While at the Dollar Tree this week I saw these plates and remember thinking "those could be flowers"...and now they are! The first thing I did was take a heated small screwdriver and poke a small hole in the center of each one.

With buttons I had in colors that matched the other two colored plates, I hot glued them to the "petals" of the flower. Red hat blue and white...

White had blue and red...and the blue had red and white. I seem to have lost a shot of that one at this stage sorry...

Then I made three centers for the plates. Chaining 2, making 9 singles in the 1st chain and joining. The second row is working in the back loops, make 2 singles in each of the last row for 18. Join and chain 1, making 1 in the first and 2 in the second around for 27. Break off and work in or tie beginning and ending loops in the back. You will need one for each color to contrast with the petals of these little flowers.

With the other color of your buttons on each center, draw up your loop and insert into the 2nd row and yarn over, drawing it up and joining with a slip stitch. Chain 3 and make 2 double crochets in the first of the 3 chains for your little petal, then insert on the 2nd row again, continuing around ever 3 stitches. Your 27 stitches will give you 9 petals. Glue those into the center.

I simply put a nail through the center of the flowers and hung them up.
Important Note!! These will not survive the heat or the rain. My suggestion is to keep them inside a screened porch, entryway in the shade, or inside your home for a fun and festive patriotic display!!