Knit Floral Block: Star Flower

This generic pattern can be used with whatever yarn and hook/needle size you prefer.

Intermediate

Squares knitted from corner to corner become raised, diamond-shaped petals when five are joined together. Add stamens to create a star-shaped flower resting on a garter-stitch background.

METHOD
Yarn Sport weight wool in purple (A), mauve (B), acid yellow (C), and dull lime green (D)

Equipment A pair of knitting needles and crochet hook or wool needle

Specific abbreviations
mb make bobble: [insert hook in last ch, yrh, pull loop through, 1ch] twice, yrh, pull yarn through all loops on hook, fasten off
ybk: take yarn to back of work
yfwd:bring yarn forward to front of work

PETALS (make 5)
Using A, cast on 25 sts by thumb method.
1st row (RS) K11, s2kpo, k11. 23 sts.
2nd row K11, yfwd, slip 1 purlwise, ybk, k11.
3rd row K10, s2kpo, k10. 21 sts.
4th and WS rows K to center st, yfwd, slip 1 purlwise, ybk, k to end.
5th row K9, s2kpo, k9. 19 sts.
7th row K8, s2kpo, k8. 17 sts.
9th row K7, s2kpo, k7. 15 sts.
11th row K6, s2kpo, k6. 13 sts.
13th row K5, s2kpo, k5. 11 sts.
14th row As 4th row.
Change to B.
15th row K4, s2kpo, k4. 9 sts.
17th row K3, s2kpo, k3. 7 sts.
19th row K2, s2kpo, k2. 5 sts.
21st row K1, s2kpo, k1. 3 sts.
23rd row S2kpo.
Fasten off remaining one st.

BLOCK
Using D, cast on 43 sts. Work 85 rows g-st, or until the block is square.
Bind off knitwise.

Making up
RS together and using yarn ends, backstitch petals, color B to the center. Starting at the center, RS facing, use crochet hook and C to make a surface chain to halfway along one seam, ending by breaking the yarn, leaving a long end and pulling this through to RS. Mb then take yarn to WS. Alternatively, use wool needle to make chain st and end with a large French knot. Do the same along remaining seams. Use A to attach the flower to the block, leaving cast-on edges of petals free.

ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES

k= knit RS = right side
S2KPO = slip 2 stitches together, knit 1, pass two slip stitches overt st(s) = stitch(es)
WS = wrong side  

Excerpted with permission from 75 Floral Blocks to Knit by Lesley Stanfield, St. Martin's Griffin, 2013.