Tutorial: Knitted Flower Buds (worked in the round)

The Frida Tee is a hybrid top-down tee with flower bud cable panels that frame the top and bottom. The knitted flower buds are worked in the round over two rounds. You make the flower bud on first round and then close the flower bud on the second round. Here I’m sharing a quick photo tutorial and video to walk you through the process. 

In the pattern abbreviations, Make Flower Bud reads “(k1-yo- k1) into stitch. Turn and purl back the 3 just made sts. Turn again. Knit the same 3 sts again wrapping yarn twice around needle on each st.” And Close Flower Bud reads “Slip the 3 Flower Bud stitches dropping the extra wraps as you go. Then slip the same 3 stitches back to the left-hand needle and k3tog-tbl.”

Here is the link to the video:

If you prefer step-by-step photos, here is a look at the process:

Make Flower Bud

The start of making a flower bud.

Knit 1, yarn over, knit 1 into the same stitch. Knit one, yarn over, knit one into the same stitch. This increases from 1 to 3 stitches.

Turn and purl back the 3 just made stitches.

Turn again. Now you are back to the direction you were originally knitting when you started the flower bud.

Knit the same 3 stitches wrapping yarn twice around needle on each stitch.

The Flower Bud is made. Now leave it and continue to work around the tee in pattern until the next round when you will follow the directions to close the flower bud.

Close Flower Bud

On the next round, slip the 3 Flower Bud stitches dropping the extra wraps as you go. This will give you three extra-long stitches. Then slip these same 3 extra-long stitches back to the left-hand needle and knit the 3 stitches together through the back loop to close the Flower Bud.

Here’s a close up look at the completed flower bud panel on the Frida Tee neckline. This design is named Frida because the flower bud cable panels evoke the flowers that the artist Frida Khalo always had around her in paintings and photographs.