My Handmade Wedding Bouquet

I'm getting married in about 3 months time and I'm making my own bouquet as fresh flowers can be so expensive and I wanted something totally unique and different. I had the idea to make knitted flowers for my bouquet and found a rose pattern online. It consists of five individual petals that you wrap around and sew together. I've made nearly a 100 already and now know the pattern by heart, (and already getting sick of it!).

The colours are cream and burgundy/deep red and most of the yarn was donated by family and friends. I bought a piece of ribbon for 15p and a polystyrene ball for £2.50 off Amazon. I did buy one previous but accidentally melted it with super glue :s so had to buy another one and stuck the two halves together with PVA glue and lots of pins.

To secure the roses to the ball, I bought 100 diamante corsage pins off Amazon (love Amazon) for £3.25. They're 1.5 inches long and the 'diamantes' are actually made out of plastic and on their own they don't look like anything special but in the rose they take on a different life and look so pretty. I have recently ordered another 3 boxes as I've got a quarter left of the ball to cover and also need to do the bridesmaids' bouquets too (there will be probably another post about them later).

So I estimate that my bouquet alone has cost me under £15 for materials, though has cost a lot of time for labour, but since I'm unemployed I have the luxury of time!

So far I'm really pleased with the result and can't wait for it to be finished. I hope you like it too :)

if you're interested in the knitting pattern here it is :)

Rose Corsage (Copyright Alison Hogg 2009) for personal use only

Materials

3.00mm needles

scraps of double knitting yarn

brooch back

Abbreviations

k = knit

p = purl

sl = slip

st(s) = stitch(es)

psso = pass slip st over

inc = increase (k into front and back of st)

Inner Petal
Cast on 7 sts, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing up.

ROW 1 : k.

ROW 2 : p (right side).

ROW 3 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 4 : p.

ROW 5 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 6 : p.

ROW 7 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to end of row (6 sts).

ROW 8 : p.

ROW 9 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 10 : p.

ROW 11 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to end of row (5 sts).

ROW 12 : p.

ROW 13 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 14 : p.

Cast off k’wise.

Middle Petals (make 2)

Cast on 4 sts.

ROW 1 : k.

ROW 2 : p.

ROW 3 : inc every st (8 sts). (recommended inc - kfb)

ROW 4 : p.

ROW 5 : inc every st (16 sts).

ROW 6 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 7 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 8 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 9 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (14 sts).

ROW 10 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 11 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (12 sts).

ROW 12 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 13 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts (k2tog) (10 sts).

ROW 14 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

Cast off k’wise.

Large Outer petal (make 2)

Cast on 5 sts.

ROW 1 : k.

ROW 2 : p.

ROW 3 : inc every st (10 sts).

ROW 4 : p.

ROW 5 : inc every st (20 sts).

ROW 6 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 7 : sl1 k’wise, k to end of row.

ROW 8 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 9 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (18 sts).

ROW 10 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 11 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (16 sts).

ROW 12 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 13 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (14 sts).

ROW 14 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 15 : sl1 k’wise, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, (k2tog) (12 sts).

ROW 16 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

Cast off k’wise.

Leaf
Cast on 3 sts with green yarn.

ROW 1 : k.

ROW 2 : p.

ROW 3 : inc1, inc1, k (5 sts). (recommended inc - kfb)

ROW 4 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 5 : sl1 k’wise, inc1, inc1, k2 (7 sts).

ROW 6 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 7 : sl1 k’wise, k1, inc1, inc1, k3 (9 sts).

ROW 8 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 9 : sl1 k’wise, k2, inc1, inc1, k4 (11 sts).

ROW 10 : sl1 p’wise, p to end of row.

ROW 11 : Cast off 1 k’wise, k to end of row (10 sts).

ROW 12 : Cast off 1 p’wise, p to end of row (9 sts).

Rpt ROWS 11 – 12 until 1st remains (purl row).

Fasten off.

To Assemble Rose

1. Weave all loose yarns away - down the edge of the petals, except for the tail at the cast on edge of the Inner Petal.

2. Place the Inner Petal piece flat, purl side down. Cast on edge is at the side and the decreasing edge is at the top. Starting at the cast on edge roll the petal tightly, so that purl side is turned to face outwards. 

3. Sew the base firmly together with the yarn tail.

4. Wrap the four petals around the inner petal, with the purl side facing towards the inner petal and the cast on end at the base. Stagger the two middle petals and then the two large ones . Sew each petal firmly to the base and bottom edge of petals as you go. Keep the petals tight.

5. Attach the leaf (knit side facing outwards) to the back of rose