It is difficult to not be affected by the war in Ukraine. I know this is going to sound odd to some but to me the people are just like me and my little family. We work, we live, we have children and a family and we have a home that is everything to us. I cannot comprehend how they must feel or the terror they have encountered having to leave all that they know with a few bags and literally run away not knowing when they will return and if they do what will be left. They have locked the doors to their homes not knowing if they will ever see them again.
I have donated, of course, but I am sure I am not alone when I say I feel completely helpless at what else I can do. I would help and support any families that came to our town with whatever we had and they needed and I am absolutely at awe of those that have packed up vans and are driving to the border.
I had to mark this time in history. Bluebird met the Sunflower. The national flower of Ukraine. It seems fitting that the bookmark has a stem symbolically linking the two together. This is a free pattern, its just a yarn doodle but it is my very small way of showing that I care and that I am thinking of the families affected both in the Ukraine and wider afield because of the war.
So please use this for whatever you want, make, sell, share the pattern in any way that you want.
Sunflower
You will need:
3.5mm hook
Yarn in brown, yellow and green. I've used Stylecraft Special Double Knit in Mocha, Dandelion and Green.
Darning/tapestry needle for the ends
Abbreviations in US terms
ch - chain
dc - double crochet
hdc - half double crochet
slst - slip stitch
tr - treble crochet
Start with brown, ch2, in the first chain ch3 (dc), dc 14, slst into the start and end yarn - 15sts
Join at any stitch with yellow (ch4, tr, ch4, slst) in each stitch, making a slst to move onto the next stitch. This will create 15 petals, slst into the base of the first petal and end yarn.
With green, ch2, in the first chain ch2 (hdc), hdc 11, slst into the start and end yarn. Sew the green over the brown centre back of your Sunflower to hide your ends, catching it into the bases of the yellow petals.
And you're done. If you'd like to make the bookmark, here's the link to the pattern.