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African Flower Hot Air Balloon

What do you need?
Crochet hook, adjusted to yarn size
Yarn of your choice
Fibrefill
Needle
Cardboard (size of 1 pentagon)
Double-sided tape

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The Hot Air Balloon is an African Flower design by Nina Tearney of

Nienepien.
We would really like it if there are many different Hot Air Balloons. You can
hang, sell or give your Hot Air Balloon away. However, copyright rests on the
pattern, we hope that everyone respects this. Thanks!
And now, lets get started!
The balloon:
Crochet 12 African Flower Pentagons.
The detailed description can be found in annex 1.
For the Hot Air Balloon I used the colours fuchsia, yellow, orange and green.
Attach the 12 Pentagons to each other (see the diagram below). There are
several ways to attach the flowers. I myself prefer to attach the flowers as
follows;
Put the correct side of the 2 flowers together.
Attach the flower together using single crochets, use only the back
loops for this.
Turn your work round, it looks nice and seamless.
Do you find this tricky? Do you prefer to sew the flowers together? Use the
same method as stated above, in stead of using single crochets, sew the
parts together through the back loops. In this way, you can obtain the same
result.
Dont forget to fill the ball firmly with Fibrefill.

2"

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The basket:
Crochet a Pentagon in the regular way, dont cut the thread.
Continue to crochet 11 rounds of single crochet stitches. This will form the
basket. Fasten off and hide the thread.
Because the basket wasnt shaped firmly, I decided to cut a piece of
cardboard in the shape op the Pentagon. I put this piece of cardboard on
the bottom of the basket and secured it with double-sided tape.
I made 5 chains of an equal length for the attachment of the basket to the
balloon. Decide for yourself which length looks good for your Hot Air Balloon.
Tie the 5 chains together on 1 side and attach the knot to de balloon.
Now divide the lines evenly over the Hot Air Balloon and secure them into
place with a few stitches (this is to avoid shiftings).
Now tie the other ends of the chains to the basket at the corners (these are
not very clearly visible).
The Hot Air Balloon is now almost finished!
The sandbags:
II made a sandbag for each corner.
1. Chain 6.
2. Crochet 5 single crochet (sc) on the chain (start in the second chain
from the hook), turn your work around and crochet another 2 sc on
the other side.
3. to 9. Crochet 10 sc around.
Fasten off and hide the thread. Fill the bag slightly with Fibrefill.
Tie a bow around the sandbag to close it. I used a different colour for
this.
Attach the sandbag to the basket with a few stitches.
You Hot Air Balloon is finished now. To hang the balloon, I used a piece of
fish thread. I attached this to the knot on top.
Now find a passenger and the journey
around the world can start!
Have a safe journey !

3"

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ANNEX 1
African flower Pentagon
What do you need?
Crochet hook, size adjusted to yarn
Yarn of your choice.

How to:
On the pictures the construction of the African Flower is shown. The petals
(row 3 and 4) are made in 1 colour.
1. Start with a magic ring (or chain
5, close the ring with a slipstitch).
In the ring: chain 3 (this will be
the first double crochet (dc)), 1
dc, chain 1, repeat *1 dc, chain
1* another 4 times (there are
now 5 bundles). Close this row
with a slipstitch in the third chain
of the first bundle.

2. Attach a new colour. Chain 3 in a fix

opening of the previous row (this will
be the first dc), 1 dc, chain 1, 2 dc (all
in the same opening, this creates a
bundle). Crochet in the remaining 4
openings *2dc, chain 1, 2 dc*. Close
this row with a slipstitch in the third
chain of the first bundle.

4"

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3. Crochet a slipstitch in the

nearest fix opening of the
previous row, then chain 3 (this is
the first dc of this row), crochet 6
more dc in the same opening.
Crochet 7 dc in the remaining
openings. Close this row with a
slipstitch in the third chain of the
first bundle.
4. Attach a new colour. Crochet 1 single
crochet (sc) in every dc of the
previous round. Crochet a long dc
around row 2 in the opening between
the bundles, this will show the petals of
the African Flower. Repeat this 4 more
times and close the row with a
slipstitch.

5. Attach a new colour. Chain 3 (this is the first dc of this row) in the first
sc of the previous row. Crochet 2 dc, 1dc, chain 1, 1 dc in the same
stitch. Crochet *7 dc, 1 dc chain 1, 1 dc in the same stitch*, repeat
this 3 more times, 5 dc. Close this row with a slipstitch in the third
chain. Cut the thread. Your African Flower Pentagon is now finished!

5!

Nienepien!

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Did you finish your Hot Air Balloon?
Share your creations on:
www.nienepien.nl
www.facebook.com/nienepienshop
or on the Facebook-group African Flower Power;
https://www.facebook.com/groups/686326418128586/
Greetings Nina!

6!

Nienepien!