Crocheted flowers, yes, they are flowers, honestly!

I've not been very well this week, the migraine has struck, and so I haven't done much crafting.  I have started sewing another Christmas present which I hope to show you very soon.  Last night I wanted something I could do in front of the telly, but didn't want to do any needle work as I was worried about the migraine coming back so I opted to crochet.  I decided to try some little flowers from my book 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet (see my sidebar for a link) as I thought they'd make nice embellishments for cards. 

I saw straight away that I'd need to know more than my double and treble crochet so turned to The Happy Hooker (on the sidebar again!).  After a confusing half hour where I had to go through the book and write in the UK terminology, I got started.  Hmm.  Not turning out quite how I'd hoped.

The large blue one was my first.  I was using a 5mm hook.  I soon decided I'd need to downscale (it measures about 8cm) and swapped to one of the 3.5mm needles my mother-in-law had given me.  Did I tell you about that?  I'm not sure I did, later.

So, using the smaller needle and some pink yarn (Sublime left over from my summer shawls) I tried again.  It looked odd.  Something to do with the way I was finishing off.

See the odd lumpy bit to the right?  So I tried again, same problem, and then I figured out how to make it lie flat (ignore the DC in the pattern and do a slip stitch instead).  And, ta da!

See how I was so convinced I'd done it that I weaved the ends in?  But I hadn't, had I?  Can you see the mistake?  Well, by this time The Apprentice had finished and so I went to bed, hopefully I'll get a chance to try some more tonight.

Tomorrow I'm off to the HobbyCrafts and Crafts for Christmas Exhibition at Birmingham NEC.  I can't wait!  Me and my mum go every November and every April, though we missed the last one due to my wedding.  At first I was all over the paper and mum wanted to look at the cross stitching stuff, now that has swapped around and she is in love with paper and all things scrapbooking whereas I just want to look at fabric and thread!  We always take a little car picnic and have a brilliant day out.

I mentioned earlier that my mother-in-law had given me some of her old crochet hooks.   She also showed me some old patterns from the 60s from her mother - they were brilliant and I really wanted one of the books, but didn't feel I could ask her.  She also revealed an old Jones sewing machine, treadle foot, set in a dark-wood desk!  She's had it for a long time and I never knew as it's always folded away.  She told me I can have it when she gets her new living room furniture. Well, actually she told me it was going to the charity shop but one look at my face changed all that!  I didn't have my camera with me (I don't generally take it to Sunday lunch at the in-laws!) so didn't get any pictures, but I might ask next time.

I told my dad about the Jones sewing machine and how excited I was to get it and his face fell.  He said "but we're buying you one for your birthday, don't you want it?"  We tried to explain the difference between this antique and my beautiful new Husqvarna but I don't think he got it!