Clarice's Crocheted Towel

My time with Clarice making crocheted flowers.

What a special time God carved

out for the two of us.

Like I told you yesterday I was in to see my Momma at the nursing home, not far from our farm. She has been there for 10 years and gets the best care in the whole wide world. I am not kidding. Her name is Dixie Lee. Momma never liked her name. Smile. I thought it was adorable and it fits her just perfect. The girls in at the Manor adore her. The other day when my brother was here he went into see her after being gone for about 4 years. She looked at him and got so excited the nurses said, he kissed her and held her hand and a tear came down her face. I guess it was a God moment for my brother and Momma. As many of you know when memory is taken sometimes the long ago isn't. The nurses told me that they all just cried. The manor is a family for us. The girls that work there are so precious!

While I am in at the manor, (some of you who have followed my blog know that the Lord gave me a gift) I go see Clarice. She is 97 years "young." The other day I walked in and she had just taken a shower and had her hair (it is very long) up in a bun on the top of her head. She says some think she should cut it, but she says, "I am not going to." I think at her age she can do what she wants. She crimps her hair all around the crown of her head with these long (about 3" long) clips. That makes the waves. She is tooooooo cute. She had a locket on and I asked if she had someone special in the locket. She said, "my husband and my son". I asked if I could look. She said I could, if I could get it open. I did!! Are you kidding? I would of stayed there all day to get it open. Inside was a picture of her husband and Clarice on one side and her son on the other. I gasped. They were all so precious looking!! Clarice said, "Do I have a spit curl on the front of my forehead?" I said she did! Then she told me that the picture had been taken before they were married. Then she preceded to tell me that her husbands Momma was a very strict Baptist lady and she thought that her spit curl made Clarice look like a "hussy"! Oh my!!!!! Well, then Clarice said it had to go, if she was going to marry her SON! Heehee, I just had to giggle. Clarice said, "I just wanted to be like all the other girls". Wow, to honor her soon to be mother in love like she did, because the spit curl went! I have been teaching my girls about always honoring their mother in loves some day, if the Lord chooses to give them husbands! I sat on the floor beside her chair. She filled my ears with delightful things. I drank it in like a parched sponge. I only have my Momma left in my life now. My only Grandmother is in Alaska and an Aunt in California that I never get to see. I am it. I am the Grammie and Momma to many (some that are not even mine). We sat and talked and Clarice said, "I finished 2 towels, in the drawer, if you would like to see it". I couldn't get to the drawer fast enough. Here is one of the towels that found. I am showing only part of the towel, there are 3 clusters of flower. Isn't it beautiful?

She said for me to take one of the towels home and get a pattern off it. Then she said, "I will show you how to make the flower, if you have time." Do I have time? No, but I made it. Sometimes you just have to let other things go, because if you don't do what you would like, it will never happen. So I sat on the floor and she explained everything in detail so I could go home and make the flowers myself. I told her that I was going to show you what she was showing me. She acted kind of shy about that. I am going to try to make the filet edging, but that will take time. I looked on the internet and did find a really sweet edging. I really like it, but, it isn't as detailed as this filet. If anyone out there might have a pattern like this in the photo, please would you share it with us? I am going to try to figure this one out though. If I do, I will let you know.

Here is the little flower that she taught me to make.

You will need: size 30, 25 or 20 Mercerized Crochet DMC thread. It is very thin thread. She used 30, but I only had 25 on hand. A crochet metal hook size 10 or 11. I went to buy one and they only had a 10, so I am using that, it worked. My flower was a little smaller, but that was fine with me. The are so easy to make. Honest. Now if I can just explain it!

Chain 8

Slip stitch into the first chain to make a circle.

Chain 4, (this is the beginning of my cluster stitch for one petal of flower), yarn over crochet hook 2 times, put hook into center of the circle and bring stitch through 2 loops and again through 2 loops, leaving 2 loops on hook. repeat one more time. This will leave you with 3 loops on your hook, pull stitch thru all 3 loops on hook. Chain 4 and slip stitch in circle.* We did it!!! Our first cluster is done. Oh, how I hope you can follow Clarice's and my instructions. Repeat starting at the beginning with chain 4, and make 5-6 more clusters. Tie threads off. Now that wasn't hard was it? Clarice used variegated thread. I just used the ecru. I can see these clustered on a baby blanket. I used to make cream flannel blankets with shell stitches around the edges. I always embroidered little flowers on the corner of the blanket. Hmmmmm I guess that is another lesson. Ha! I never thought life could be so fun! If you have questions on how to do this flower, let me know. I may not be able to help you. I have never ever written out instructions for beginning crocheting. But I so wanted you to see this work of art from a 97 year old who said she has made lots of these towels. So Vintage!!!!! Not Clarice........ the towels! She's so cute she would probably tell you she is. Maybe some you young ladies would say I am at 58, but I am not............ yet. Smile!

It is raining today!!!!! Praise the Lord, my little tomatoes and flowers I started in the little nursery are growing so beautiful and strong.

Mrs. Puddle Duck keeps laying eggs, but she is not sitting.......... wish she would. Gail said they are not good Moms. I will wait tell one of my big Chicky Girls are sitting. That will be fun don't ya think?

Tonight and tomorrow I am going with my daughters, daughter in love, and two best friends to a ladies conference. Please pray I would submit to the Lord on what He wants to change in me. Blessings sweet ladies and may you have a wonderful weekend.