Knitted Flowers

Cut flowers are beautiful but short-lived and potted plants don’t always thrive if you’re not naturally green-fingered, but, with Sian Brown’s knitted flower patterns, you will have guaranteed blooms! There are 30 designs to make, some of which are flat and can be worn as brooches or attached to bags or blankets as embellishments, while other designs are three-dimensional and can be displayed in vases or knitted pots. They would make wonderful gifts as you could choose a loved one’s favourite bloom or their birth month flower. Some of them could also be displayed as seasonal or festive decorations each year, such as the summery Sunflower or the Christmas Poinsettia. The patterns require simple DK, 4 ply or aran-weight yarns and would make great stash-busting projects. The realistic textures and details of the flowers are achieved using a variety of techniques such as bobbles and embroidered French knots. A guide to the techniques is included, making the book suitable for knitters of all levels. Favourite makes include the branch of Cherry Blossom, the sprigs of Lavender and the potted Hyacinth.

Sian Brown fell in love with yarn and knitting while studying for a BA in Fashion and Textiles in Cheltenham, UK. She went on to become a knitwear designer, working full time then freelancing for commercial companies supplying the high street stores, firstly designing factory machine knits and later handknits. Sian has also taught at London College of Fashion on their knitwear course. She now lives on the south Devon coast, and designs handknits for several magazines and yarn companies. Sian has written several books on knitting, including The Knitted Home for GMC Publications.