There’s something disproportionately joyful about a sunflower on the breakfast table. This little coaster takes about forty minutes from start to finish, uses scrap amounts of cotton yarn, and looks just as good under a morning coffee as it does tucked into a hostess gift. It’s worked in the round from a magic ring, with a chunky brown center and twelve petals shaped from a single petal round.
I’ve written it in two sizes plus a third “extra-large” adjustment so you can match the coaster to the drinkware you actually use.
Free sunflower-coaster-pattern version
Choosing your size
Standard drink coasters land between 3.5 and 4.5 inches across, with 4 inches as the common sweet spot.
The worsted version finishes at about 4.5 inches — standard-to-generous. Sits comfortably under a coffee mug, pint glass, or stemless wine glass with a margin around the base, which is what keeps condensation off the table. This is the version to make if you want a true everyday coaster.
The DK version finishes at about 3.5 inches — on the small end of standard. Best for espresso cups, teacups, juice glasses, and small tumblers. A typical mug base (3.25–3.5 inches across) will sit edge-to-edge on it with no margin, so use the worsted version for mugs.
For an extra-large coaster (~5 inches) suited to iced drinks and heavily-sweating glassware, follow the worsted version and add one extra increase round to the brown center (instructions included below).
What you’ll need
Worsted version — finished ~4.5 inches (recommended for mugs and most drinks)
- 100% cotton worsted weight (Lily Sugar’n Cream, Paintbox Cotton Aran, or similar)
- About 12 yards brown (center)
- About 18 yards golden yellow (petals)
- 4.0 mm (US G/6) hook
DK version — finished ~3.5 inches (best for small cups and teacups)
- 100% cotton DK/sport weight (Paintbox Cotton DK, Scheepjes Catona, or similar)
- About 8 yards brown
- About 14 yards golden yellow
- 3.5 mm (US E/4) hook
Also
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Optional: pins and a blocking surface for shaping
Gauge isn’t critical, but keep your tension consistent across the brown center so it doesn’t dome.
Abbreviations (US terms)
- MR — magic ring
- ch — chain
- sl st — slip stitch
- sc — single crochet
- hdc — half double crochet
- dc — double crochet
- st(s) — stitch(es)
- sp — space
- rep — repeat
The pattern
Worked in joined rounds with the right side always facing you. The starting ch 1 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch. The instructions below produce the standard 4.5-inch coaster (worsted) or 3.5-inch coaster (DK) depending on the yarn and hook you chose above. For the extra-large 5-inch coaster, see the note after Round 3.
Center — in brown
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 8 sc into the ring. Pull the ring tight. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (8 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1. Work 2 sc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (16 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1. Work [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around — six repeats total. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off brown, leaving a 4-inch tail to weave in. (24 sts)
Size adjustment — extra-large 5-inch coaster: Before fastening off the brown, work one more round: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] around — eight repeats. Join. (32 sts) Then in Round 4, work [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around for sixteen repeats (48 sts), and in Round 5 work sixteen ch-4 loops instead of twelve. You’ll end with 16 petals.
Transition round — in yellow
Round 4: Join yellow to any st with a sl st. Ch 1. Work [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around — twelve repeats total. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (36 sts)
Petal anchors — in yellow
Round 5: Ch 1. Sc in the same st as the join. [Ch 4, skip the next 2 sts, sc in the next st] eleven times. Ch 4, skip the last 2 sts, sl st to the first sc to close the round. (12 ch-4 loops)
Petals — in yellow
Round 6: Sl st into the first ch-4 sp. Ch 1. In the same sp work [hdc, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, hdc] — first petal made. In each remaining ch-4 sp around, work [hdc, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, hdc]. Join with a sl st to the top of the first hdc. Fasten off, leaving a 4-inch tail. (12 petals — or 16 if you made the extra-large version)
Finishing
Weave in all ends on the back of the coaster. If your petals cup or the disc curls, mist lightly with water, pin flat to a foam board or towel, and let dry.
Quick sizing reference
- Espresso cup, teacup, juice glass ? DK version (~3.5″)
- Coffee mug, water glass, wine glass ? worsted version (~4.5″)
- Iced coffee cup, pint glass, heavy-condensation drinks ? extra-large worsted (~5″)
Tips that save a coaster
The center wants to dome if your tension is tight. Loosen your hand on Rounds 2 and 3, or step up a half-mm in hook size for the brown only — switch back to the listed hook when you join the yellow.
Count after every round. The math only works if you hit 24 after Round 3 and 36 after Round 4 (or 32 and 48 for the extra-large). If you land one stitch off, the petal round won’t divide evenly and you’ll know immediately.
For crisp petal points, work the hdc-side stitches with normal tension and the dc cluster with slightly looser tension. The ch-1 at the top of each petal is what gives it that pointed sunflower tip — don’t skip it.
For a sturdier coaster that won’t shift on the table, slip-stitch a plain disc to the back (Rounds 1–4 of the pattern in any color, joined back-to-back through both loops).
Variations to try
Swap the golden yellow for a deep marigold or a soft buttercream — sunflowers come in more shades than people think.
For a fall set, work the petal round in burnt orange with a russet brown center.
Stitch a small green leaf (chain 8, work hdc and dc back along the chain, fasten off) and tack it to the back of one petal.
Use a 2.5 mm hook and lace-weight cotton for a brooch-sized version, then back it with felt and a pin bar.
FAQ
Can I use acrylic yarn? You can, but cotton is better for coasters — it absorbs condensation and holds its shape after washing. Acrylic flattens and pills under glassware.
How do I wash it? Cool machine wash in a mesh bag, lay flat to dry, reshape while damp. Avoid the dryer.
Can I sell coasters made from this pattern? Yes — make and sell finished items freely. Please don’t redistribute the pattern itself.
Can I make this without a magic ring? Chain 4, slip-stitch into the first chain to form a ring, and work Round 1 into the ring. The center hole will be slightly more visible but it’s a fine substitute.
What size should I make for a standard coffee mug? The worsted version (~4.5″). Mug bases are typically 3.25–3.5 inches across, so the worsted coaster gives you a comfortable margin all the way around.
Finishing thought
Coasters are one of those projects where you cast on planning to make one, surface three hours later with six, and start eyeing the bare patches of every table you own. Consider yourself warned.
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For something a little cheekier than the usual flower or granny square coaster, this Crochet Lizard Coaster Pattern PDF is such a fun one to add to your list. It’s a beginner-friendly reptile mug rug with plenty of personality, and it’s a great stash-busting project if you’ve got green cotton yarn sitting in the basket waiting for its moment.
