Notions
cotton, linen, or silk sewing thread in green to match C1
green florist wire, 26 gauge
scissors
sewing needle
pliers
wire snips
yarn needle

GAUGE
44 sts/52 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Long-tail Cast On: Instructions are here.

Make 1: Increase by casting on 1 st using the backward loop method described here. When you encounter this new st on the next row, knit it through the back.

Herringbone Stitch: This is not the knitted herringbone, but the hand-sewing stitch as described here.

Weave in ends.

With wire snips, cut a length of florist wire about 20 inches long.

Thread sewing needle with about 20 inches of green thread.

Secure the thread near the base of the leaf with a few whip stitches. Leaving a wire "stem" approximately 5 inches long below the base, whip stitch the florist wire around WS edge of the leaf. Bend the wire as you proceed to conform to the contours of the edge. Upon reaching base again, knot thread securely to leaf and snip thread ends close. You should have an additional 4-5 inches of florist wire remaining. Twist these wire "stems" together tightly, using pliers if necessary.

Wrap the CO tail tightly around the stem from the leaf to near the cut end, taking care the wires are completely covered. Secure with an overhand knot. Bend the wire end upwards to hold the knot in place. Trim off the excess yarn and wire ends.

FLOWER

PURPLE PETAL (make 2).
Using long-tail method and C2, CO 10 sts.

Sl first 5 sts to a second ndl.	Bring ndls together so sts are aligned and parallel, 5 per ndl. Slide sts to opposite end of ndls, so that working yarn is on the front needle, on the right-hand side.	The petal is created with double knitting as follows: With third ndl, work in this fashion: *(K1 st from front ndl,

k1 st from back ndl),	rep from * until all sts are knit onto one ndl.

Turn work.

Row 1: [K1, sl 1 purlwise] across. Turn work.

Rep Row 1 8 more times. You will be making a little double-knit bag in reverse stockinette, as shown.	Break working yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail. Thread tail onto tapestry needle. Carefully slip all stitches off the needle. Gently tease the stitches at the opening apart -- there will be five on each side. Run the threaded working yarn through all stitches, clockwise around the opening of the little bag.

Take a piece of florist wire about 11 inches long and bend it into a U shape, rather like a very long bobby pin. Align the curve of the U with the CO edge of the petal.	Use the CO tail of the petal to whipstitch the wire firmly to the CO edge of the petal.

Weave in tail and cut off excess.	Turn the petal inside-out so that the stockinette side is showing. Pull the yarn tail that was run through the live sts tight.

Weave in tail and cut off excess.

Twist the ends of the wire together tightly below the base of the petal, and trim to a length of about five inches. Set aside.

Work in double-knitting as for Purple Petal.
Work C3 for 6 rows; then join C2 and work for 3 rows.
Finish as Purple Petal, weaving loose in ends before turning petal inside-out.

FLOWER CENTER AND CALYX
Thread a twelve-inch length of C1 onto tapestry needle.

Bring needle from behind flower, leaving six-inch tail at the back.

Using photograph at right as a guide, make four herringbone sts, one each into the bases of any four of the petals (it matters not which four). Bring the needle and working yarn to the back of the flower.

Using photograph at right as a guide, form the calyx by making one long, loose herringbone st into the back of every petal.

Tie the two ends of the sewing yarn together with two knots at the base of the flower.

Flower Stem.
Tie on a 20-inch length of C3 with two knots at the base of the flower.
Wrap the stem tightly with the yarn and finish as for the stem of the leaf.

BUD
Cut an 11-inch length of florist wire and lay vertically on work surface.

Cut two 5-inch lengths each of C1, C2, and C3. Lay these horizontally in a bundle across the center of the florist wire. Bend the florist wire around the bundle of yarns and twist the wire ends tightly together, forming a stem.	Cut a 14-inch length of C1. Bend the ends of the bundled yarns down the stem. At about 1/4 inch from the tip, tie them to the stem with the length of C1 using two firm knots.	Trim the ends of the bundled yarns.

Clip one tail of the knot short. Use the other tail to wrap the stem of the bud as the stem of the leaf.

FINISHING
Arrange flower, leaves, and bud as desired. Cut and lay out a 24-inch length of C2. Place the stems at center of this strand of yarn and use two knots to tie stems together tightly, about three inches from bottom. Wrap stems first with one end of the knotted yarn, then the other. Finish each wrap with an overhand knot. Trim any excess.