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As promised here is the sister pattern to the last post.

Sadly I lost my Mum last month so I'm naming this pattern for her. Here she is in better times looking like a real 50's chick.

My Mum was a real inspiration. She was amazingly creative and always curious about the world. Born in London before the second world war she had to live through the horror of the blitz. Like many of her generation she grew up without her father just when she was in her formative years and when he came back he must have seemed like a stranger. 

Here they are together on Alf's first leave.

One of the many things I inherited from my Mum was her love of nature.

Sadly gardening and crochet are unhappy bed fellows. That's why my hands don't often feature on my crochet blog. They end up dry and split after an hour or two at my other hobby!

 Here then is the PDF for Barbara's Borage! It's my favourite of the two patterns, but you will immediately see the similarities. I'm really hoping that someone out there will find a way of putting the two patterns together in something!

Incidentally the last two rounds (rounds7 and 8/8a) are interchangeable with those of Ruby's Rue. You can give your Borage rounded petals or the Rue pointy ones, if you want more options.

Among Barbara's inspirations were Dragonflies and Peacocks plus she had an unnatural penchant for Turquoise! All of these came down to me in my genes, so these are the colours that I'm using.

As with Ruby's Rue, here are the round by round images. Some of the front loop stitches are a little awkward to find. So I have included a few images in the pattern to help you.

Once again made with a DK yarn like Scheepjes Softfun, Softfun Denim and 4mm hook, they are a perfect size for a mug mat. (I like the way the petals wrap upwards to hug your mug!)
  
Made with a 4ply yarn like Scheepjes Cotton 8, Sunkissed and a 3mm hook, they are great for card toppers.

The one I made with Scheepjes Maxi, crochet thread and a 1.75mm hook makes a fabulous little broach. (If I do say so myself!) I think the pointy petals benefit from a light blocking. I soaked mine, squeezed out excess water, sprayed lightly with starch and blocked upside down. I pinned the petals out but didn't stretch them.

I was curious to know what it would look like made in a thicker yarn. So I tryed it in Wendy Supreme Chunky, 100% cotton and the recommended 6.5mm hook. This is the yarn I use for my tutorials because it photographs well but sadly I don't think this is still produced. The finished item comes out with a 20cm/ 8inch diameter. At this size it's big enough for a trivet.
 
The trouble with experimenting is that I never know when to stop! So here it is in a locally hand spun wool and silk mix and 6mm hook. Mum would have loved these colours! I made the central 16 sts around a rubber 'O' ring, and then made the next row through both loops. I think the dreamcatcher (?) might benefit from a few feathers and some beads.

Whatever you chose to do, have fun experimenting!