A Look Back at A Flower for Alice

We’ve been enjoying the run up to Granny Square day and we’ve all been looking back at our respective Granny Square histories – more on those soon!
 
We’ve also spent time looking back at Jane’s Granny Square from 2022  'A Flower For Alice' .  It’s a beautiful 3D floral block and was named for  Jane’s Great Grandmother.  You can find the original blog post by clicking here.

These flowers are so special to us: our grandfather grew them, our late father took seeds from those plants and grew them too.  I am hopeless with plants of any kind so I have not tried!  It is Julie who keeps these glorious blooms in my life!  They smell divine and they are delicate – and short lived – perhaps this is what makes them so special.
 

The original Flower for Alice

​Alice Martin, Jane’s Great Grandmother was a prolific crocheter and would use recycled yarns to make her blankets, buying old sweaters, unravelling and washing the yarn and reworking it into colourful squares.  Do go and read the original blog post as she sounds so interesting and it’s wonderful to hear how she influenced and inspired Jane.
 
Both Jane and I have been reworking this motif in new colourways – Jane’s progress photos look amazing.

Jane's gorgeous new Flowers for Alice

​For my part, I had the most beautiful inspiration, also from a lovely family member: my sister Julie!  Even though we are both now in our 50s, I still very much hold the “little sister”  position in my sister’s mind – and indeed in my own: she is simply unrivalled when it comes to rebuilding me when I’m a bit broken.  Colds, heartbreak, stress  - she can soothe all of that and I’m very lucky!

My (current) favourite photo of my sister, Jules.

​One of the things she spoils me with is Sweet Peas on my birthday!  Wherever I am they arrive – I’ve been in workshops, she has been away, doesn’t matter, there will be a knock on the door and the most beautiful flowers – my very favourite – will appear!  They are the best when she’s delivering them but this year the bunch she sent was spectacular, even though it was delivered by a florist.

Beautiful birthday Sweet Peas!

​Anyway my Flower for Alice blocks have been inspired by this year’s glorious bouquet.  I have only managed to finish one so far due to the busiest – and happiest – summer ever but I look forward to adding to these beauties.  I will call them “Flowers for Julie” and if I possibly can, I’ll make my big sister a blanket. 

My chosen palette

Check out those colour matches!

One finished and one in progress!