Knit Your Green Veggies

This is the purl side of the leaf.











This is the knit side of the leaf.








This project was inspired by a desire to knit kale and other green leafy vegetables. Kale was not a good first choice (in retrospect) because the edges are so complex. The ruffle edging has 400 stitches condensed down to 135. The finished leaf now looks more like spinach or chard. I like it, but it's NOT kale.

The following pattern was inspired by a Classic Elite Yarns pattern for a leaf sachet and two ruffled edgings from Nicky Epstein's book Knitting on the Edge.

Knit Leafy Greens Pattern

Materials:
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids and Heathers, worsted weight yarn in Forest Green
Circular needle, size 9

For leaf center:

Cast on 5 stitches. Knit in stockinette for 3 inches ending with a purl (wrong side) row. Mark center stitch
Row 1- K1,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K1, end with 7 stitches.
Row 2 and all wrong side rows- P.
Row 3- K2,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K2, end with 9 stitches.
Row 5- K3,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K3, end with 11 stitches.
Row 7- K4,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K4, end with 13 stitches.
Row 9- K5,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K5, end with 15 stitches.
Row 11- K6,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K6, end with 17 stitches.
Row 13- K7,K1 inc.1 (knit one from the row below), knit center stitch,k1, inc 1, K7, end with 19 stitches.

Rows 14-24- Knit even in stockinette on 19 stitches.

Row 25- K7,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k7, end with 17 stitches.
Row 27- K6,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k6, end with 15 stitches.
Row 29- K5,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k5, end with 13 stitches.
Row 31- K4,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k4, end with 11 stitches.
Row 33- K3,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k3, end with 9 stitches.
Row 35- K2,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k2, end with 7 stitches.
Row 37- K1,K2 tog, knit center stitch, k2 tog, k1, end with 5 stitches.

Bind off remaining 5 stitches. This gives a blunt tip on which to sew the ruffled edging.

Ruffled Edging:

Cast on 400 stitches.
Knit 4 rows in stockinette.
Knit 3tog across row, ending with about 133 stitches (approximately)
Knit 3 rows in stockinette.
Bind off.

Assembly:

Fold ruffle in half to form a double ruffle of half the original length. I chose to fold the ruffle stockinette side inside. Whipstitch the cast on edges together to form one double layered ruffle. Sew the ruffle to the edge of the leaf shape, stretching or easing the fabric as needed. Weave in any loose ends.