Flower Power

It all started innocently enough with a request from a friend to teach her how to make flowers out of yarn. I said sure, whenever she had time (mind you, I really had no interest in making flowers, I was just being nice). I was in the library a couple of days later and found Nicky Epstein's Crocheted Flowers and thought it would be the perfect place to start. I sat down to test out a pattern or two and haven't really stopped. I'm not sure I can stop, it's a bit addicting and there's always one more flower to try or one more bit of yarn that would be perfect for that sunflower and gee, wouldn't it be fun to make all the flowers for my June wedding. And with the holidays, I could make holly for all the presents. Here's a sample of the addiction to date. They are so fast and so fun that when I needed a handmade gift for a party this afternoon, I sat down and cranked out this necklace while my bread for the potluck was rising. I have a ton of work to do but all I want to do is make flowers. Someone help me!

The Necklace Quest

The search for the perfect necklace for my niece continued this weekend. I wasn't very satisfied with my previous try. It's okay but not great and my sister-in-law had her heart set on a different color scheme. I've also been on a yarn diet and have been looking for ways to amuse myself with the billions of partial balls of yarn taking up many baskets in my studio. Lo and behold, I had just the colors she wanted in just the weight and fiber of yarn that would work for jewelry. I started making more balls, but with the cotton I was using I would have had to stuff every damn ball and I don't like to curse and fight with things I'm making for loved ones so after I made one ball, I squished it and the resulting disc was quite cool. I made more in all the colors I had and then chained them together. I love the result so much and it was so easy to make that I might need one for myself.