Ring a ring of roses.

I remembered to take the photos, I have changed my mind about this wreath a few (mm) times.

 The ring is covered with pastel stripes of random widths and I love it.
The large pink flower is already sewn in place but may be changed yet. The other flowers and leaves will be shuffled and a few more added to cover the bottom half or so.

My indecision is all the fault of Lucy, attic24, I made a few of these little roses to dot in and fell in love with them. I have made several different versions and sizes of these, but the dinky little ones have won my heart.( for the moment anyway)

They do look like shed snake skins before being sewn up though.

A very simple pattern from The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon "bookazine" that Fran bought for me.

Row 1. Ch 20 then dc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (19 sts)

Row 2. Ch 1(5dc in 2nd ch from hook,sl st in next ch) 9 times. ( 9 petals made)

Fasten off leaving a long tail. 

Curl petals around in a loose spiral and use tail end sew along the foundation chain to shape and secure the petals into the spiral.

I did change this and instead of 5 dc to make the petals I did 5 htr to give taller petals. 

I also intend to make a few with 1 dc, 1 htr, 1 tr, 1 htr, 1 dc into the stitch to give a taller petal again. I have tried it out and it works well.

I am now wondering whether to just use roses in the 3 different petal sizes with perhaps some slightly bigger ones dotted through. I would start with a 36 and 42 chain, and of course make the petals to an appropriate size.

What do you think?

I have not abandoned my sewing, it is just that I have hot hands and can not knit or crochet once we get warm weather. I have caught the yarn bug quite badly so am just going with the flow.  I do have some quilty ideas forming nicely though, they are a bit like sourdough bread, they will not be hurried.

Telly was a bit grim last night, I watched Closer a new US police drama. Not too bad, time will tell.

I watched Bones, I was well into this but think that it has just about run its course.

When I say watch I really mean that I listen and glance at the screen every now and then. If I have no crafting in my hands i turn the telly off and read. Sometimes I put the radio on or stick a cd  in to play.

When I get to a certain point I select a dvd to watch, I have some that were gifts still sealed up to watch. I find it difficult to sit still long enough so usually spread one over a complete evening.

I was given a copy of Hannah Hauxwells biography this morning, my friend Mary is having a turn out of mammoth proportions,

 I may still have the VHS tapes somewhere, she was a remarkable woman who lived a very simple and very hard life.

I will have a look at it tonight and the telly can stay off. Anything that I want to watch is on to record, tonight it is Back in time for the weekend, BBC2 at 8.00. I will save that for another evening, or when insomnia gets me out of bed at stupid o'clock in the night.

Dinner tonight is a spicy vegetable soup, the spice comes from a chilli that I dug out of the freezer. The rest is carrot, parsnip, onion, celery, green pepper, sweet potato and butternut squash, just a small amount of each, diced quite small, with a tin of tomatoes and some stock. I made it yesterday and when I heat it up I will throw in a good handful of shredded Black Kale.

I have managed to walk 3 miles again today and will do a bit more later. It is dry and bright, very nippy as well, today so an after dinner walk is planned. I did one last night and was happy to get back into the warmth and my corner of the sofa.

 Ben was the same, he loved the extra walk but was through the door like a racing greyhound out of the trap.

That,s all for now. The kettle requires me.

                             TTFN                                           Pam