Knitting a flower

Though the unofficial end of summer (Labor Day in the US) was yesterday, true summer isn't really over for another couple of weeks. The fruit of this summer's work will be presented soon, I hope. Last summer's work was very different, however. That was the summer I got my flower knitting jag. Just couldn't stop.

I knitted flowers just for the sake of knitting flowers. (Click to enlarge.)

I also knitted hats

and garlands.


The sunflower was knitted using a short row method, which I plan to describe one day.

All other flowers were knitted quickly and easily using a basic technique that I learned at a machine knitting conference many years ago. They can be knitted on any machine with a ribber and require just one seam at the end. Once you get the hang of it, you can make variations by changing the number of needles in each group and by varying the number of yarns used in each flower. Here's the basic pattern:

Machine knitted flower

Use 21 needles on the front bed and 21 needles on the back bed.

1. You will be starting from the outside of the flower. Loosely cast on using any method with the 1st color. (The racking cast on makes a nice edge for this flower.)
2. Set a good stitch size for a full needle rib, depending on your machine and yarn choice. Use weights.
3. Set your machine, as indicated by diagram, so that selected needles knit and non-selected needles slip. (Passap BX/BX, orange strippers)
4. Using indicated needle set-up, RC6 (6 passes of the carriage). (If the yarn is too heavy, you may only be able to do RC4 on a Japanese-style machine.)
5. Change to 2nd color.
6. Set machine to knit all needles (Passap N/N), RC2
7. Transfer all stitches to back bed. Set stitch size for a slightly loose stockinette stitch.
8. Knitting on back bed only, RC2 (Passap N/GX, black strippers)
9. Cut yarn leaving an end of about 18 inches and thread end through a tapestry needle.
10. Thread yarn end through stitches as you remove each stitch from the knitting machine needles.
11. Pull end like a drawstring and tie a knot. This is the center of the flower. 
12. Stretch and pull cast on edge to create petals.
13. Sew side edges together 1/2 stitch in, steam well and let dry.
14. Optional:  Add a stamen by tying a 2-inch length of yarn to the center of the flower. Fray the ends.

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Corrected 23April2013 - Passap knitters should change to black strippers in Step 8, not Step 6.