Ta-daa! Unveiling the Bauble Decoration....

Yeah, I know, I'm still on a roll.  This is my latest project, now finished, a crochet bauble decoration (don't forget you can click on all the pictures to make them bigger):

As before, I got the pattern from Lucy's blog at Attic24, in fact this particular tutorial.

I used acrylic yarn from my stash in shades of blue and used a 4mm hook to make it.

This should give you an idea of scale.  They're simple to make and you can use them just to hang up anywhere for a bit of colour in your life, or you can make a load to hang on the Christmas Tree.  Lucy's ones are very bright and she uses buttons and plastic beads.  I don't have buttons but I do have more beads than any sane person would have (in case you've forgotten, I make jewellery so have a craft room filled to bursting with pearls and crystals and semi-precious beads of all shapes and sizes), plus I was inspired by the serious embellishment that Elizabeth Cat used on her version of Lucy's bauble decoration.  Please click on the link to have a look - they're like jewels!

So mine hasn't been encrusted with quite so much loveliness as it was the first one I made and I need to work out how to attach all the pearls and beads and things, bearing in mind I don't have any embroidery thread (I think I need something thicker than sewing cotton but thinner than yarn to attach the beads - wool won't go through the hole and cotton is too thin) but I do have very flexible beading thread/wire.

Instead of a button for the centre, I used a clear Swarovski octagonal chandelier crystal with two holes, and just sewed one in place on both sides.

And then used the beading thread/wire and crimps to attach the dangly bit at the bottom, utilising three differently shaped and coloured crackle beads.

At the top are a couple of silver-lined glass beads in pale and darker blue.  These have really big holes in them so the hanging thingy can pass through the middle of them.

I'm really pleased with how it came out although it did take quite a long time to make.  Mind you, that might well have been because I was following the pattern for the first time, but I think I will make some more and try experiments with adding crystals and pearls to make them really lavish!