Simple Sewing Saturdays: Fun, Festive Crocheted Flowers

 I don't think I have ever purchased a bag of those pre made, pointy star like bows, the one with the peel back sticky attachment thingy.  Now, Back in the Day, when the bows made their premiere into Christmas Package Decorating Society, they came with the most intriguing pointy button like attachment, that made the most marvelous, POP when you pierced the box that you were decorating.
 My dad was the official Christmas Wrapper in our house.  He was known for his outrageous gift decoration, notorious for taping all. around. the box, just to drive us crazy.  He would not use just one bow. Oh, no, not him.  He would color coordinate and group them together atop a splendidly ribboned arrayed gift.  I would watch him on all the Non Me packages, watching in awe and admiration, his skill and flamboyant gift wrapping ways. If I didn't pester him too much, he would allow me to press down carefully to attach the bows with that button popping sound.
We always knew if mom wrapped something, in it's dullness and sameness.  She withstood a good deal of teasing.  Dad was a hard act to follow.

When we were first married, my Christmas Wrapping Procedure bordered on Obsessive/Crazy.  I would spend hours selecting JUST The Right wrapping, discarding roll after roll till I found the right combination of color, design and theme.  Drove Hubby crazy.  Of course, no store bought ribbon or bows for me.  I would by yards of calico and gingham to cut strips for ribbon and bows.  Back In The Day, decorative ribbon had not yet be invented.  We had ribbon to be curled and large spools of shiny ribbon and you could buy satin and grosgrain by the yard, but it was expensive just for wrapping, so I jumped ahead of the game, and made my own fabric ribbon.  In our Earlier Years, when we had just a few nieces and nephews, I would make all their gifts as well.  One year, I made my niece, Angela, a Holly Hobbie Dolly then searched for Holly Hobbie wrapping to do it all up it properly.  I think she was not even two and probably was not very impressed.  I was.

Years passed and due to the volume of wrapping that parenting four children presented, my standards worked it's way down the ladder.  Hubby was allowed to wrap but I always had the final fussy to put my signature on.

This year, while visiting Eldest/Admin, I became enamored with the Simple Crocheted Flower.  I made some for a project for her then proceeded to make some for Miss Vivien's small pink Christmas tree that stands in my dining room.  The plan is that every year, I will make/buy ornaments for the pink tree and when Christmas is over, Miss Viv will have her own ornaments for her tree at her house next year.  Each year will have a theme that best represents her interests.

The other day, it dawned on me as I was attaching the Fun Flowers to the pink tree, that these little fleurs would make dandy package embellishments!   A simple note on some simple paper with fabric ribbon and Bam!  You have impressive!  They take all of 5 minutes if you know the chain stitch, single crochet, slip stitch, double crochet.

Certainly you have a special package this year, no?
Grab some yarn a smallish hook, maybe a G and let's get to it!

Fun Festive Crocheted Flowers!

• Start with chain 6
• Slip stitch to the first stitch made to make a circle
• Chain two 
• Add approx 18 double crochet into the circle (enough to fill in the circle well)
• Slip stitch one to connect the circle
• Next Row:
• 2 sc in each of the double crochet
• Slip Stitch to connect the circle
• Next Row:
• Ch 2
• 3 dc in same stitch as chain
• Slip stitch in same
• 1 sc in very next stitch
• 4 Dc and slip stitch in next sc from previous row
• 1 sc in very next stitch
• Continue around till you meet the beginning of the petals.
• Slip stitch to finish off.
• Cut yarn and weave the cut yarn with the crochet yarn for neatness.
• Attach to a package, tree, knitted project, hair, headband....The list is endless!  What doesn't need a Fun, Festive Flower on it for the Holiday Season!!

 

I think Dad would be proud.....!!