifs is a honeycomb pattern formed by diagonal rows of hexagons.

Tension
A single flower motif measures 1.75 ins/ 4.5 cm wide using a 3.25 mm (US size D, UK size 3) crochet hook. A close match for tension is moderately important for this pattern in order to ensure you get the correct finished dimensions, as well as a nice drape in the fabric of the scarf. Please move up or down a hook size and swatch one more time if your gauge does not match.

Yarn
You will need 2 x 100g (approx. 400m/437 yds per 100g) of 4-ply/fingering weight yarn in two different (but coordinating) long transition colour gradients that crochet to match the required tension gauge.

Please note that some of the suggested yarns are supplied in 50g balls, which means that you will need to use two balls per colourway to complete your Flos Hortus.

The sample Flos Hortus has been crocheted with Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock in Shades number 7 (Weather) and number 9 (Benicassim).

Pattern
Written and charted instructions are provided for this design.

This pattern was tech edited in 2022 by Susan Marcille (susanmarcille@gmail.com).

The price for this pattern includes 10% Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST).

ERRATUM Round 2 for the second motif should read:

Ch 7, sc into next st, ch 6, sc 2 times, ch 3, sl st to a petal on the first motif, ch 3, sc 3 times, ch 6, sc 12 times. Fasten off leaving a 4 in/10 cm tail and complete the motif as per the instructions for the first motif.

Version 1.2 of the pattern now includes this correction. Many thanks to indiestubbs for finding this boo boo. Please ensure that you have updated your copy of the pattern and apologies for the error.

Questions?
Please send all queries to capitalknits@mac.com.