It is done

 

👏Many thanks to all for your comments on my previous post. 

I thought there were some very interesting responses and also several anecdotes from other bloggers who have had similar experiences.👏

That's one more make completed now and it is ready to be sent over the pond to Brisbane,Queensland.

I dithered about with this project! 

I knew the cushion cover I was going to make for my sister Nº 2 in Australia wasn't going to be a full cushion cover as such. In fact some of my fanatical crochet peers may even classify my following criticism as sacrilege! 

I must be honest though and tell you I don't like full crochet cushion covers!  Crochet cushion covers as in crochet covering the back and front of a cover. I have found from past experiences that after awhile a crocheted cushion cover stretches and loses it shape and begins to look baggy and hence tatty. It has nothing to do with the type of yarn I used for those projects either as I used cotton for some and yarn for others. 

By the way I consider myself a crochet fanatic as well because no other craft to date makes me happy and content as much as crochet does...yes I am a tad obsessed! 

My dislike may also come from a comment my daughter Nº1 made once when she said that my crochet cushions looked frumpish and grannyfied (..don't think that word exist but...hey ho!). I have to say that struck me to my crochet adoration core and I have been reluctant to make complete crochet cushion covers since. 

I therefore make up a crochet piece or applique for the front of a cushion cover I have bought and sew it on top of the cushion cover. 

Just like this one here which I sent to my sister Nº 4 in the UK for her birthday two years ago.  I sewed the crochet square on the front of a cushion cover that I had bought.

Consequently I decided to do the same again for my other sister's cushion and cover just the front with crochet on this rectangle cushion cover.

I crocheted these flower motifs and joined them up to make a rectangle.

My idea was to cover the front of the cushion with the crochet motifs rectangle and place tassels of the same colour in each corner of the cushion. When it came to the moment of sewing on the cover I didn't like the effect at all! There was nothing wrong with the cushion cover or with the piece made up of crochet motifs separately but when put together it just looked pretty dull and it didn't strike a cord at all with me.  I therefore scrapped that and started again.  

This time with appliques of flowers and leaves and I did like this combination much more.

I was going to add tassels in the same colour as the crochet to the corners of the cushion but decided enough was enough and I didn't want it to look too fussy.

Both the little flowers and the larger five layer flowers I crocheted with no pattern at all precisely because I know the patterns by memory as I often use these type of flowers. I do sometimes make them bigger or smaller depending on the crochet project. This does not mean they do not originate from a pattern they do and not my pattern it is just that I cannot remember whose.

I vaguely remember the larger 5 layer flowers comes from a Japanese pattern.  That,under the circumstances,is the best acknowledgement I can give because as I said I started using and making these flowers many years ago and I have no idea where the pattern is.  The leaves and the stalks have no pattern they were freeform.    

I used a 2,00 hook and one of my favourite cotton threads Katia Jaipur Colour 250 and Colour 204

I never tire of this lovely cotton thread and the variation in colours.  

Soup weather

Although it has been sunny it is still soup weather.  I thought I would share this Carrot Soup recipe with you that I found some time ago on the internet.   

Depending on what I have in the larder and to give it some extra flavour I also add half a turnip and or half a courgette and or two small broccoli stalks ( I cut up and freeze Broccoli stalks to add to soups). If I haven't got "herbes de Provence" I add dried Thyme,Rosemary and Oregano. I never use the cream as stated on the recipe.   It is delicious! 

Replies to comment on previous post completed 💡

Happy Blogging

Amanda 🌻