Get your size E hooks ready to stitch up a fabulous blouse for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations! This beautiful blouse called “Fiesta Blouse” was originally published in Crochet Today! May/June 2012. Since that magazine is no longer in print, you can find the free pattern below!

This is made in Schachenmayr Catania in Dark Coral, which can be purchased from LoveCrafts, here. This is a freeform “pattern.”  I say it that way because the pattern for the flowers is given.  Then you are given the dimensions for the floral piece and are encouraged to make the flowers and fit them into that piece.  Then the ribbing is added.  I really love how this turned out!  I am so happy with the finished garment!  I submitted this design idea as a wrap or shawl, but the editor, Theresa Gonzalez, asked me if I could do a blouse instead.  This added complications because it is a freeform design.  A freeform garment pattern, that needs writing in multiple sizes, does not follow your standard written pattern format.  The amazing tech editor, KJ Hay, did most of the work to tweak it into a more freeform approach.

This blouse was inspired by the beautiful and intricate embroidered blouses and dresses of Mexico. In the call for submissions the editor asked for crocheted items inspired by the colors and styles of Mexico in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  I googled “traditional Mexican clothing” and found scores of examples of these beautiful embroidered items.  My grandpa lived in South Texas until a few years ago when he had to come live with my parents, but I remember visiting him as a kid and traveling across the border to eat dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  I had more than one of these embroidered blouses and dresses as a kid that came from trips across the border.  When my parents went on a Caribbean cruise a few years ago they brought back embroidered dresses for all the granddaughters.  So, that is what led me to the idea of a wrap or shawl made of lots of little flowers. And, as I mentioned, Theresa Gonzalez, the editor, morphed the idea into a blouse.

As with all my patterns, please do not make digital or paper copies for others. Instead, please direct them to my website to get their own. Thank you!

Fiesta Blouse

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in this breezy floral blouse inspired by the beautiful embroidered tops and dresses of Mexico.

By April Garwood

Sizes S [M, L, XL, 2X, 3X]

Finished Measurements

Bust 36 [40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches or 101.5 [112, 122, 132, 142] cm

Length 26 [26.5, 27, 27.5, 28, 28.5] inches or 66 [67.5, 68.5, 70, 71, 72.5] cm

Difficulty Level Advanced

Yarn

SMC Catania, 1.8oz/50g skeins, each approx 137yd/125m (cotton)

• 8 [9, 10, 11, 13, 14] skeins #0252 Dark Coral

Crochet Hook

• Size E/4 (3.5mm), or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions

• 3 Locking stitch markers
• Five 1/2 inch shank buttons
• Yarn needle
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread to match yarn

Gauge

Flower 1 Approximately 3.5 inches or 9cm in diameter

Special Abbreviations

Bpdc (Back post double crochet) yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated st, yarn over, pull up a lp, yarn over, pull hook through 2 lps, yarn over, pull hook through rem 2 lps. Learn how to do post stitches with my tutorial!

Motif-join Remove loop from hook, insert hook from front to back through center stitch (or one of two center stitches) of petal of neighboring flower, place loose loop back on hook and draw through the center stitch, yarn over and draw through loop on hook.

Pm (place marker) insert locking stitch marker in designated row end.

sc in the BL (single crochet in the back loop) insert hook in back loop of designated stitch, yarn over, pull up a lp, yarn over, pull hook through both lps on hook. Learn how to crochet in the back loop only with my tutorial!

Special techniques

Adjustable Ring Method Holding the yarn a few inches from the end, wrap around your finger.  Do not remove wrap from finger, insert hook into the wrap and draw up a loop of working yarn.  Chain one to secure the loop, and remove ring from finger.  Work stitches of first round in the ring.  Pull gently, but firmly, on tail to tighten ring. See my video tutorial for the adjustable or “magic” ring here!

Notes

1 Each flower is worked with RS always facing. Do not turn between rnds when working flowers.

2 Flowers can be joined-as-you-go when working the last rnd of each flower, or if you prefer, you can work each flower separately and attach them together later, but this will increase the number of ends to be woven in after construction.

3 The blouse is made in two pieces; the upper Flower Motif section and the lower Ribbed section. The Ribbing is worked side-to-side.

4 The blouse shown used 17 of Flower 1, 24 of Flower 2, 39 of Flower 3, 20 of Flower 4, and 52 of Flower 5. You may need a different number, depending on the Blouse size you are making and how you arrange the Flowers.

Suggestion for Construction of Flower Motif Section

1 Make one Flower of each type.

2 Make several photocopes of each Flower and cut them out.

3 On a large piece of paper, draw the schematic for the desired size using the measurements specified in the pattern.

4 Arrange the Flower copies within the schematic outlines, allowing the Flower petals to just touch and leaving as little open space as possible. Arrange larger flower first, then fill in the spaces with smaller Flowers.

5 Beginning at lower edge of schematic and working from side to side, make one Flower at a time and join it to neighboring Flowers using the join-as-you-go technique described below when working the last round of each Flower, or make all the Flowers separately, arrange to fit schematic, and sew together.

Flower 1

Make an adjustable ring. Tutorial here.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring, join to first sc with sl st — 6 sc.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc, join to first sc with sl st — 12 sc.

Rnd 3: Ch 5(counts as dc and ch 2), sk first dc, *dc in next dc, ch 2, repeat from * around, join to 3^rd ch of tch with sl st — 12 dc, 12 2-ch sps.

Rnd 4: Ch 6(counts as Bpdc and ch 3), sk first dc, *Bpdc around post of next dc, ch 3, repeat from * around, join to 3^rd ch of tch with sl st — 12 Bpdc, 12 3-ch sps.

Rnd 5: Ch 1, 5 sc in each 3-ch sp around, join to first sc with sl st — 60 sc.

Rnd 6: Ch 6(counts as Bpdc and ch 4), *sk next 5 sc, Bpdc around post of next Bpdc from Rnd 4, ch 4, repeat from * around, join to 2^nd ch of tch with sl st — 12 Bpdc, 12 4-ch sps.

Rnd 7: Ch 3(counts as dc), 6 dc in first 4-ch sp, *7 dc in next 4-ch sp, repeat from * around, join to top of tch with sl st — 84 dc. Fasten off.

Flower 2

Make an Adjustable Ring. Tutorial here.

Rnd 1: Work 6 sc in ring, join to first sc with sl st — 6 sc.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, *sc in next sc, ch 3, repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st — 6 sc, 6 3-ch sps.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, *(sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) in next 3-ch sp, repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st — 30 sts.

Rnd 4: Ch 1, turn flower slightly so you can see the back, *insert hook through back of flower between 2 petals closest and insert hook from front to back through BL of sc from Rnd 2, sc, ch 4, repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st — 6 sc, 6 4-ch sps.

Rnd 5: Ch 1, *(sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) in next 4-ch sp, repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st — 42 sts. Fasten off.

Flower 3

Work Rnds 1-3 of Flower 2 — 30 sts. Fasten off.

Flower 4

Work Rnds 1-5 of Flower 1 –60 sts. Fasten off.

Flower 5

Make an Adjustable Ring. Tutorial here.

Rnd 1: Work (sc, ch 3)5 times in ring, join to first sc with sl st — 5 sc, 5 3-ch sps.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 4 sc in each 3-ch sp around, join to first sc with sl st — 20 sc. Fasten off.

Join-as-you-go Technique

Join when working the last round of each Flower.

1 Work last round of Flower until you reach a petal that needs to be joined to a neighboring Flower.

2 Join Flowers, working the motif-join as described in Special Abbreviations:

Flower 1 (3 dc, motif-join, 4 dc)

Flower 2 (sc, hdc, dc, motif-join, 2 dc, hdc, sc)

Flower 3 (sc, hdc, motif-join, dc, hdc, sc)

Flower 4 (2 sc, motif-join, 3 sc)

Flower 5 (2 sc, motif-join, 2 sc)

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all petals are joined.

4 Work remainder of last round.

Ribbing

Ch 39

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2^nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn — 38 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in BL of each sc across, turn — 38 sc in the BL.

Repeat Row 2 until Ribbing measures approx. 30 [34, 38, 42, 46, 60]”/76 [86.5, 96.5, 106.5, 117, 127] cm unstretched, or until piece fits comfortably around waist when slightly stretched. Do not fasten off. Pm on each end of the 2^nd to last row.

Buttonhole Band

Next Row (buttonholes): Ch 1, sc in BL of first 4 sc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, *sc in BL of next 5 sc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, repeat from * 3 times, sc in BL of last 4 sc, turn — 28 sc, 5 2-ch sps (buttonholes).

Next Row: Ch 1, sc in BL of first 4 sc, *2 sc in next 2-ch sp, sc in BL of next 5 sc, repeat from * 4 times, sc in BL of each rem sc, turn — 38 sc.

Last Row: Ch 1, sc in BL of each sc across, turn. Fasten off.

Finishing

Block both pieces separately. Attach Flowers of Flower Motif section along sides, leaving 7.5 [8, 8.5. 9, 9.5, 10] inches or 19 [20.5, 21.5, 23, 24, 25.5] cm open for armholes. Fold Ribbing widthwise, bringing the marked row to meet Row 1 and allowing the Buttonband to overlap the first few rows of the Ribbing. Place the Ribbing next to the lower edge of the Flower section with the Buttonband at the right edge. Sew the lower edge of the Flower section to the top edge of Ribbing, gently and evenly easing the Flower section to fit. With sewing needle and matching thread, sew buttons to Ribbing, opposite buttonholes. Weave in all ends.

Tip

To minimize number of ends to weave in, weave in beginning end of each flower by working over it as flower is stitched.

As with all my patterns, please do not make digital or paper copies for others. Instead, please direct them to my website to get their own. Thank you!

I hope to see pictures of finished blouses! You can share them on social media and tag me @bananamoonstudio!

Happy crocheting,

Save this for later with Pinterest!