|DICASTIO|

You've probably seen patterns for knit flowers that create a single ruffled strip that you gather. Although these can be beautiful, they don't show the individual petals. To make flowers with distinctive petals, decide if you'd like to knit rounded or pointed petals. Knit as many as you like in any color before sewing them together. These knit flowers look great when you attach them to hair clips, wreaths, or bags!

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Making Rounded Petals

Cast 4 stitches onto size 5 US (3.75 mm) knitting needles. Get out a skein of DK weight yarn in any color. If you want to make different colored petals, you can use as many colors of yarn as you like. Make a slip knot and slide it onto a knitting needle. Then, cast on 4 stitches to start a petal that's about long.^[1]
- Use any weight labeled "3," or "light worsted."
Alternate knit stitches to increase row 1. Knit into the front of the first stitch but don't pull it off your needle. Instead, insert the needle into the back of the stitch and wrap your yarn around it. Pull the stitch off to make 1 knit front and back (KFB) stitch. Then, knit (K) 2 stitches before you make another KFB stitch. Now, you'll have 6 stitches on your needle.^[2]
- The pattern for row 1 looks like: KFB, K2, KFB
Purl every stitch of row 2. You'll keep the same number of stitches for the second row, so just purl (P) into each of the stitches. Specifically, purl 6 to make row 2.^[3]
- You'll purl every stitch for each of the even rows of the pattern, except for the final row where you decrease stitches.
Increase stitches on row 3 for a total of 10 stitches. KFB the first stitch and knit 1 as usual. Then, KFB 2 times to make the increases for the row. Make 1 more knit stitch and a final KFB to complete row 3.^[4]
- The pattern for row 3 looks like: KFB, K1, KFBx2, K1, KFB
Purl into every stitch for row 4. Work 1 purl stitch into each of the 10 stitches that are on your needle. This gives your petal a little extra length before you begin to decrease stitches.^[5]
Knit 4 stitches and decrease a stitch before knitting 4 more stitches for row 5. To make your first decreasing row, K4. Slip 1 stitch onto your right needle and knit a stitch before you pass the first stitch of the right needle over the 1 you just made. This makes a SKPO stitch. Finish row 5 by knitting the last 4 stitches.^[6]
- The pattern for row 5 looks like: K4, SKPO, K4
Purl every stitch of row 6. Purl the 9 stitches that are left on your needle. This gives the petal a realistic curved shape towards its base. Keep in mind that this is the last row that you'll completely purl across.^[7]
Make a slip slip knit (SSK) stitch and knit 1 across row 7. To work a decreasing row, slip 2 stitches onto your right needle without working them. Then, insert your left needle through both of them and knit them together to make the slip slip knit stitch. Knit 1 stitch and repeat these stitches for the rest of the row.^[8]
- Row 7's pattern looks like: SSK, K1 (repeat this across the row).
Purl 2 stitches together 3 times to finish row 8. You'll have 6 stitches on your needle when you start row 8, but you'll purl 2 stitches together across the row. This decreases row 8 so you end up with only 3 stitches on your needle.^[9]
- Your petal now has a curved shape near the top and the bottom base.
Bind off the 3 stitches and weave in the ends. Bind or cast off each of the stitches that are left on your needle so the petal doesn't unravel. Then, cut the yarn and leave a tail that you can use to tie off the final stitch. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and weave in the ends.^[10]

[Edit]Knitting Pointed Petals

Cast 8 stitches onto size 4 US (3.5 mm) knitting needles. Choose a color of DK weight yarn in any color you like. To make different colored petals, get out several skeins of yarn. Make a slip knot with your yarn and slide it onto 1 of your knitting needles. Then, cast on 8 stitches in order to start a petal that's about long.^[11]
- The yarn label should say "DK," "3," or "light worsted."
Slip 1 stitch knitwise and knit 7 to make row 1. To slip the first stitch off (SL1K), insert your right needle into the stitch as though you're going to knit it, but pull it off onto the right needle instead. Then, knit (K) the rest of the stitches.^[12]
- The pattern for row 1 is: SL1K, K7
Slip 1 stitch purlwise and purl 7 for row 2. To twist your petal in the same direction, slip the first stitch of row 2 purlwise (SL1P). To do this, insert your right needle down into the front of the stitch before pulling it onto the right needle. Then, purl (P) every stitch for the rest of row 2.^[13]
- To follow row 2's pattern, use: SL1P, P7
Slip 1 knitwise before you knit and yarn over across row 3. To begin increasing the petal, SL1P and knit 1 stitch. Then, wrap the yarn (YO) counterclockwise around your right needle. Hold the yarn in place with your finger and knit the next stitch. Keep alternating the knit stitch with the yarn over so you create extra stitches.^[14]
Slip the first stitch purlwise and purl the rest of row 4. Slip the first stitch purlwise to make the distinctive edge for your pointed petal. Then, purl every stitch for the rest of the row. The pattern for this row is: SL1P, P to the end.^[15]
Slip the first stitch knitwise and knit every stitch for row 5. Once you SL1K, keep knitting the rest of the row to fill in your pointed petal's shape. It's just like the row 4, but you're knitting instead of purling.^[16]
Repeat row 4 and 5 until your petal is long. Make row 4's pattern again, followed by row 5. Keep alternating these rows until your petal measures long with a ruler.^[17]
- If you don't feel like being exact, there's no need to measure the petal.
Knit a decreasing row to begin shaping the bottom of the petal. Once you reach an odd-numbered row, SL1K and knit the next 2 stitches together (K2TOG). Then, knit until you reach the last 3 stitches. Knit 2 of them together and knit the last stitch.^[18]
- This odd-numbered decreasing row pattern is: SL1K, K2TOG, K to the last 3, K2TOG, K1
Purl a decreasing row to keep shaping the petal's bottom point. Slip the next stitch purlwise and purl the next 2 stitches together (P2TOG). Then, purl every stitch until there are only 3 left. Purl 2 of them together and purl the last stitch to finish the row.^[19]
- This even-numbered decreasing row pattern is: SL1P, P2TOG, P to the last 3, P2TOG, P1
Work decreasing rows until there are just 3 stitches left on your needle. Keep making decreasing rows, alternating between the even and odd rows until there are only 3 stitches left on your knitting needle. You'll see a distinctive pointed petal.^[20]
Bind off the 3 stitches and weave in the ends. Once you've finished the pointed petal, bind off each stitch that's left on your needle. This prevents them from unraveling. Then, cut the yarn to leave a tail and thread it onto the end of a tapestry needle so you can weave in the ends.^[21]

[Edit]Sewing the Petals into a Flower

Make at least 5 to 7 rounded or pointed petals. Repeat the rounded or pointed petal 5 times to make enough petals for a simple knit flower. If you'd like a fuller flower, knit at least 7 petals.
- The pointed flowers are great for knitted tulips or irises. To make roses or dogwood blossoms, use the rounded petals.
- Leave a yarn tail that's about long on the last petal you make. You'll use this to sew the rest of the petals together.
- Because knitting tends to have more drape, it's best to knit several petals, then sew them all together, rather than knitting one large flower.^[22]
Thread the yarn tail of 1 petal onto a tapestry needle. Get out a tapestry or blunt needle with a wide eye and thread the yarn tail through the eye. Then, lay your knit petals so they're in a single horizontal row. Place the petal with the yarn tail on an end of the row.^[23]
- Arrange the petals so the sides are touching and the cast off edge is along the bottom.
Insert the needle through the bottom corner or point of each petal. Take the needle and draw it through each corner or point of the petal it's attached to. Then, keep working to the left and insert it through the bottom corners or point of the petal that's next in the row. Continue to push the needle through the bottom corners or points of each petal until you reach the end of the row.^[24]
- You can work from left to right or right to left as long as all of the petals are connected once you reach the end of the row.
Bring the needle back through the first petal and pull the yarn to gather the flower. Once you reach the end, insert the needle into the first petal that you started with and pull on the thread to bring the petals together. Then, tie off the yarn with a sturdy knot and trim the excess yarn.^[25]
- Now you can attach your flower to a hair clip, purse, or wreath, for instance.