It all started when I wanted to make something special for my mum’s 85th birthday but couldn’t do much in the sewing room!  Searching on the internet for ‘pretty’ things to make  I became obsessed with the pictures of Japanese flower motifs in crochet. However, try as I might I could not find any instructions on how to make the delicate circular motifs I could view in blogs galore and as finished scarves!  It seems I am a bit late to the party as these were all the thing back in 2011 and some originate from a motif contained in a book which is in Japanese and which I noticed some people had purchased back then, only to be very disappointed not being able to translate it!  Asking around on facebook I was directed to some blogs with tutorials for variations on a flower motif but none really seemed just right. I knew I wanted to make a Japanese Flower Scarf, and it had to match the one I had designed in my head!

After a long time researching online when I could have actually crocheted a complete plain scarf to stretch over the Mersey, I found a diagram on this blog which for the first time in my life I could follow!!     Using the Mohair wool I bought recently from Abakhan –

I started to make the circular motifs and this was the result –

motif with a touch of pink

Motif in three autumn colours

Soon (well not that soon) I had these –

All the motifs!

These are made in single strand mohair and are very delicate.  They are really pretty, but too fragile to be a scarf so I decided to make a sort of mesh upon which I could place them.  I made up a rectangle shape in a lacy chain stitch using three colours together for strength  –

lacy chain stitch mesh

I then started to sew on the motifs along the length of the scarf –

I made variations of the mohair colours and placed them so that no too adjacent centres or outsides were the same colour

flower motifs on the scarf

Here it is completely finished!

Finished Japanese Flower Scarf

Sadly I forgot to get one of mum wearing it as we were out in a restaurant and the moment just didn’t arise!  Hopefully I will take one soon and amend the blog!  It’s a lovely scarf to make  – if you don’t mind the colour changes you can make all sorts of variations or if you prefer single coloured ones in different colours.  Anyway,  I am sure I will amend the design slightly as I repeat it,  as I’d quite like one myself and they will make beautifully unique gifts for Chr…..s (arrgh!) or for any occasion!

Wonder what’s going on at Handmade Monday?