9.23.2008

How To Crochet An Acorn Cap Necklace (or win one)

This project was inspired by Resurrection Fern's crochet acorn basket necklace (thanks Zen Crafting for the link!). I knew I had to make one as soon as I saw it.

a tisket a tasket, an acorn in a basket

We set about gathering acorns to make more necklaces, but found that most of our acorns are loosing their caps on the way down, or on the way home in Aidan's pockets. So I reverse engineered Resurrection Fern's pattern for acorn baskets to make acorn caps.

green acorn, brown cap
brown acorn, cream cap

Materials Needed:

fine gauge crochet yarn
small crochet hook
hot glue gun
acorn

Step One:

chain desired length of necklace

Chain desired length of necklace. Mine was close to 24 inches. Keep in mind that it will go over your head.

Step Two:

chain five, slip stitch to form circle

Chain five more, slip stitch to fifth chain from needle to form circle.

Step Three:

second round

One single crochet stitch in each of the five chain stitches to make first round.
For the second round, crochet two single crochet stitches in each of the five stitches to make ten stitches.

Step Four:

work 2-3 rounds until cap forms

Single crochet one stitch in each of the ten stitches; work two to three rounds until cap forms and reaches desired size. Slip stitch to finish cap and weave in yarn.

Step Five:

pull end of chain through cap

From inside cap, pull the end of the chain through the middle of the cap with the hook, slip stitch inside cap to anchor and weave in end of yarn.

Step Six:

hot glue acorn to cap

Use a hot glue gun to attach cap to acorn.

Now you have a new accessory to celebrate fall, and a use for all those acorns missing their lovely caps.

But hey, if you're not a hooker but you would still like some fall bling, leave a comment and enter to win an acorn necklace of your own. I will select two winners at the end of the week.

I will be in and out this week, perhaps more out than in while I breathe autumn deeply and prepare our garden for a new season of crops. And of course I'll be picking up more acorns.

54 comments:

  1. Holy Cow, that is the cutest thing ever, you are so clever!
    Sadly, I don't crochet, and to make matters worse, we are having a hard time finding acorns around these parts, maybe it's still a bit too warm.
    Have a wonderful week taking in all that cool air!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is fantastic! I can crochet and have acorns. Inspired by you and your socks, I bought yarn and needles (I told the women in the store about your whittled twig stitch holder) and have been trying...I so wish that you were my neighbor. I succeeded, finally, in following the pattern, but they are very tiny. I'm switching to this! This I can do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. THE cutest thing i've seen so far this Fall...sure to remain a favorite accessory...but sadly i'm not a hooker :( but oh, how i wish i was! i actually have never attempted knitting, only crocheting, and well, forget it.
    you just make it look effortless, molly :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. So tiny and cute and perfect as fall settles in!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is so cute! It reminds me of the "kiss" that Peter Pan gave Wendy. Love it! Thanks for for tut.

    ReplyDelete
  6. too too cute!! Someday I will crochet.

    ReplyDelete
  7. unfortunately , i'm not a hooker! i want to be though! i want to learn the tricks of the trade ! :0)
    great tutroial , by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh that was supposed to say "tutorial".

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can't get more cute than that! What a fun way to start fall with a little acorn around your neck. Thanks for the step by step, very clear. Thanks for give away, hope I win!

    ReplyDelete
  10. i like your version better - that is the cutest little thing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. From one happy hooker to the next, that is such a cute idea!. I crocheted a necklace this weekend, 3 strands with small beads crocheted in, then braided them together. I'm actually wearing it today at work. We hookers have to stick together with our cool ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  12. OH to be a hooker. Stop it! You crack me up! Those are too cute, I think all the kids would go nuts for them...
    Maybe the older kids and I can learn to crochet by doing these together.

    ReplyDelete
  13. These are SUPER cute, Molly. I love them! But I don't crochet. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oooh.... a tutorial! And a fun one to boot!

    ReplyDelete
  15. So clever and sweet. I love how appropriate these necklaces are for any age. My 3-year-old is falling in more in love with the idea of "dressing up" her outfits with accessories every day. Here is one we could both enjoy! Now, if I only knew how to crochet... maybe you could set up a store on Etsy for those of us who don't win the contest?

    ReplyDelete
  16. You are so amazing, Molly.
    That is just the cutest thing evah!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the acorn cap, but I totally suck at crocheting. I would love to have a chance to win!

    ReplyDelete
  18. i am planning to learn to crochet just so i can make these.


    honestly i got so wrapped up in making one, i don't remember how to win one.

    but i would love to. : )

    ReplyDelete
  19. too cute! we've got plenty of acorns over here...i'll have to get the bald ones some crocheted caps! thanks for the tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love this, was going to make one for myself and then realized...I dont crochet :( Acorn hunting has become a past time lately with my sons & I. Would love to win one!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think that is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!

    ReplyDelete
  22. love the idea molly!
    I don't crochet {yet}, but will visit this post again once I train myself in your fine art.

    acorns on all of our minds today!

    love to win one of your creations!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Pick me! Pick me! (I'm shameless).

    ReplyDelete
  24. oh my. so cute. we'll need to give this a go.

    while camping the past few days, several times it was said, " all we keep doing is talking about aiden and avery!" even phoenix uncovered a mystery this morning as we were packing up [from site # 15 mind you]!

    my camera is being wonky, but i hope to show you soon a few things i've been working on too....we've been filling the acorn caps with felted wool acorns, knitting fingerless mitts and so on....now lets find a good time for you guys to come to our forest and we can do all this together :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I need one of those!!!! Too cute for words. I am trying to learn to crochet... I'll leave it at that! Perfect for my little nature faerie!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ooo, ooo, ooo. I want in to win one. "Reverse engineered" is right. I wouldn't know where to begin. I should set my kids to the task. They're far cleverer than I. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is adorable! I don't crochet but have the supplies to, so I just might have to teach myself. I'd like to have a chance to win one anyway though.
    I hope you will share what you are planting this Fall in a future post.
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Now that is cute!
    I'm not a hooker, but I dream of being one, so I would love to win!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow! That is so cool. So intricate. Not designed to be made by a ham fisted fool like me :(

    Still..it's beautiful to look at and so is your blog! I'm loving your summer was series.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Pick me! Pick me! That is so darned cute, M. Alas, I am not a hooker. Maybe I need to work on that though -- this may be the project that tips the balance... so cute cute cute...

    ReplyDelete
  31. ohmigosh, that is so It!! Please, come down to Davis, I'll show you guys our oak grove. some of the acorns are fist-sized & look like sea aneanomies. we get apple gathering baskets & make fairy gardens. the kids go crazy. really, we have bikes for your whole crew!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'm so jealous...I have tried to teach myself crochet by book and internet several times...alas I am lacking a one-on-one isntructor. My daughters and I take a bucket with us each time we go to our local park. We spend most of the time picking up acorns (or fairy food as they're known in my house) My five year old would LOVE this necklace..if I were ever to share that is!

    ReplyDelete
  33. This is just adorable! I can't stop smiling when I look at the photos :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. It seems to me 2 caps to give away isn't enough!
    You are amazing, and I'm proud of you for being so creative.
    Don't put me in your drawing.
    Love
    Dad

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love how you went with the caps fallin' off and created your own stunning version!! Love it so much!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Note to self, Learn to crochet.

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a great idea! I'm going to have to try this! My son is always collecting acorns and we can never find enough things to do with them!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Oh, my, I leave the blogging world for a few weeks and miss out on so much beauty, including your stunning acorn necklace. And then you went and added to the tutorial and gave me something new to try!! (Your acorns are amazing, by the way. I love the one that looks like a jalapeno!!) I hope you let Resurrection Fern know about it--she loves hearing and seeing how other people have used her tutorials!

    ReplyDelete
  39. ohhh am i too late for an acorn bling??? i am not a hooker, wish i were, but oh these. my son WOULD wear one proud! can't get enough of those acorns. thanks, krisitn

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thats a great idea. I dont crocet but this makes me tempted to learn. If only I didn't have half a dozen unfinished knitting projects. Oh well, I have saved this for the future. Thanks for the inspriration!

    ReplyDelete
  41. My 13 y.o. daughter and I both made one! It was a really sweet time learning to crochet together (I grabbed some nice 70's materials my mother left to me). Ours may not be quite as lovely as yours, but we are super happy with them. Now we've got to find some acorns. My plan is to employ the preschoolers next door :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Don't know if I'm too late but if not, can I go in your draw please? I can crochet [just] but am not allowed to play with glue because of previous accidents I've had with it...

    ReplyDelete
  43. Very clever just found your blog and love the tutorials i post tutorials on my blog thought if alright with you to post it wed for others so come see your blog.Anyone else with tutorial be happy to post yours too let me know!
    hugs ginger

    ReplyDelete
  44. I so love that acorn idea!!!!!
    My favorite one is with the cap on!
    Diane

    ReplyDelete
  45. these are awesome, and perfect, in so many ways! we're involved in a "secret fairy" gift giving thing through december, and i just know that our recipient family will love the acorn necklaces AND the stick stars. we'll definitely do them both! thanks for the tutorials, and i'm happy to have found your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  46. whew! i just finished 5 acorn necklaces for our secret fairy family. i want to post about it, but don't want to give ourselves away this early in the fun. so, stay tuned and i'll plan to do a post at the end of december with a recap of the treats given and received.

    thanks again for the tutorial. i'm sure i'll make more as gifts for other folks as well. they're too good!

    we have a stout, chubby acorn up here. it's neat to see the variety. definitely not the long, pointy ones like you have.

    thanks for the comment and the wristwarmer compliment. :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. cute idea for creative necklace!! thumbs up!!

    ReplyDelete
  48. get a life

    ReplyDelete
  49. Sooo cute! I am wishing I had some acorns handy right now...

    ReplyDelete
  50. This is awesome. I was wondering whether you might be interested in doing a Guest Feature/Pattern at www.FaveCrafts.com. If you are interested, you can reach me via our contact form at the bottom of the page.

    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Love, Love, Love FALL! Which means I am head over heels for this oh so Fabulous fall necklace...makes me want to LEARN to crochet just to make them and give them to everyone I know! Fabulous IDEA!

    ReplyDelete
  52. These are so much fun. I started a blog to keep track of all the crochet patterns I find on the web. So many creative bloggers out there! Hope you don't mind I linked to one of your photos with a short description and a link back to your site. I will be busy making these soon for my little people. Thank you for sharing this fun pattern!
    www.tangledhappy.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Oh my gosh these are adorable! What a great idea :D These would match my brown wardrobe lol! Thanks so much for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete