My eyes are doing great, the light from the computer doesn't seem to bother them like it did, so.....I'm here to warn y'all--I'm back!! I will try hard not to drive you crazy ;) As you can see from the photo I have been working on Christmas ornaments, in case you can't see it clearly. The red thread is on a red ball, the green is on a green ball, the blue is on a blue ball, and the yellow one is on a gold ball. The white one is on a green ball, I am going to make a white covering for each of the colored balls. I just love this shell pattern, it works up very quickly and I like the look of the finished project. Here's the pattern in case any of you would like to make one....or six of them. I like to make them off and on during the year and they are a nice small lightweight item for the summer. Plus you can store them until the time they put out the balls for sale in November and then suddenly you will have a bunch of ornaments all finished. Enjoy
Shell Design
Shell Design
Size 10 crochet thread (J & P Coats Knit Cro-Sheen 250 yd ball)
Size 7 Steel Crochet Hook
2 1/2" Christmas balls (satin or glass)
Yarn needle
1. Starting at the bottom of the ball. Ch 8, sl st to first chain to form a ring.
2. Sc into ring then ch 10, repeat 8 times. then sl st into first sc. You will have 8 large loops.
3. Sl st to center of the first loop, work ch 3, 2dc, ch 1, 3dc all into the first loop.
4. Work 3dc, ch1, 3dc into the next loop and continue this pattern into each loop all the way around. Then end this row by sl st into the top of the ch 3. You should have 8 shells.
5. Sl st in the next 2dc, then sl st in the ch 1 sp in the center of the shell. Ch 3, work 2dc,ch1, 3dc all in the center of the shell. Do this same stitch pattern of working a shell into the shell all the way around. Finish this row by sl st into the top of the ch 3. You should have 8 shells.
6. This row is the same as Row 5--you will work a shell into the center of the shell from the row below. Sl st to end this row. You will have 8 shells.
7. Sl st in the next 2dc, then sl st in the ch 1 sp. Ch 3, work 2dc, ch 1, 3dc, all in center of shell. Now ch 1, then make a shell in the center of the next shell, ch 1 again. You are basically making the same shell all the way around BUT you are now adding a ch1 between the shell groups. Finish with 8 shells.
8. Make same as row 7--shell into shell and adding a ch 1 between the shells. Finish with 8 shells.
9. Make a shell into each shell BUT now leave off the extra ch 1 between the shell groups. Finish 8 shells
10. Make this row same as row 9.
11. Sl st to center of shell, ch 8, then work a sc in center of next shell, ch 8, work sc in center of next shell. Repeat this all the way around, join into first sc. You should now have 8 big loops. End off yarn but leave about 12" length.
12. Take your yarn needle and thread this extra length through it. Put your cover on the Christmas ball, take the needle and weave in and out of these large loops. Then take the thread and draw it up tightly to the top of the ball, take the needle and stitch in and out of the stitches and then tie it off. Trim off extra thread. You are now done! WooHoo!! How very pretty, you did a great job.
Size 7 Steel Crochet Hook
2 1/2" Christmas balls (satin or glass)
Yarn needle
1. Starting at the bottom of the ball. Ch 8, sl st to first chain to form a ring.
2. Sc into ring then ch 10, repeat 8 times. then sl st into first sc. You will have 8 large loops.
3. Sl st to center of the first loop, work ch 3, 2dc, ch 1, 3dc all into the first loop.
4. Work 3dc, ch1, 3dc into the next loop and continue this pattern into each loop all the way around. Then end this row by sl st into the top of the ch 3. You should have 8 shells.
5. Sl st in the next 2dc, then sl st in the ch 1 sp in the center of the shell. Ch 3, work 2dc,ch1, 3dc all in the center of the shell. Do this same stitch pattern of working a shell into the shell all the way around. Finish this row by sl st into the top of the ch 3. You should have 8 shells.
6. This row is the same as Row 5--you will work a shell into the center of the shell from the row below. Sl st to end this row. You will have 8 shells.
7. Sl st in the next 2dc, then sl st in the ch 1 sp. Ch 3, work 2dc, ch 1, 3dc, all in center of shell. Now ch 1, then make a shell in the center of the next shell, ch 1 again. You are basically making the same shell all the way around BUT you are now adding a ch1 between the shell groups. Finish with 8 shells.
8. Make same as row 7--shell into shell and adding a ch 1 between the shells. Finish with 8 shells.
9. Make a shell into each shell BUT now leave off the extra ch 1 between the shell groups. Finish 8 shells
10. Make this row same as row 9.
11. Sl st to center of shell, ch 8, then work a sc in center of next shell, ch 8, work sc in center of next shell. Repeat this all the way around, join into first sc. You should now have 8 big loops. End off yarn but leave about 12" length.
12. Take your yarn needle and thread this extra length through it. Put your cover on the Christmas ball, take the needle and weave in and out of these large loops. Then take the thread and draw it up tightly to the top of the ball, take the needle and stitch in and out of the stitches and then tie it off. Trim off extra thread. You are now done! WooHoo!! How very pretty, you did a great job.
2. To start your folding process turn your square on the diagonal.
4. Now work a row of sc around the edges of the pocket and around the flap. Work another row of sc but when you come to the point of the flap that folds down to close your envelope, make a chain loop that will be your buttonhole. The number of chs will depend on the size of your button. In the photo I am using a large button so I have chained 4. Now using the same yarn sew your button on where the three corners meet and make sure it is lining up with your buttonhole. 
5. Your gift envelope is now finished. Wow! You did it, and it wasn't hard was it? It sounds like there are a lot of steps to this project and way to much trouble, but it really isn't if you can just 'see' it first. I usually tell people to take a piece of paper and fold it so they can understand the concept before they start. It is also easy to see how large you need to crochet the square to wind up with the size gift envelope you need. Or you can simply take an existing envelope apart so you can understand a little better how it folds together. So enjoy this project and give me a yell if you have any questions.
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