Wednesday 18 July 2012

Knitted Flower Tutorial

You can crank up the cuteness factor of a simple baby hat in minutes with this quick and easy to make knitted flower. I added one to a hat I made for a friend recently and she said she was forever getting stopped by people asking where she got such a cute hat!
I've used it on several of my patterns over on Etsy and they are always good sellers. But you don't need to stop at hats.... add them to cardies, blankets, bags, purses, scarves, mittens... the possibilities are endless.
 

So, let's get started!  - you need oddments of double knit (light worsted in US, 8 ply in Australia) yarn and size 4mm (US size 6) needles.
Cast on 51sts and starting with a knit row, work 4 rows stocking stitch (stockinette)

5th Row: Knit 1, [cast off (that's bind off in US)  9sts] five times. You should have 6sts on your needle and your work should look like this!!
Cut the yarn, leaving a good length and thread it through the remaining stitches. Pull the yarn tight to draw them together and fasten yarn securely.

Still with me? Now we've got to make the centre of the flower. This is a fiddly little bit to make, but it only takes seconds and really makes that flower POP!
Using a contrasting yarn, cast on 2 stitches.
1st Row: Increase in both those stitches to make 4 stitches - this is where you start cursing if you've cast on too tight!
2nd, 3rd and 4th Rows - just plain knit every row.
5th Row: [K2together] twice ....... just 2 stitches left on your needle now, and almost done!
6th Row: K2together and fasten off.
See what I mean... its a teeny, weeny, fiddly little thing that you'll lose down the side of the sofa if you're not careful, but it's gonna make that flower look good!

Now, go back to the main bit of the flower and use one of those dangling ends to sew the two little ends so that the flower is circular (I hadn't done that yet in the last photo of the flower, I just placed the ends close together ... cheat!)
Now, unless you want a very open flower (and that's just fine if you do!) use that same yarn that's still on you needle (oops, do I hear you say you've cut it already...) and thread it across from one petal to the next, pulling them all in close together - still don't cut that yarn!!!


 Turn the flower over, 'cos that picture above is the wrong side of the flower and sew on the centre - you can just actually thread those green yarn ends to the back of the flower and tie them in a secure knot.
Now you are going to see why I wouldn't let you cut those yarn ends.... They're what you use to sew the flower to your hat/blanket/bag/or whatever!

If you're wondering why the yarn kept changing from white to cream, it's because I already have some photos for this tute on my laptop and couldn't be bothered to re-do them all.... lazeeeey!

If you want to make a larger flower for grown up size hats, super large totes etc, you've got two choices:
1. Use chunky yarn and very large needles.
2. Cast on extra stitches in multiples of 5, and then cast of one extra stitch, for each extra 5 that you added. So,... if you cast on 56, you'll K1, [cast of 10sts] 5 times...... if you cast on 61, you'll K1,[cast off 11sts] 5 times, and so on.
So, now I've been super kind and shared this with you, I'd like you to do something for me!! Post photos of the flowers you've made, and all the great things you've added them to on my Facebook page please!!! Thank you.

58 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for doing this! I can't wait to make lots of cute little girl beanies with it!!

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  2. I LOVE this flower! Thank You so much!

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  3. Thanks for sharing your tips! Kisses from Brazil

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  4. Love this flower, been searching everywhere for a pattern to adorn a babys blanket. thank you very much annie new zealand

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  5. How can I print this pattern? I have a very similar pattern, but I don't knit all those rows first...it took me a while to get that other pattern to work right, but I did, and I also like this one...but I can't find a way to print it.

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  6. All my free patterns for complete items are available as downloadable pdfs, but this is just a little tutorial for a quick embellishment, so if you feel you couldn't sit at your computer for the 10 minutes or so that it takes to make, you will have to copy and paste the relevant bits into a Word document and print it off from there. If you don't need the photos it will only take two minutes to write out the instructions.

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  7. To amethystlady2

    It you left mouse click right at the beginning of the pattern name it will start to highlight the print (turn blue) then drag your mouse down the page till you get to the bottom of the directions. Let go of the mouse. Then hit the Ctrl key and the letter c key at the same time hold for a second and then let go. Call up your Word Document, left mouse button anywhere in the space, I usually do at the top, then hit the Ctrl key and the letter v key at the same time hold for a second and then let go. Your pattern will appear in your word document. Then save it.
    I hope this helps.

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  8. Oh I forgot, I always copy the address line, which is the Link to this pattern and add it to the bottom of the pattern, so you can always link back to it if something happens to the pattern itself or you want to come back to her page and see all her other wonderful patterns she shares.

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  9. Margaret, thank you for making your explanation so much clearer than my "copy and paste". You will have helped a lot of people be able to use the flower instructions. Well done!

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  10. Can't wait to have a go at these thank you so much for tute x

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  11. Amei a flor! Ficou linda no gorro!
    Obrigada por por explicar como fazê-la!
    Beijos

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  12. Wonderful! And simple too. THANKS

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  13. Just finished one of these flowers for a beanie I'm gifting - it's perfect! Thanks for the awesome tutorial!

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  14. Beautiful Flower ... Thank you !!!

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  15. Just made my first one in only a few minutes, thank you for such easy instructions and super pics to show how it's done. x

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  16. I made sevaral of this (without central part, I used button instead). It's very good explained, very simple.
    Thank you!

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  17. Just made one for my grandaughters knitted bootees in a smaller version.

    Thanks a million for your easy to follow instructions.

    mary

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  18. Thank you so much for this pattern, it turned out so well.

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  19. Thank you so much for this cute knitted flower pattern, so easy but a very attractive addition to hats ect....hi from the UK

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  20. Thanks for sharing this beautiful flower!

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  21. thank you. very much appreciated

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  22. thankyou very much for this flower, looks very easy to do! hope to be able to make a few and use as part of hopeandbloom.blogspot.com been looking for little flowers and this seems perfect! thankyou

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  23. Wonderful - and just in time for my little grand daughter's new hat

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  24. New to knitting & just made this flower! Very clearly explained! Thank you! Also made the hat, my first ever attempt! Will be coming back here again!

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  25. Just made this hat & flower! Superb instructions. Very simple & so sweet! Fairly new to knitting, will be back here again! Thank you. Would love to post a pic, but no idea how!?

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  26. My daughters think I'm a genius when I do these flowers!! thanks so much for sharing! I have 4 grand daughters and so I know I'll be making a lot of them!!!

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  27. I've never tried loom knitting Kate, so wouldn't know how to adapt it. It's so easy though that you couldn't go wrong if you got your needles out again !

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  28. Thank you for sharing this pattern! The flower looks spectacular on my first ever knit hat I made!

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  29. Thank you for this pattern. I am using it to individualise hats for Samaritan Purse Christmas box appeal. They will delight some child who does not have a lot.

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  30. I love this pattern. I was looking for an easy flower pattern to put on hats and other items that I knit. A friend shared this with me and I passed it along to a friend. We are all making these flowers now and adding our own touches.

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  31. I love this pattern. I have shared with some knitting friends and we are all adding it to our hats.

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  32. I love this pattern. So easy to make. I didn't have any contrasting yarn thin enough to make the center so I used a contrasting button. Looks great. Thanks for sharing.

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  33. Love this pattern. So easy and cute. I didn't have any contrasting yarn thin enough to make the center so I used a contrasting button instead. Looks really good. Thanks for publishing this.

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  34. I love this flower for scarfs, brooches and bags - thank you so much for sharing this pattern, Jackie

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  35. Thank you, I am just about to finish a cardigan for myself and this will give it the finishing touch! x

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  36. Thank so much for this darling flower and the step by step directions!

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  37. Thank you so much. I've made several and every time I read the pattern you make me smile. You have such a fun way with words. Thanks again from California.

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  38. Thank you so much! Until now I only knitted rose shaped flowers for my children's hats. I am going to knit one today for a hat I am gifting to a little girl!

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  39. This pattern is amazing, thank you. It is so simple but so effective. I have made some to put on a "twiddle muff" that I knitted for the local hospital for dementia patients.

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  40. Can you please tell me where I can get the pattern for this hat? I love it & the flower! Thanks.

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  41. Can you please tell me where I can get the hat pattern from. I just love them both, the hat & the flower!. Thanks

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  42. I sell the pattern for the hat on Etsy. Here is the link : https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/85387752/baby-hat-knitting-pattern-pdf-emilie?ref=shop_home_active_18

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  43. i tried to make this but as usual with me it turned out nothing like the pattern lol. somehow in the k1,co5 stage i ended up w waaaay more than 6 stitches on my needle. more like 10 :p but it made for a really beautiful flower in the end!

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  44. Thank You so mutch for this cute flower Tutorial, its so easy to follow, just made my very first one,purple and green, and put it on a little hat for my 2 year old niece. It got just the cute touch I was missing.
    I posted it on my blog today, and linked it back to you. :) thanks a lot. Have a great weekend.
    Hugs from swimzy

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  45. Just loved your pattern...made a flower for a rolled brim baby hat and it is fabulous...ty😊😊😊

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  46. Loved th pattern..just sewed it on to a baby rolled brim hat...it is fabulous..Ty! 😊😊😊😊

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  47. A friend asked me to make a flower for a baby hat she bought. I always wanted to learn how....found your pattern and it's so easy and such a pretty flower.

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  48. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful flower pattern!!

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  49. Thank you for this pattern. I made flowers for a bag to enter in the local Show and the bag received First Prize. I have also adapted the pattern to make a shamrock - by casting on only 50st and omitting the first k1 when casting off that first petal is a stem instead.

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  50. Thank you for this pattern. I used it to make flowers for a bag which I entered in the local Show and it received First Prize. I have also altered it to make a shamrock - by casting on 50st and omitting the first k1 when casting off, what would be that first petal is the stem.

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  51. You saved my life. I was so stressed out trying to find a good pattern that was simple sine it was my first time making a flower! UGH thank you so much!!!!

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  52. This is lovely! I will definitely give it a go!!
    (I am so happy pinterest exists)

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  53. Thanks for the tutorial,(which is amazing by the way). Furthermore, I want to thank you for your humor it kept me laughing the whole time.

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  54. I'm Ten and I decided i want to make a hat so i made a beanie and now i want to add some little touches. I found this and i think its a great idea. I've never seen something done like this. So How big does it turn out? It would be GREAT if you could put a picture of your hand next to or holding the flower?
    Thanks

    Cheers from the US

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    Replies
    1. If you use chunky yarn and 5 mm needles it will produce a flower about 3" across, you can then knit one in double knitting yarn and 4mm needles that will fit inside of the chunky one and produce a double flower. Also if you cat on 61 stitches and wrk in the same way casting off nine stitches and leaving one on the needle you get a six petalled flower!

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  55. Well it was my first go and doesn't look like the picture but you can kinda tell what it is lol. Practice makes perfect! Had so much fun making though ☺

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  56. What an adorable, easy flower! Thanks so much for sharing.

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