How to Tuesday - Shamrock Corsage

Felted Wool Shamrock Brooch

To make this little gem you will need some yarn, must be feltable - I like to use a mohair blend, but any wool yarn will do, about 40 grms should be sufficient. A french knitter, some knitting needles ( I like to use a 5mm or 4.5mm) a stitch on brooch back and a darning needle.

The shamrock is made up of a stalk knit on the french knitter and three petals or leaves that are knit by casting on and off stitches to shape.


Cast on to the french knitter and work until tube of yarn sticks out about and inch at the bottom of the tube.

Knit the four stitches onto a needle and then work one row purl when you turn to work back cast on 4 stitches at edge. Knit 1 row then purl one row. Keeping working in stocking stitch (Knit row and then purl row) On next knit row knit one stitch and then increase one stitch - knit to end of row and then purl one row. Repeat this twice there will then be 11 stitches.

Decrease by knitting one stitch and then knitting 2 together at edge to match increases over next six rows. On final knit row for this petal cast off 4 stitches and then knit remaining 4 stitches.

Repeat the increase and decreases outlined twice and on last petal cast off all 8 stitches to complete. Leave 18 inch tail (min) of yarn to be used for making up.

When completed your work should look like this

Darn in loose end at base of stalk.

Using tail of yarn at flat edge begin to gather up petal to shape.

Work back towards stalk - gathering in each petal.

Then working back and forth - pull centre together and stitch to top of stalk

The shamrock should now begin to take shape and is ready for felting. My preference is to throw it in with towels on a 40 degree wash.

When it comes out of the machine it may need a little encouragement to (lots of pulling) to settle into the desired shape - dry flat and you are then ready to stitch on the brooch back to complete.