DIY Crochet Necklace

Here they are! Friday I teased you with a bit of crochet inspiration a la Marni, but here's my version of chain and crochet necklaces. This is my entry for a contest with Lion Brand Yarn, who challenged bloggers to come up with a project using their new Bonbons yarn. 

I am not a crochet or knitting expert, but found what I do know works for this project. Don't let all the steps and photos in my how-to overwhelm you. Once you get the hang of it, it's simple to do and goes by quickly. 

Basic supplies for this project:

Thin yarn (I used Lion Brand Bonbons, provided by Lion Brand for the contest)

Chain (I used this 10mm chain, how long depends on the style of necklace)

Crochet hook (mine is 4mm) 

Scissors

Additional supplies:

Thin chain

Jump rings

Clasp

Begin by making a slip knot around the crochet hook, making a pretzel-shape as pictured above.

Pull the knot tight around the hook.

To begin crochet on the chain: Slide the crochet hook through the first link of the chain. Bring the long end of the yarn wrapped behind and then over the hook (first photo). Tighten the loop around the hook and use the hook to pull the loop through the link (second and third photos). Now, pull the new loop under and through the original/first yarn loop on the crochet hook.

To continue crochet on the chain: Slide the hook back into the same link and wrap the yarn around the hook, from behind and then over (first photo). Pull the loop through the link (second photo).  Loop yarn around the hook again (third photo), and pull this newest loop through the first two on the crochet hook (fourth photo).

Repeat these last four steps to continue crocheting yarn to the chain. When you fill up the link, move onto the next. After the first link of the chain (which had three stitches), I did two stitches to each link. It's important to keep that number the same so everything looks uniform. Also, the fewer the stitches on each link, the tighter the curve will be on the finished product. More stitches means a looser curve to the necklace.

Continue down the entire length of chain. Here's the view from above. As you fill up the chain, you'll form these loops.

To add a new crochet row: Once you reach the end of the chain, you'll begin working back the opposite direction to add another row of crochet. To do so, put the hook through the first crochet loop of yarn, wrap yarn behind and around the hook, and pull the yarn through both loops. Continue down the entire crochet chain. When you reach the other end, you can add an additional row, or finish of the yarn.

To finish off the yarn: On the last loop, trim down the end of the yarn to a few inches long. Loop the loose end around the hook, and pull all the way through the loop. Tie the loose end around the chain to secure, then trim down.

You could now add a new color to the other side of the chain, or to the crochet rows. I think this would make a fun bracelet, or a collar necklace if you started with a longer piece of chain.

I chose to add two 18-inch pieces of chain looped through the end links and connected to a clasp with jump rings. For the pink necklace, I added a row of crochet to the other side of the chain.