Yarn Over: Embellishments

The problem with shopping too much is that it makes you want to have all the newest pretties and fashions. Retail stores capitalize on this inner coveting by tempting you into their stores with "sales" and "coupons". Sometimes you can really score some great deals, but then there are the times when you walk out of the store carrying something that was still vastly overpriced despite the wielding of coupons and sales to the best of the shopper's ability.

(By "you" I really mean "me".)

So, there I was at The Limited with a wonderful $15 off coupon, staring at the most gorgeous ruffly cardigan that was 30% off. Of course I snapped it up, and of course I nearly had an on-site hernia when I found out the cardigan was $30 with discounts applied!!!! Nope. Not happening.

I scrounged around in my closet and found a cardigan that I almost never wear which I decided to spruce up to match the cardigan from The Limited. The color of my cardigan was a bit too bright and lime for my tastes. So, using that wonderful $1 tee from Wal-mart, I made three rosettes. The off-white rosettes really softened the green!

To make this top, first you need to make a ruffle. My ruffles were made with fabric I cut from the tee that measured about 3 x 24 inches. Sew a loose stitch onto one edge (you can hand sew this or use a sewing machine), and gather the edge by pulling one of the strings and sliding the fabric until you get a nice ruffle.

Fold one corner down, and beginning with the inside of the rose, start rolling the rose along the line of the ruffle

Every couple of turns you'll need to sew the base through to keep the rose from unrolling. When the rose gets thicker it's handy to use a thimble to help push the needle through all the fabric.

Once you've rolled your rosette up and sewn it securely, open the "petals".

I made three little rosettes and sewed them onto the neck edge of my cardigan. (Note to all string players out there who might attempt this project: sew it onto the RIGHT neck edge so that your embellishments won't make it uncomfortable to have a violin on your shoulder.)

All done! I prefer to keep things in odd groupings of threes or fives, as the florist in me balks at fours and twos. Those combinations are only lucky on genetically messed-up clover.