Dreams and ideas for daisies. Maybe the perfect gift for Mother's Day or Easter!

Ever since my last post I have become a little obsessed with daisies!

With Spring, Mothers Day and Easter just around the corner all these little ideas with daisies came to mind.
To be truthful they seem to evolve just when I am trying to drop off to sleep which is a little annoying but never mind!
So,here goes.
One pretty pot and some cheerful narcissi.

One crochet band with 2 daisies and a button sewn on.

Fasten it up.

And pop it on the little pot just like a little sleeve.

It looked so pretty on my friends shelf!
The perfect way to say "Thank You"  for a lovely lunch.

And with that little sleeve in mind .
How easy to make a pretty little headband for a little girl on a Spring day.

My Dear Mother In Law has been a bit poorly lately and feeling more than a little blue.
So two more pots of narcissi ,a little wicker basket and some daisies in my version of a daisy chain.

We were really happy to see that cheerful basket by her chair.
Then I was reading in bed and ----

There was a perfect Book Mark.
An ideal gift for someone special!
Thoughts often turn to family times.
Meals where we can all gather around the table and a pretty serviette ring will make the Easter table look really pretty.

And as a centrepiece two six inch squares joined by two rows of double crochet.

You might wonder about the setting for the photos -- Well "Operation Broken House" with the Hairy Builders is no place for frippery just now!!
Actually it is always the right time for frippery and it made them laugh!

And coming back to my initial thoughts about presents the perfect finishing touch.

So just a few ideas about daisies.
I hope you like them as much as I do!
I have not put instructions for each little idea as this post would have turned into a tome but if anybody wants instructions for a particular item I will of course put them on -- my pleasure for my lovely followers new and old.

Daisy.Daisy--- I actually managed you!!!

Anyone who follows my World here at Chalky's will  know I am not very good at following patterns!

The Jan Eaton book bounced off the walls when I was trying just a few of the lovely squares contained within!

I have thought about why this "pattern blindness" accompanies my hooking.

I wonder if I am just a bit dense -- I don't really think so!

I almost think it is because I like just to be creative and not be constricted by pattern --- There is some truth in that!

Am I lazy -- no, definitely not.

I actually think it is because I do not like following rules. I like the " Don't worry be happy" approach to my crafting life.

A life full of relaxation and contentment not stress and pernickityness!!!!!

All very well until you want to create a pattern which can be repeated.

I wanted to the other day and it was all about Daisies!

I really do love them.
So shall we start with the end result and then work through the pattern in case you love them too!

Sometimes I am so pleased when things turn out just as I wanted them to.
That probably is because it does not happen very often!
I even tried them using Chunky wool -- Chunky Daisies!

I think I prefer the finer ones but the Chunky were perfect for a little present I made for a friend!
So here we go -- The pattern.

 Using yellow DK. Chain 4 and slip stitch to make a circle.Chain 1. Work 8 double crochets in the circle.

Hook a loop of white wool in 1 of the spaces you have made by working your double crochets to start Round Two.

Chain 4. These 4 chains become the outside edge of your first petal.

Work 1 double treble as follows. Put yarn around the hook twice.

 Working in same space hook yarn through so you have 4 loops on your hook.

Yarn over hook and pull through 2 loops.

This leaves 3 loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through. This leaves 2 loops on your hook.

Yarn over for the last time and pull through last remaining loops.

You have now worked your double treble.

Work 4 chain which become the other outer edge of your petal.

Slip stitch in same space and 1 pretty petal is complete.

Work in each stitch in exactly the same way until you have completed 8 petals.

I wanted these first daisies as the centrepiece of some Granny Squares for a Spring Lappycuddlyghan and after a little help from my Dear Daughter In Law over at Sharky Knows we worked it out!

Work 2 double crochets in your first petal. A single crochet in your next and work alternatively like this around the petals.

The double crochet represent the corners of the Granny Square where you can work 3 trebles,1 chain,3 trebles to complete your corner.

1 cluster of 3 trebles in each space allows your square to grow quickly.

I wanted a Spring like feel for my latest Lappycuddlyghan for Charity.
I think they will really comfort someone who might be still stuck in the bleak mid-winter!

I will post next about the little present with these daisies.

It would be perfect for Mother's Day or Easter.

A tip to help overcome a Senior Moment!

Just now I am busy making blankets.

I am quietly hooking as an antidote to "Operation Broken House" and my dear friends on Knit Your Square to Give your Share are sending beautiful cuddly packages containing beautiful squares to swell the total of blankets I can make.

Now, sometimes it is easy to place the squares and remember the pattern when sewing the Lappycuddlyghan and sometimes it is not.

So, the solution works something like this.

Take a photo of the carefully arranged squares which you can refer to as you sew them up.

A perfect solution.

So the latest blanket became a reality and after completing the border I placed it on the ground to admire and then fell about laughing!

I am sure you will be able to see why!!

The four corner squares supposedly giving the blanket a uniformity nearly worked!!

These Senior moments are obviously far more advanced than I realised!

Keeping the workers happy!!! Well they say a way to a man's heart is through his tummy!

Work at Operation Broken House is moving forward apace!

I have always thought that when you are working long hours you need a break at lunch time.

The weather has been freezing of late so soup and something has been very welcome.

Well the little something to day was pasties with a twist!

A very Spanish twist.

A very delicious twist!

Leek,Chorizo and Cheese Pasties!

I made 1 lb of shortcrust pastry.This was divided into 8 pieces and then the fun began.

Without too much attention to measuring, the ingredients went something like this---

2 leeks finely chopped 

3 small onions finely chopped

1/2 a Chorizo finely chopped

400g of tasty grated Cheddar cheese.

Salt and Pepper.

I cooked and cooled the leeks,onions and chorizo before I started. The cheese was added just before cooking

So in true Devonshire fashion put a good dollop of the mixture in the middle of a pastry circle.

Dampen the edges with water,pull together and crimp away!

Wash with milk or beaten egg.

Some ready for cooking in a hot oven 200deg for approximately 35 mins.

And some tucked in the freezer for another day!

They look and taste delicious!

So move over Hairy Bikers and make way for the Hungry Builders.

And my Grandmother always said that " Good Guessers never get married " BUT the pastry was enough for the 8 pasties without even a scrap for a jam tart and the filling was enough too apart from the little bit over .

That soon became a perk for the cook!

And the verdict from the Hungry Builders was they were the best pasty they had ever tasted so I should give them a try!

Wooooo Hooooo There is the smallest light at the end of my tunnel!

I am so sorry that I have not posted for ages but it has been so cold at our Broken House I have not been able to stand still long enough to post pictures!

It is just as well that my lovely builders have not felt the same!

So of course it has been a lovely surprise after a few days away to come in today and see what amazing progress they are making!

The old conservatory which was so cold and leaked like a sieve has gone!

Upstairs has new floorboards and the dividing walls are going up!

I really am feeling so excited and feel so lucky right now!

Buster is still helping!

  

And of course I realise there is still no roof but that seems a minor inconvenience after the last few weeks!

And to add to my delight my followers are growing in number -- Thank you so much followers all!