Once I had all of my hexagons and pentagons made and with the ends woven in, I used this picture to guide me in placing the hexagons and pentagons:
I began by making three panels with a pentagon at the center. What follows is a pictorial example of how I made the three panels.
First, I arranged five hexagons around one pentagon in a manner that I found visually pleasing:
Next, I put the right sides of two hexagons together and (with a slip knot already on the hook) inserted the hook through both loops of the chain-1 stitch of both hexagons. I then completed 11 single crochet stitches:
I followed the same procedure for the next three seams:
To complete the fifth and final seam of the ring, I folded the unclosed ring in half and joined as pictured. After this seam was joined, the ring did not lay flat:
Here is what it looked like when all of the seams of the hexagon were joined:
To join the pentagon to the ring, I place the pentagon (right side facing down) inside the ring of hexagons (right side facing down):
I then, using yarn the color of the pentatgon, I inserted my 4.00 mm hook (with a slip knot already attached), through both loops of the chain-1 stitch on the corresponding corners of the pentagon and one of the hexagons. I then completed a total of 11 single crochet stitches through both loops of the corresponding stitches of the pentagon and the hexagon:
When I got to the end of that first side, I did the same for the second side, BUT THIS TIME, the first stitch of 2nd side of the pentagon was the 11th stitch of the first side of the pentagon. I continued like this all the way around until it was joined in it’s entirety, and used a slip stitch to join the last single crochet made to the first single crochet made:
There are a total of 55 single crochet stitches made to join the pentagon to the ring of hexagons.
Once I had joined the 3 panels, I used the diagram shown at the beginning of this page as a guide to laying out my panels and remaining hexagons and pentagons. I used safety pins to join the sides to each other so I could keep better track, but I think it would have been less problematic to tie them together with scraps of yarn.
Once I had the hexagons and pentagons fixed to each other, I began joining the seams using the same principles and methods I used for the three panels.
bonjour pourrais je avoir les explications en français du ballon merci d’avance
How do you stuff the ball and what is it stuffed with?
I use fiberfill. Lots of it.
Walmart has a product that is excellent; it is firm and it allows the soccer ball to hold it’s shape well.
And just in case you need them, here is a tutorial detailing how I join the pieces:
https://crochetbugdotcom.wpcomstaging.com/how-to-make-an-african-flower-soccer-ball/assembling-the-african-flower-soccer-ball/
Thank you so much
can anyone provide some insight into what the final size of the ball is if you follow the pattern?
Somewhere i saw 12 inches
Im putting mine together now. I noticed some aren’t touching like others.? And some are? Are some not connected?
I am almost finished with my ball, down to the last pentagram. How do I close it up? I was thinking just whip-stich the last few sides of the pentagram since I can’t put it right sides together, is this right?
Dear Leslie
Thank you so much for sharing this pattern. It turned out beautiful, if a bit bigger than I expected. I’ve put a picture on Ravelry.
The assembly diagram was very helpful.
I filled mine with the stuffing from an old pillow (after I’d washed it, of course) and added a cat toy with bell, so it jingles when you play with it, which I imagine makes it ideal for small children with sight impairments: soft and makes noise.
Many graces for the time and effort you’ve put into this, I know from experience what an investment a good pattern like this takes.
The bell is such a lovely idea! If you ever want to make it again, you might try using a DK weight and smaller hook along with a “crochet tension regulator” on your non-crochet hand to keep it very right without wearing out your hand and finger.
So glad you enjoyed your project.