I borrowed a neat book from the library, First Crochet that I used to teach myself how to crochet, way back before I could make straight edged squares. I then had to get my mother to come around and show me how to do it properly.

She has since given me all her spare metal hooks (in a moment of pity after Master Two snapped the plastic 5.5mm one I was using to make hats), and also a whole bunch of wool from her stash that she never uses any more. Including mohair, sparkly wool, super soft pastel pink and blue (I know two pregnant people right now!) and just, well, lots of wool. I saw a deep maroon, and while I knew I wouldn't need the whole (almost full) skein, I also knew it would be perfect to make this rose, which I have wanted to make for Mum since I first saw it in that book.

I threaded a safety pin onto the back, including all the fussing around with pliers and loops and such, so that Mum can pin it onto her jacket without the pin falling off the rose.

Even with doing that, this took less than two hours to make.

This making things for people is fun! Wool is much cheaper than ingredients, and better received than cake!