A delicate bit of chunky necklace: a free crochet pattern

I admit that I cannot resist a goofy title. It's the nerd in me! Well, the past 3 weeks have been busy. I have 3 UFO patterns in progress. (It's much easier just to make the things than to write it all down. Ugh, all that stopping and writing when you just want to free your hook and run with it flaming into glory!) I did make up this little necklace a few weeks ago. It's super easy and doesn't take very long to make. Great for a gift you just realized you should have already had ready to go!

But before I get entirely on subject I have a tragic tale...
We went up to Chicago last weekend and I brought a skein of hand dyed, light sport weight, soft, super wash, merino wool with me. I bought this skein last year, in a fit of fiber lust, and paid an unholy amount of money for it. I had alternating periods of glee and guilt that always comes when I have bought something just for myself as I would take it out of my stash and rub it from time to time. (Personal hang up.) I finally decided on the perfect project for my single skein of lovely yarn. A baby cardigan, but not just any baby cardigan. This one was to be handed down and cared for by many generations. Yes, this was to be a heirloom. I felt it. I knew it.
Of course, I could find no pattern that was exactly what I wanted. So I began plotting. I found "The Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting," looked at baby clothes for necklines and armed with a hook and a gauge check ruler set out upon my star crossed quest. Everything was going great. My increases were coming along beautifully, the cardigan was quite cute. Hmmm, I notice it's flaring a bit to much toward the bottom. Time to blithely pulled back 5 inches, to the shock and horror of my in-laws (we live a rather sheltered life). Well that's just part of crocheting, I happily reasoned, uncrocheting. Now let's do a bit of math and see if we can't make this better. Okay I have it, much erasing and rewriting. Dreams of slightly belling sleeves and elaborate lace collars are dancing in my head, as I merrily go forth undeterred.
I have now been working on this project for a good portion of 3 days, pulling it out of my purse at the slightest hint of a chance to set free my hook. Maybe, this was my mistake. Casual crochet is just flirting with danger. During a card game, I accidentally knocked it from the table. I thought it's okay, I'll pick it up at the end of this round. The bidding was fierce and I was in the running... the round was complete in a few minutes and I went under the table to retrieve my beloved project while a new round was being dealt. And what horror met my eyes...a BLOODY MESS was sitting there like a pile of intestines! My in-laws new mongrel had eaten my yarn! He was contentedly chewing up my skein at my own feet!!!
Now I must confess that I should have known how unprofitable in nature a relationship with that dog would be to me. When I met him a day and a half before the idiot jumped on my leg and peed on my foot. A bad omen, if there ever was one. My dog, a beautifully well behaved and sweet mongrel, would have never have done that, peed on my foot or eaten my yarn. (Taking a moment for a bit of self-righteous indignation. Okay, I'm over it.) I breathed deeply picked up my yarn and told my in laws that I do not like their dog. (I know that was mean, but I could have said much worse. I was thinking much worse.) I then proceeded upstairs to cry about torn yarn and dreams, where no one could see me behaving in such a ridiculous and untoward manner. My in-laws felt badly enough about it with out seeing me irrationally blubbering over what was not to be in a pile of pink yarn.
I have since stopped crying and raving, though obviously I can still rant, and have resolved myself to ripping it all out and making a completely lacy cardigan out of the mess. It will be beautiful and I will email a picture of it to my in-laws who will exclaim, "It's just wonderful!" We will all sigh breath of relief. Charlie is no longer in melt down mode, the mongrel is redeemed (though definitely not trustworthy), and I have learned a lesson. Yes a happy ending is in the air. I will no longer let projects lay on the ground at sundry locales or near any animal. I will practice safe crochet and keep a project in a bag tied up if I cannot see it. I still have to unravel this mess though... any volunteers?

The inglorious pile:

It feels good to laugh at yourself! I hope my sister-in-law, who was not there, doesn't read my blog. She loves that stupid dog!

Well on to the project at hand...

Materials needed:
28 Gauge Wire
9 large glass beads
E 3.50mm Crochet hook
Small pliers and a wire cutter

Special Stitches:
bead dc -- yo, push the bead right up to the hook, go through the next ch sp (you will be working under the bead), yo, pull the wire through the sp, yo, now pull the wire though the first loop and over the bead into the 2nd loop, yo, and pull it through the 2 remaining loops

Pattern:
String 7 beads on the wire.

Row 1) ch 71

Row 2) turn, 1st 3 ch equals a dc,dc 9x over the next 10 ch sps, bead dc into the next ch sp, *dc 7x over the next 7 ch sps, bead dc into the next ch sp,* repeat * to * 5x more, dc 10x over the next 10 ch sps

Row 3) turn, chain 12, sc in top of bead dc, ch 3, sc in bottom of bead dc, *ch 10, sc bead dc on the side you ch from, ch 3, sc in other side of the bead dc,* repeat * to * 5x more, ch 12, sl st into the end of the necklace, pulling through and snipping the wire taking care to wrap it where it will not scratch the wearer.

Back Chain: Insert wire through the 1st 2 dc sp. String one bead. Form a loop with the wire and tightly wrap the end down around the wire. Push the bead up to cover the wrapping and place your crochet hook in the loop. Begin ch by bring the wire up and around the bead, ch 40. Snip the wire about 3 inches from the ch. Insert the ch though the last 2 dc sp. String the last bead. Pull the wire around the bead and tie off the chain. Cut the wire while leaving enough to comfortably wrap the end around and down into the bead, so as to leave no itchy wire poking out.

That's it. As you can see I have chosen to wear it with the end twisted together, but you could just let it dangle with the ch and its two beads on the beginning and ending dc.

Pattern is copyrighted, including the photos. You may not sell or give away the pattern or photos, or post them anywhere for free without clearly stating that the pattern was made by Charlie DeRuiter. Though, you may link to this page any where you would like without further acknowledgement. You are free to sell your completed work, provided you state clearly in your ad or packaging that the pattern was made by Charlie DeRuiter. Thank you!