What if your flora was also fauna? Spring is in full bloom, and as you admire the beautiful flowers this season, remember your resident Flower Children. They are sprites that live in your garden who have dedicated their lives to keeping plants healthy and beautiful. They are so dedicated, in fact, that they sometimes come off as quite fierce, chasing snails, slugs, and all manner of pests away! But there’s no need to fear these little creatures; you can make fast friends with them by sowing seeds, watering plants, and picking up trash when you find it.

The Flower Children are a quick and easy knit with fun pops of spring colors. The petals around their heads are versatile, so you could create an entire entourage of Children where no two look alike! They make great gifts for your favorite gardener or kiddo or even as your own small cuddle buddy.

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Yarn

KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 110 yds [100 m]/50 g): Green Tea Heather (MC), 1 balls, Daffodil (CC1), 1 ball (30 yds [28 m]), Rouge (CC2), 1 ball (50 yds [46 m]), Marina (CC3), 1 ball (30 yds [28 m]).

The 3 CC colors use partial balls (yardage as above).

Needle

Size US 5 (3.75mm) needles for working small circumferences in the round (1 long circular, 2 short circulars, or dpns) and straight or circular needles for working flat

Or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

20 sts and 26 rows = 4″ [10cm] in St st

Size

8” [20cm] tall

SchematicS

Notions

Stitch markers, stitch holder, tapestry needle, 4 9mm animal safety eyes in black (2 per Child), polyester fiber fill, straight pins.

Abbreviations

See the Standard Abbreviations.

Pattern Notes

The body is worked from the legs up. The legs are worked as two separate pieces then joined together to work in the round for the body.

The petals around the face can be easily modified by combining, adding, or subtracting to create a variety of different Children.

The body and legs are stuffed; arms are unstuffed to look like leaves.

Flower Children Instructions

Legs

Leg 1

Using needles for working in the round and MC, CO 4. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist, and pm for BOR.

Rnds 1 & 3: K.

Rnd 2: (Kfb) around (8 sts).

Rnd 4: (K1, m1R, k2, m1L, k1) twice (12 sts).

Rnds 5-7: K.

Rnd 8: (K1, m1R, k4, m1L, k1) twice (16 sts).

Rnds 9-11: K.

Rnd 12: (K1, m1R, k6, m1L, k1) twice (20 sts).

Rnd 13: K.

Break yarn, leaving a 10” tail for sewing. Move piece to st holder or spare needles.

Leg 2

Work as for Leg 1 but do not break yarn. Continue on to Body.

Body

Rnd 1: K10 Leg 2 st, move Leg 1 sts to left needle and k10 Leg 1 sts, pm, k rem 10 Leg 1 sts, k rem 10 Leg 2 sts (40 sts).

Rnds 2-5: K.

Rnd 6: (K1, m1R, k to 1 st bef m, m1L, k1) twice (44 sts).

Rnds 7-21: K.

Rnd 22: (K1, ssk, k to 3 sts bef m, k2tog, k1) twice (4 sts dec’ed; 40 sts).

Rnd 23: K.

Rnds 24-27: Rep Rnds [22 & 23] 2 times (8 sts dec’ed; 32 sts)

Rnd 28: [K1, (ssk) twice, k to 5 sts bef m, (k2tog) twice, k1] twice (24 sts).

Rnd 29: K.

Stuff the legs and body. Continue stuffing as you work rem rnds.

Rnds 30 & 31: Rep Rnd [28] twice (8 sts). Rm.

Break yarn and pull through rem sts to secure. Do not close the hole between the legs. You will need to insert the washers for the safety eyes when finishing.

Arms

Make 2

Using your preferred needles for working in the round and MC, CO 10, leaving a 10″ long tail for sewing. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist, and pm for BOR.

Rnds 1-18: K.

Rnd 19: (ssk, k1, k2tog) twice (6 sts)

Break yarn and pull through rem sts to secure.

Face

Using needles for working flat and CC1, CO 2.

Row 1 (RS): (Kfb) twice (4 sts).

Row 2, 4 & 6 (WS): P.

Row 3: (Kfb) across (8 sts).

Row 5: (K1, m1R) 3 times, k2, (m1L, k1) 3 times (14 sts).

Row 7: K12, w&t.

Row 8: P10, w&t.

Rows 9-17: Work in St st (knit RS, purl WS), picking up wraps as encountered.

Row 18: P12, w&t.

Row 19: K10, w&t.

Row 20: P, picking up wraps.

Row 21: (Ssk) 3 times, k2, (K2tog) 3 times, picking up rem wrap when working the last k2tog (8 sts).

Row 22: P.

Row 23: (Ssk) twice, (k2tog) twice (4 sts).

Break yarn, leaving a 30” tail for sewing, and pull through rem sts to secure.

Rose Petal – Large

Make 6

Using needles for working flat and CC2 yarn, CO 8, leaving an 8” tail for sewing.

Row 1 (WS): P.

Row 2 (RS): K1, m1R, k to last st, m1L, k1 (10 sts).

Rows 3-4: Rep Rows [1-2] (12 sts).

Rows 5-9: Work in St st.

Row 10: K1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1 (10 sts).

Row 11: P.

Row 12: K1, (ssk) twice, (k2tog) twice, k1 (6 sts).

Row 13: P.

Row 14: Sssk, k3tog (2 sts).

Break yarn and pull through rem sts to secure.

Rose Petal – Small

Make 6

Using needles for working flat and CC2 yarn, CO 6, leaving an 8” tail for sewing.

Row 1 (WS): P.

Row 2 (RS): K1, m1R, k to last st, m1L, k1 (8 sts).

Rows 3-4: Rep Rows [1-2] (10 sts).

Rows 5-7: Work in St st.

Row 8: K1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1 (8 sts).

Row 9: P.

Row 10: (Ssk) twice, (k2tog) twice (4 sts).

Break yarn and pull through rem sts to secure.

Daisy Petal

Make 10

Using needles for working flat and CC3 yarn, CO 4, leaving an 8” tail for sewing.

Row 1 (RS): K.

Row 2 (WS): P.

Row 3: K1, m1R, k2, m1L, k1 (6 sts).

Rows 4-8: Work in St st.

Row 9: K1, m1R, k4, m1L, k1 (8 sts).

Row 10: P.

Row 11: Ssk, k4, k2tog (6 sts).

Rows 12-16: Work in St st.

Row 17: Ssk, k2, k2tog (4 sts).

Row 18: (P2tog) twice (2 sts).

Break yarn and pull through rem sts to secure.

Finishing

Block petals. Daisy: pin petals completely flat. Rose: pin petals in place so the base lays flat and only the top curls. Once petals are dry, continue with finishing.

Daisy: distribute petals evenly around the outside of the face, pin and whip-stitch into place using the long tails from each petal.

Rose: distribute small petals evenly around the outside of the face, pin and whip-stitch them in place using the long tails from petals. Place large petals behind small petals evenly so they fill in the gaps between the small petals, pin and whip-stitch into place using long tails from petals.

Pin face in place on front of body, about 3/4 of the way up.

Using long tail from face and a running stitch, sew around face, through the body, leaving a small opening. Stuff face loosely. Insert safety eyes through the face into the body. Use schematic as a guide for eye placement. Reach into the opening between the legs to secure washers inside the body. Add stuffing as needed and sew the face closed.

To give additional shape to the face, make small sts around the edge: insert needle up from under the petals and come up near the face seam. Push needle back into the face 1 st over. Draw the needle through the face to the other side of the face. Pulling on this piece of yarn will shape the face around that 1 st. Rep as necessary around the head to achieve desired shape.

Line up arms 1-2 rows below the decrease section on the body. Sew into place, sewing 2-3 sts above the CO edge on the underside to lay flat. Sew the body closed between legs.

Weave in rem ends.

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