Flowers 26-30

Hello and welcome to this installment of the "200 Crochet Flowers, Embellishments and Trims" challenge! This batch taught me a new skill and gave me my new favorite flower. It also gave me no small amount of consternation, as I can't seem to get some flowers to keep from bunching up no matter what kind of yarn or hook I use.

For the most part, however, I did find moving up to an H or I hook with the yarns I've been using helped out with the squish factor. On the others, I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Here are my impressions of each flower pattern!

#26: Periwinkle

Love it, like it, loathe it: like it. It works up very quickly. 

Looks like photo: yes

What kind of project would it complement: a jewelry piece, or any kind of trim on a cute blanket or baby item. Ooh, imagine it atop a little baby shoe! Dead of the cute, I am.

Would I make it again: yes'm!

#27: Cluster Flower

NEW SKILL ALERT! 

The skill: tr3tog, or three treble crochets finished together. I did it wrong at first, but this book has a great section on how to create the stitches. My only gripe is there are no left-handed photos (that's right, I'm a southpaw) but I'm used to reading things backwards. 

Love it, like it, loathe it: like it! 

Looks like photo: yes it does.

What kind of project would it complement: an afghan, bag or scarf would be nice with these as an accent

Would I make it again: sure!

#28: Picot Daisy

Love it, like it, loathe it: this one gave me trouble. It wanted to squish up, and I think maybe I need to do the picots tighter.

Looks like photo: mine looks shaggier and squished. 

What kind of project would it complement: for some reason I envision it on a jean skirt.

Would I make it again: yeah, to see if I can do it right.

#29: Large Gerbera

Love it, like it, loathe it: Like it, but again with the squish.

Looks like photo: More or less

What kind of project would it complement: a girls hair bow, perhaps. It's another that's very frilly.

Would I make it again: yes

#30: Damask Rose

Love it, like it, loathe it: I am in love. This is my new favorite and I want to pin it in my hair and feel pretty forever.

Looks like photo: I think mine looks BETTER. 

What kind of project would it complement: it would make a gorgeous hair ornament.

Would I make it again: yaaaas!

Hopefully I will see you again sooner than later! 

"Julie and Julia" crochet-style

Never let it be said that I am consistent. I am a creative person and I love that about myself, but I want to be good at everything. In the long run, my dabbling in other crafts, hobbies and skills generally results in me having a lot of unfinished projects. I also suffer from "jack of all trades, master of none" syndrome. 

Lately, I've been writing fiction (nothing remotely publishable) and creating YouTube videos about postpartum depression. (YouTube.com/warriormom) If you know me, you know I've been going through it. I hate to co-opt battle terminology, something about that seems like it's not enough of a struggle unless we make it sound like Gettysburg. But it has absolutely been a struggle to get better. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Happily, the status of my brain's ability to cope continues to improve day by day.

Shooting and editing video, oddly enough, does seem to be like the proverbial bicycle in that it was not hugely challenging to pick it back up. I shot two videos, and I have plans for a third. I'm not sure where I'll go from there. I would love to do interviews with other moms who have overcome ppd or other ante-natal mental disorders, but I suspect it will be challenging to find moms willing to be as candid as I've been. 

If you're wondering what the hell the title of my blog post has to do with anything, I'm getting to it. The point of what I've said so far is hopefully clear: that's what I've been doing instead of crafting. 

However, one event has refueled my ardor for fiber arts:  a Hobby Lobby had its grand opening in my town this week. 

That Mecca of model cars, yarn and art supplies finally is within my grabby clutches. 

I found a book called "200 Crochet Flowers, Embellishments and Trims," by Claire Crompton, and I've decided to make one of every pattern within the book, somewhat like "Julie and Julia" minus the deboning of poultry. 

I've tried the first three flowers so far. I think with the volume of patterns and their simplicity, I will probably do five to a blog post. 

It's extremely likely that no one gives a damn about my journey through this pattern book, but I thought it would be fun. Also, I thought it would be a way to improve my crochet skills that's really tangible, and I might make some kind of display featuring all my work once I'm done. 

So that's what I've been doing and what I'm going to be doing this summer, that and going to the pool.