Flower Power

Flowers have long been inspirational in many facets of expression. They are aesthetically pleasing and have carried symbolic meaning since ancient times. Linked to deities such as Greek or Roman gods and goddesses, flowers have been symbols of love, magic, fertility, life and even impending death. It is easy to understand why these elements would be used so often in art.

One of the most famous paintings in the world, Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers, and most of Georgia O'Keefe's work contain these rich and dynamic elements. Flowers are intricate parts of nature, and 3-D sculptures often show what paintings cannot: a view from every angle. Digital photography has led to incredibly detailed images of flowers. Valued for their beauty, vast color range and complex patterns, today, images of flowers can be manipulated to create highly stylized photos with a computer. Frequently the subject matter of embroidery, flowers are created with colorful threads and fabrics. Although completely realistic detail is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve, it remains a popular hobby.

For students of two-dimensional art, learning to draw perfect botanical reproductions of flowers and other vegetation is a niche in which skills come after many years of training and practice. In crochet, flowers are probably one of the most commonly created projects. Their uses are many and varied.

Learning to re-create flowers in yarn and then translate them to crochet patterns is a skill that many designers over the decades have developed. The exquisite skills for these techniques and the use of symbolism related to flowers probably reached a pinnacle in the Victorian Age.

Have you ever received a gorgeous fresh flower bouquet and wished it would last forever? How interesting it would be if you could re-create that sentiment in crochet using shades of colors, interesting stitches and techniques to make it look real! Now, that's a challenge for any crocheter!

I'm enjoying a winter getaway in a clime that produces flowers year-round, and I am so taken by the beauty, colors, shapes and sizes. The truth is, thread and yarn is not really that different. In your stash there are yarns that are beautiful, colorful and textural, and they can be used to create shapes and many sizes (often just by changing yarn weights)! As the temperatures begin to climb this month, why not keep an eye out in your yard for the tiniest shoots as they begin to peek through the ground? Start small, using a simple flower as your inspiration, and use your crochet creativity to try to create a flower that is all your own. You could even name it after yourself!