Ring around a rosie...

In a rather typically understated move, the fella & I recently tied the knot, surrounded by immediate family & a couple of our very closest & oldest friends. I couldn't let the occasion pass without some sort of celebratory woollen shenanigans. I've always been a bit of an uncouth unladylike tomboy, but took pleasure in releasing my inner girlieness for the day, to crochet a frilly pink floral-effect posy.

I used Wendy Merino 4 ply in a rather pleasant dusty pink shade for the blooms & some deepest-stash Brown Sheep Nature Spun sport weight for the leaves etc.

The flower shapes are based on hyperbolic crochet methods used for the Crochet Coral Reef project; the basic idea is that on each row, you increase your stitches at the same rate. For example, if you start with 10 stitches, you increase to 20 st on the second row, and 40 on the 3rd row, and so on.

For these blooms, I started with a chain of between 10 - 15 stitches; then double crochet, twice into each chain stitch; on the next row I would again double crochet twice into each stitch. For some variation, I would sometimes use treble crochet stitches on the last row, or make 3 stitches from each one on the previous row. I stitched each bloom into place, ready for assembling. 

My intention was to make something reminiscent of a bunch of carnations; full & frilly & pink.

Of course, I completely forgot to take shots of the leaves /tendrils in sections. The leaves were formed by crocheting a chain & then stitching up & down 2 sides of that chain. The tendrils were made by crocheting a chain, and double-crochet twice into each chain stitch for extra volume & twist.

Assembling the posy took a bit more work & various crafty bits & pieces I had lying around the home. (yes, I have strange things in my home). The structure was built around a polystyrene ball. I pushed a sharpened disposable chopstick into the middle to hold the ball firmly in place, leaving several inches outside the polystyrene as a handle. To widen the 'stem' handle, I placed a cardboard tube around the chopstick. The polystyrene ball was a little smaller than I wanted, so I wrapped it in a thin layer of wadding / stuffing. 

To keep all of this in place, I put a piece of old fishnet tights around the entire structure; stitched tightly into place at the base of the polystyrene ball, and at the end of the handle. The fishnet structure also meant that I could use by big old yarn needles to stitch each bloom & leaf into place. Once all of the individual pieces were stitched on to the 'posy' I crochet a piece of fabric to wrap around the 'stem', & finished this off with a piece of gingham ribbon.

I completely forgot about the posy during the ceremony itself, but really just wanted it as a photo prop.  We had a lovely, simple day with our small group of guests, and some good food; most importantly, we now get to have the rest of our lives.

Thanks to Julie of Half a Dream Away for the wonderful photos of the finished project.