Crochet Ball Necklaces

It all started with an idea for a small present for one of Gaby's sweet friends, who always brings me fresh rosemary from her family garden. I had one cake of YarnArt Violet 100% mercerized cotton in bright yellow, a remnant from a yellow sweater I knitted years ago. And I also have various wooden beads I´ve bought over the years for craft projects. On Wednesday after my Spanish classes I passed through one of the craft shops downtown and bought two metal wire circles for necklaces and two waxed cotton strings with clasps.

First I crocheted around two beads with the yellow cotton yarn, added three more bare wooden beads and voilá - the necklace was done. But as easy as it sounds, don't get me wrong - I'm so clumsy and inexperienced with the crochet hook, especially with such a small hook and thin thread, that crocheting around each bead took me probably half an hour each and cost me at least one aching finger :)))

However, I was bitten by the crafting bug and I spent the next day dyeing small amounts of the yellow yarn with different concentrations of blue cotton dye to get a gradient. Thus the second necklace was born, with crocheted balls for complementing earrings, which I intend to finish once I buy the necessary hardware. This necklace is for Gaby.

But how could I not make something for myself! This one is a long pendant, hanging on a waxed cotton string, with complementing earrings, of course.

And because husband complained that the colors I was using were too dull, something bright and cheery - reds, oranges, peaches and yellows on a waxed string:

I have plenty of dyed cotton yarn and ideas for necklaces and earrings, so there'll be at least a couple more before I exhaust my inspiration.