“Petranese” explained – Clover Blossom

Many of the Black Sheep Crochet projects, for example all Wrapped in Jamie squares, many Heirloom squares and some Afghan squares, are designed in ‘overlay crochet’ technique.

In order to easily describe where to place the overlay stitches, I have created a special way of writing these patterns. A member of my facebook group called this way of stitch placement description ‘Petranese’ and the name stuck.

Petranese, at first glance, may look more complicated than it actually is!

You will most likely already know most of the stitches used and I explain how to read the abbreviations for any special stitches and how to make them step-by-step in the ‘“Petranese” explained’ – Basics 1&2 Tutorials, the PDF document of which you can download here:

https://blacksheepcrochet.com/product/petranese-explained-basics1/

You will also be able to follow a continuously growing number of video tutorials for this and other stitches on the website and the YouTube channel.

Website: https://blacksheepcrochet.com/crochet-tutorials/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ3yOPrTEqkOFPZjrCCovbQ/videos

Why use a Clover Blossom?

Decorative stitches are fabulous to tell a story in overlay crochet.

Flowery, decorative stitches in particular add a feminine element to an overlay crochet design.

The main element in Part 3 of the Claire Square – the first square in Season 2 of the Wrapped in Jamie CAL – is defined by flowery stitches: Rose Bud, Big Rose, Small Rose, Clover Blossom and others.

The Clover Blossom is a decorative stitch that adds a three-dimensional element and offers a range of options to change its appearance by adding to it.

What is a Clover Blossom?

A Clover Blossom is a decorative stitch that can be seamlessly integrated into a crochet piece.

It is suitable to be worked in the round/square or in rows.

The Clover Blossom adds dimension to an image overlay crochet project and can be extended to become a complete ‘image’ that tells a story.

How to work the Clover Blossom

Step-by-step
photo instructions below

Clover Blossom – 6 sts together with

leg 1: a treble in the FLO of the st 1 behind and 2 rounds below the next st
leg 2: a double treble in the FLO of the st
1 behind and 2 rounds below the next st (same FLO as leg 1)
legs 3 and 4: a triple treble in the st 3 rounds below the next st
leg 5: a double treble in the FLO of the st
1 ahead and 2 rounds below the next st
leg 6: a treble in the FLO of the st 1 ahead and 2 rounds below the next st (same FLO as leg 5)

Chart Symbol

Preparation for working the Clover Blossom

You will either need

3 free front loops (arranged as indicated)

Work a sc in BLO in a st in one row/round, so that the front loop of the st says free to be worked into;

In the next round, work a sc in BLO in the st before and after the sc in BLO below;

Work the Clover Blossom above the center FLO, between the two free FLO;

or a stitch and front loops to work into

(arranged as indicated)

Work a dcbb behind a st that was worked in FLO, so that the top loops of the special st stays free to be worked into;

In the next round, work a sc in BLO in the st before and after the dcbb below;

Work the Clover Blossom above the dcbb, between the two free FLO;

Clover Blossom Step-by-Step Instructions (over dcbb)

sc up to the st that is 1 st before the dcbb below

leg 1: tr in FLO of the st 1 behind and 2 rounds below the next st (indicated)

leg 2: dtr in FLO of the st 1 behind and 2 rounds below the next st (same FLO as leg 1; indicated)

leg 3: trtr in the st 3 rounds below the next st (indicated)

leg 4: trtr in the st 3 rounds below the next st (same as leg 3, indicated)

leg 5: dtr in FLO of the st
1 ahead and 2 rounds below the next st (indicated)

leg 6: tr in FLO of the st 1 ahead and 2 rounds below the next st (same FLO as leg 5, indicated)

you should now have 7 loops on the hook;
yo and pull through all loops

close the st with a ch1
(your Clover Blossom will have 2 loops to potentially work into; unless instructed otherwise, choose only 1; see also below)