Designer’s email: alreillygator@yahoo.com

After I have knit or crocheted something I always save any and all leftover yarn, no matter how much is left over. I always tell myself its good to save these leftovers in case something I made needs to be mended. But to be honest, I have never, not even once, had to mend something I made. This means that the little balls of yarn keep piling up in my yarn stash, making it appear that I have more “usable” yarn then I really do. I try to find small projects for these little balls of scrap yarn and these Flowers in Bloom not only make quick AND easy projects, but also make great gifts too!

This pattern calls for making flower hair clips but you can just as easily make each flower into a pin to wear, a flower bow for a gift topper, a charm for a necklace, or even a set of interchangeable flowers to put on a purse. You can attach a wooden dowel to the back of each flower and “plant” several yarn flowers in a flower pot making a lovely yarn bloom. The sky is the limit really on what you can use them for!

Start today and make them as teacher gifts, shower gifts, party favors, and small stocking stuffers. This is a quick way to use up some stash yarn creating room for future yarn purchases.

This pattern is a: Knit Pattern

Skill Level: Easy

Credits: Photographer and model Alison Reilly

Materials:

Yarn and Needles:

It doesn’t really matter what yarn you use. I like to stick to sport or worsted weight (since that is what I usually have in my stash) but you can play with whatever is leftover in your stash. Just make sure to use the suggested needle size for your yarn and you’ll be good to go (if you knit on the tight side, I’d suggest going one needle size up)!

Purple and Grey Knit Flower: Brown Sheep, Cotton Fleece (215 yards/skein), 80% Prima cotton/20% Wool, CW800 Prairie Lupine and CW695 Lilac Haze, size 5 needle

Blue Knit Flower: Knit Picks, Shine Sport (110 yards/50 grams), 60% Pima Cotton/40% Modal, #23622 River, size 5 needle

Notions and Accessories:

Tapestry Needle Your choice: hair clip, pin backing, wooden dowel, etc. Your choice: yarn or thread to sew it onto the above, or a hot glue gun to glue it

This is the hair clip used in the example.

Finished Product Measurements:

Varies according to what type of yarn is used

Pattern Stitch:

Knit: You need to know how to cast-on, bind-off, and knit

Gauge: Varies according to what type of yarn is used

Pattern:

Knit Flower: There is only one row to this flower after you have casted on. CO 40 sts Row 1: K1, BO 6 (you should have 2 sts on your right needle) K1, BO 6 (you should have 4 sts on your right needle) K1, BO 6 (you should have 6 sts on your right needle) K1, BO 6 (you should have 8 sts on your right needle) K1, BO 6 (you should have 10 sts on your right needle)                 Cut your yarn 8” long. Thread the 8” tail through a tapestry needle and pull that needle through each of the remaining 10 stitches on your needle. Secure tail and shape flower. Sew in ends. I made three of these to go on one hair clip.	Above picture shows what your needles will look like after K1, BO 6. Notice you have two stitches on your right-hand needle.
	Above picture shows what your needles will look like after your second K1, BO 6. Notice you have four stitches on your right-hand needle.
	Above picture shows what your needles will look like after completing Row 1.
	Above picture shows your work after you thread the tail through the remaining ten stitches.

Using a hair clip, pin backing, or wooden dowel, secure your flower using yarn or sewing thread (by sewing it on) or a hot glue gun.

Meet the Designer:

Alison has been addicted to knitting for over two years now and has crocheted since she was a teenager. She even got married under a crocheted chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy) that she and her husband made together. Alison resides in Georgia with her husband and two dogs, Orange and Blue. While she crafts up a storm her husband and dogs are each still waiting for her to knit them sweaters, which she is sure she’ll make, someday.