Design Story

Violets have had a strong identity for as long as we can remember. In Greek mythology, Persephone was gathering them when she taken to the underworld. They were also used as remembrance flowers for hundreds of years. In the 1900s they became incredibly popular, described by Byron as "kissed by the breath of heaven, seems color'd by its skies." Violet posies were a signal to promote romantic love and also to protect against evil spirits. Violets appeared in scent, in chocolate, on china and greeting cards and as such, seem to encapsulate the Victorian era.

What could be prettier on your lapel than this dainty posy which says so much?

Materials

1 x 50 gm ball of any 4 ply cotton in each of two shades, green for stems and tie and violet for the flowers. A small amount of golden yellow cotton for the stamens. I used a DK weight, which gives a suitably sized French knot.

Two 2 mm (US #0) DPNs
Pair of 2.75 mm (US #2) straight needles
1.75 mm crochet hook
A scrap of felt in a shade of your choice (I made mine so that it wouldn't show at the front).
Darning needle
Sewing needle & thread
Brooch pin

Tension

Is not important, as long as the pieces are firm, to enable them to be moulded.

Abbreviations

mm - millimetres
cm - centimetres
in - inches
DPN(s) - Double Pointed Needles
DK - Double Knit
st(s) - Stitch(es)
K - Knit
P - Purl
RH - Right Hand
LH - Left Hand
st st - Stocking Stitch
K2tog - Knit two stitches together
P2tog - Purl two stitches together

Pattern Notes

If you would like a slightly larger posy, you could use DK cotton instead, and go up a needle size or two.

To make a French Knot follow the illustrations below.

To make the I-cord, cast on 4 sts on to one of the 2 mm (US #0) DPNS. With a second DPN, knit the 4 sts. Do not turn the work around. Instead push the 4 sts to the right hand end of this DPN, pull yarn tight across back of stitches and K the 4 sts again. Repeat this process, never turning the work and always pushing the 4 sts to the right hand end of the needle. As the work grows you will see the work wrapping round itself and forming a tube. To cast off simply K all 4 sts together then draw the thread through the remaining loop. Leave a long enough length to thread onto a darning needle and to draw thread through the tube to fasten off.

Flower (Make 7)

Using 2.75 mm (US #2) needles and violet 4 ply cotton, * cast on 5 sts, then cast off 2 sts, slip stitch from RH needle onto LH needle, ** (3 sts on LH needle), repeat from * to ** until 15 sts are on needle. Work 2 rows st st, starting with a knit row.

Next row: * K1, K2tog, rep from * to end (10 sts).
Next row: P1, * P2tog, rep from * to last st, P1 (6 sts).
Next row: K2tog to end. (3 sts).

Purl 1 row. Break yarn, leaving a 15 cm (6 inch) tail, thread through remaining sts and sew up. With yellow yarn, thread a darning needle and work a French Knot (as explained in pattern notes) in the centre of the flower.

Stem (Make 3)

Using 2 mm (US #0) DPNS and green 4 ply cotton, cast on 4 sts, leaving a 15 cm (6 inch) tail.

Work an I cord stem (as explained in pattern notes) until it measures approximately 8 cm ( approx 3 inches).

Tie (Make 1)

Using 1.75 mm crochet hook and green 4 ply cotton, work a chain approximately 20 cm (approx 7.5 inches) long, or until it is long enough to tie into a neat bow around the I cord stems.

Making Up

Using long tail ends of stems, sew flowers to stems, starting at the top and working down stems, arranging the flowers in a circular shape, or as desired.

Tie the crochet chain around the stems as in photo, and sew down if desired.

Darn in all ends.

Sew a piece of felt to the back of the posy, trimming away any excess, so that it isn't visible from the front, and sew on a brooch pin to complete.

Helen is also wearing Elegant Coat-Gloves which can be found in Vintage Gifts to Knit by Susan Crawford

You can see more of Theodora's life and work at www.myspace.com/misstheodora

This pattern is not to be used commercially or to be resold.  Copyright © Theodora Burrow 2010

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