How to knit a flower corsage

I love knitting flowers and I started knitting this one on a bus ride to Aberdeen to visit friends and then finished it on the way back. This would look lovely pinned on to a suit jacket or even as an accessory for a handbag

Knit-ability rating: Easy

Materials

1 x 50g ball of RYC Soft Tweed in each of two shades A and B
Shirring elastic

Needles

1 pair of 6mm (US 10) needles

Tension

12 stitches and 16 rows to 10cm/4in square over stocking stitch

Abbreviations

M1: Make 1 stitch by picking up the strand between the stitch on the right-hand needle and the stitch on the left-hand needle and placing it on the left-hand needle, then knit into the back of it.

K2tbl: Knit the next 2 stitches together by going through the back of both stitches.

Pattern

Main part

Using A, cast on 8 stitches

Row 1: Knit to end of row Row 2: Knit to end of row Row 3: Knit 1, M1 and knit to end of row Row 4: Knit to end of row Row 5: Knit 1, M1 and knit to end of row Rows 6, 7 and 8: Knit to end to row Row 9: K2tbl, knit to end of row Row 10: Knit to end of row Row 11: As row 9 Row 12: Knit to end of row Row 13: Cast off 4 stitches, knit to end of row (4 stitches) Row 14: Knit to end of row Row 15: Cast on 4 stitches, knit to end of row Repeat rows 2-15, 9 more times, then repeat rows 2-14 again
Cast off

Middle of flower

Using B, cast on 5 stitches

Row 1: Knit to end of row Row 2: Purl to end of row Row 3: Knit 1, M1, knit 3, M1, knit 1 (7 stitches) Row 4: Purl to end of row Row 5: Knit 2 stitches together, knit 3, knit 2 stitches together (5 stitches) Row 6:Purl to end of row Row 7:Knit to end of row Row 8:Knit 2 stitches together Cast off

To make up

Thread shirring elastic through the straight edge of the main part, then pull tightly to form a rosette shape. Sew the middle into the centre of the corsage.Projects taken from I Love Knitting by Rachel Henderson (Kyle Cathie, £12.99) with photography by Kate Whitaker.