This was made for Powerhouseofthecell in the recent Fiber/Mixed Media Jewelry Swap. While I do make a lot of jewelry, this was way outside my wheelhouse. I loved that the swap forced me outside my comfort zone. (Thanks [member]sheepBlue[/member]!) I also really enjoyed getting to use crochet in jewelry.
There was no pattern that I followed. I used a beading needle to string most of a small box of 'bead soup' onto it before I started, then I simply began crocheting. I believe I chained 16, then started doing single crochet in both sizes of the chain, for a total of 30 stitched per row. I didn't join at the end of each row, just continued in a spiral around to create the pouch. The yarn is Premier Wool Free Sock Yarn, in the color Rainforest. The beads came from a mix called Butter Tart I bumped into at Joanns. I did a few rounds without beads to establish the base of the pouch, then I alternated doing a row of beads and a row without. I tried alternating my beads with 2 small in a row, then 1 bigger, then 2 small again, so that when they are all piled together, the bigger ones have a bit more room to shine, with the smaller often hiding behind/under/beside them.
I also only beaded 1 side, so that it would be soft and smooth against either skin or clothing. At the top I stopped doing single crochet for a stretch, and filled in chain stitches, then restarted single crochet, and went around again, up and over the sc stitches, so that I had a natural loop to close over the button I planned as a closure. I did several rounds without beads to provide a flat surface to sew the button to. The button was a Czech glass treasure that I received in a swap many years ago. (Possibly from [member]rackycoo[/member]?) I have been hoarding since, waiting for the perfect project to use it on, and this was clearly it.
Once I had completed the pouch, instead of finishing off, I started chaining stitches, to create the necklace portion. I think I did 2 chains, then a bead, then two more chains. Once that was done, I cut the yarn, and started a new piece of necklace chain, without beads. I made that piece the same length, before attaching it beside the first strand, then slip stitching over to the other side, and creating more chain, so that I would have 3 individual strands, that could be braided together. I braided them loosely, then attached them on the other end, and added a few beads to each end, which you can see below.
After all that, I added a bit of fringe to the bottom, and filled the pouch with a few bits and bobs to protect Powerhouseofthecell on her journeys; a piece of seaglass (also a swap extra, from [member]calluna[/member]!), an antique key, and a stamped lucky penny. As I was packing up my swap package, I included the remaining beads, so Powerhouse could use them if she wanted to make a matching item. I was literally writing that in her card, when I stopped, and dashed back over to my jewelry making area, to create a set of asymmetrical earrings for her to match the necklace.
It was SO HARD to force myself to make a pair that were not identical! Seriously, what should have been a 5 minute pair of earrings took more like 20, to get my right brain to get on board with my left brain.
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