Knitting and crocheting cheerfulness

I've been having lots of fun knitting up the components of knitted and crocheted flower bouquets. Here's my first flower:

Okay, I did make another one before this, but it was very plain. Now, I think this one is quite plain, too, but I like it. I have an urge to make truly wacky and frivolous knit bouquets. Crocheting different spirals is a lot of fun!




Here's my first bouquet:













I've got a little stack of components for the next few bouquets. Here's one set, ready to be sewn up, that will have spirals that hang more, instead of just popping out in all directions:


I've been having a blast discovering the ways different stitches cause spiraling shapes, leaves that bend to the right or the left, and just generally enjoying being freed from stitchery that is meant to be "useful." This is pure fun (not that I don't enjoy knitting or crocheting everything else, for I do). I should have said this is pure play. There's no reason for me to be knitting these objects, but I love how small everything is, and how yesterday I knit about a dozen leaves, didn't like how they looked, ripped out all I'd done, and didn't feel like I'd wasted my afternoon. I learned quite a bit about forming leaf shapes. Sure, I could read some instructions, but I'd rather explore. I've always thought of knitting and crocheting as a two dimensional art form, mostly a vehicle for making sweaters, socks, and shawls, and I feel like a new world has opened up for me. I had explored this a bit two winters ago, when I went on a miniature bag making spree, but after a while, I got bored with the little bags. There's way more possibilities here. I'll post some more as they get sewn up. These aren't too thrilling, but I figured I should let my readers know what I've been doing with some of my previous blogging time!

And as far as the blog title goes, that's how I feel making these; that I'm creating cheerfulness. I'm using bright colors, which is unusual for this tweedy natural yarn loving woman. It's rather impossible to feel down when knitting with bright green, orange, and hot pink.