Florrie May...the Original :)

This is my Nan...Florrie on the right with her sister, my Aunty Em, this is one of my favourite photos of her...on their holidays in Rhyl many years ago.  I didn't get enough time with this wonderful lady she died when I was 9 years old...but in those 9 yrs. she passed on so many precious gifts that I carry in my heart every day...she taught me how to knit, bake, play and my passion crochet...so I keep her memory alive inside of me and now she's on the world wide web as well...I write my blog in her name, my Facebook craft page in her name, Twitter as well :)

Twitter @florriemay51
Facebook Happy Heart Crafting https://www.facebook.com/pages/Happy-Heart-Crafting/1645284279034114

This week another two blankets have gone off to their new owners, to be well loved I hope.

I also spent a quiet, peaceful, lovely day completing my Summer Flower Wreath...such a joy...and its hung on the wall ready for the start of Summer tomorrow (well my summer starts on 1st June!)

New yarn stash arrived this week too, from the lovely Wool Warehouse...cant wait to get started on the new blankets, one will be for one of my Grandsons who has decided he would very much like to have one of nans blankets for his bedroom...as long as there is NO PINK OR PURPLE! Ha Ha :)

But as you can see there is some pink and purple, this is for another blanket...which may make it to the For Sale pile...although I am so in love with the new colours it may have to stay with me :)

Whilst out walking yesterday I picked some lilac from one of the tress over the field...don't you just love the smell of lilac...so today I treated myself to a small bunch of freesia's...I cant tell you how much I looking forward to opening the lounge door in the morning and walking into a room filled with the fragrance of these...the glass jar they are in...I have just picked up in the charity shop for 99p...love giving things a new home

Well its time for Sunday lunch now...lovely bit of slow roast lamb is calling me name

Have a lovely week all xxxx

Pattern for Little Summer Flowers

Morning All, its a very rainy day here today :( no gardening for me

As promised here is the basic pattern for the little summer flowers on my Summer Wreath, its really coming along now, just need to block each piece, do the planning and then attach, I'm really pleased with way its coming along.

This is my own pattern for the flowers, when I do the post for the wreath make up I will post the links to the other pieces I have used, but I have made patterns for the buds, peony, lavender and sweet pea which I will be coming up soon.

I have made the flowers in a solid colour but you can do a different centre, I did solid and added embroidered details which made it less chunky and made it feel more flower like...I will warn you I'm new to pattern writing so I will do my best....and once you start these they are addictive!

Start with a magic ring (which is what I use) or chain 4 and join to make a loop

Now DC into the ring 10 times and join with a slip stitch

Starting with the next stitch from the ss - half double crochet, triple crochet, double triple crochet twice, triple crochet, half double crochet all into the same stitch, ss into the next stitch along and that is the first petal completed

Continue doing a petal in each alternate stitch with a ss in between and you will end up with 5 petals, ss to complete

And there you go a pretty little flower - I hope the pattern makes sense, I'm not good at writing things down but realise I have to these days as I forget when I come to make more :)

I used a contrasting yarn to embroider into the base of the petals and the centre as in the photo below

For the larger purple ones which you can see on the wreath photo I just went around each petal using dc and ss into the space in between and this made them slightly larger but you could use a contrasting yarn add more colour to your flower :)

This was my first attempt at lavender flowers, including the French lavender, they were fiddly but I think they have come out ok

Well that's it for today I'm off to make brunch (I like it when we've missed breakfast and its a bit early for lunch)

I haven't got a quote of the day handy but will wish you a great day, enjoy whatever you are doing

bye for now xxx

May

Well I cant quite believe its two weeks into May already!!  I have been struck down by yet another virus the last few weeks but thankfully recovering now, I wish my immune system would kick in getting a bit fed up with catching everything that's going...never mind, have reflexology booked for next week so that should help boost things along :)

I hope you all enjoyed your extended long weekend and the beginning of the month and enjoyed some time out in the glorious weather to celebrate May Day :)

I have had several projects on the go at once, cant seem to settle on one...and my mind is teeming with more ideas just waiting to pop out...I have been making flowers for my Summer Wreath...these little beauties were my interpretation of the ones I found on the net which I showed you on the last post...I made the pattern up and they were really easy to make, I will post pictures of the pattern later in the week....

I have embroidered the centres to make them more elegant and not so chunky...once I started I couldn't stop, I have a complete bouquet now :) I have also made some buds and I am planning some more little additions, just have to come up with the patterns then I will show you.

The granny square blanket has been completed and is ready to be listed for sale, very pleased with the way it has turned out considering the jumble of colours in my basket...it reminds me of heather, blue skies, grasses...just being outdoors in wide open spaces...

 

 

All the little ends of wool that have been snipped of the blanket and the flower making, have been collected up and when we took puppy dog out on one of her walks I placed the bits on the bushes and trees for the birds to pick up and make their nests cosy...it was better than throwing them away...and I like the idea that somewhere there are little nests with their own little woven blanket :) and on the way back from our walk I checked and all the bits had gone! I have heard that some people put their yarn ends into one of those wire bird feeders and that works well for the little creatures to come and take to their nest...think its a lovely idea :)

I have now decided that the Lily Pond CAL blanket is not for me...if I'm honest I bought the wool pack before I saw a picture of the blanket and when I did see a picture of the finished article I have to say I was a bit disappointed...I didn't love it...but I have had a go and its not for me, it doesn't make me relaxed when I'm doing it and that's the whole point of crochet for me...relaxing, enjoyable...so I'm using the wool pack to make a new stripe blanket and I'm loving the colours going to together much more enjoyable...

I saw this the other day and thought what a clever idea to brighten up boring chairs and to protect your floors as well...great easy little project and yet another to use up odd bits of wool :)

 

Well I'll leave you with another quote of the day...have a great week...enjoy whatever you are doing

lots of love xxxx