Spring inspires knitters with its warm weather, vibrant colours and lightweight yarns to pick up their knitting needles. With the rising temperatures, nature unfurls with a myriad of colorful flowers. So, why not make your knitting sunny, bright, and floral? Knitting flowers is a great project. You can use up your stash. It is quick and creative and unlike real flowers, they will last for years and years. Your knitted flowers will not only decorate vases and pots, you can use your floral knitting patterns to knit yourself up a headband, sweater, hat or any other accessory.
So, let’s get started.
Supplies for your Knitted Flowers
- Pattern - Patterns are abundantly found for your knitted flowers but you can also design your own. Try and work with yarn shades and fiber most similar to the real flowers. You can knit flowers in any size or design. It will depend upon the yarn weight and knitting needle size you choose.
- Yarn of your choice - While you can knit your flowers in any shade or weight of yarn, choosing the shade matching the colour nature granted to the flower variety is the best option. Similarly, opt for lightweight or medium-weight yarn as chunky yarns will not give the right stitch definition as long as the pattern calls for it.
- Knitting Needles to suit the yarn - You can knit with any knitting needle, single-pointed, double-pointed or circular needles. Most knitting patterns suggest the needle type as well as the needle size. If you are planning your designs you can use the double-pointed knitting needles to knit back and forth too. Small sizes work best for the flower patterns as you would like the stitches to be small and dense.
- Darning needle to seam in the flowers. Most knitted flower patterns will require that you seam the project together and hide yarn tails as neatly as possible.
- Scissors
- Stitch Markers - The essential knitting accessories are not to be forgotten if you are working on a small pattern of flowers. Check out our guide on how to use stitch markers in knitting.
Knitting Stitches and Techniques
Knitted flowers follow the same instructions as all knitting projects. You need to cast on stitches on your knitting needles. Bind off or cast off stitches knit wise or purl-wise depending on the stitch pattern. All stitch patterns are based on knit and purl stitches and that is how you’ll make the flowers. Stockinette (Stocking stitch) has a natural curl that works beautifully for some flowers while a simple garter can also be effectively used to fashion the flowers. Other knitting techniques such as KFB (knit front and back) are used for neat increases in stitches. Another alternative is Yo (yarn over). Similarly, k2TOG (knit two together) are neat decreases stitchesThe darning needle plays an important role in giving shape and design to the flowers. You can knit short rows for the petal design.
How to Knit Flowers – Step by step
1. Daisy Flowers
Step 1 – Cast on fifty stitches on any knitting needle (preferably single-pointed or circulars) and knit one, then cast off six stitches. Repeat this until you reach the end of the row and then knit one stitch and leave it on the needle. Do not bind off the remaining stitches! Once you have completed this, you will have eight stitches left on your needle, with large loops between them.
Step 2 – Sew Together. Cut your yarn, leaving a tail of at least six inches (15cm). Thread this yarn through the needle and use it to go through the stitches on the needle. Alternatively, you can take the stitches off the needle and then thread the tail through the loops. Pull tightly and join the first and last petals with the yarn from the tail. Shape the loops into petals and sew the ends in to keep them secure and in place. Once you have the flower shape, you can add a small button at the center of the flower. If you want more petals, cast on more stitches at the start, or for fewer petals, cast on fewer stitches. This number must be a multiple of seven plus one.
2. Knitting a Rose
This is an attractive choice in a variegated yarn or a shade of red or pink.
Step 1 – Cast on fifty stitches and knit six rows of garter stitches. This will result in a long, narrow rectangle on your needle. Cut the yarn and leave a tail of around twelve inches (30cm). Then thread the tail through the stitches on the needle or, if you feel more comfortable, take the stitches off the needle and then thread the yarn through them.
Step 2 – Assemble the Knitted Rose. Pull the yarn tightly to cause the rectangle to ruffle up and use your fingers to arrange it into a neat rose shape. It should twist around itself, forming the swirls of a rose. Sew the twisted fabric into place using a whip stitch across the bottom of the rosette and use the remaining yarn to secure the rose onto your project. For a larger knitted rose, without using thicker yarn and needles, cast on seventy stitches and work more than six rows of garter stitch. For a smaller rose, cast on fewer stitches and knit only four rows of garter stitches.
3. Poppy Flower
This is a cheerful choice that can be used for any project or as a beautiful brooch throughout the year, but it is especially suitable for Remembrance Day (for Commonwealth countries). This pattern is made with a 3D effect of rib knit stitch to form the petals.
Step 1 – Cast on fifty-two stitches and knit four, purl four, knit four across the row. On the next row, purl four, knit four, purl four and continue to alternate the rows until you have five complete rows. Then knit two together across the row, followed by a slip, knit, pass (skp) across the row and knit one stitch.
Step 2 – Join the Petals. Cut the yarn and leave a tail of around twelve inches (30cm). Thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull up tightly. Secure the yarn with a backstitch or two and sew the edges of the poppy together to make a circle. Add a small black button for the center or sew a few black satin stitches on the center.
Besides the above three knitted flowers, there is a lot you can knit. You can individually make the flowers and attach them to your knitted sweater, cardigan or other garments or accessory. If you want to floralize your home and place them in a vase, then attach the knitted flowers to an i-cord or even make knitted leaves. Refer to our guide on how to knit an i-cord. With this, you are ready to bring spring and summer into your homes and dressing.
The trick to beautiful knitting is always knitted needles and accessories that you enjoy working with. The Mindful Collection offers stainless steel knitting needles in a range of needle types and sizes. Explore single-pointed, double-pointed, fixed circular and interchangeable circular needles or needle sets for all your knitting projects.
Happy Spring Knitting!
