What's the time Mr Owl?

I've got a bit of a thing for owls and so was delighted to take part in a bird of prey experience with my hubby recently. This involved a few different species of owls- Barn Owls, an Eagle Owl and my personal favourite a Southern White-Faced Owl called Furby, who was just too cute for words.

Due to my fondness for owls and all things owly, my sister gave me a gorgeous watch, with an owl on the face, the Christmas before last which I love! I wear it so much I've worn a way part of the strap and I thought rather than buy a new one I would try crochet one.

I decided to used embroidery cotton and a fine hook (1.5mm) to make the strap "fabric" nice and tight.

I started by joining the cotton (DMC colour 708) using double crochet (dc) straight to the strap bar, as if the bar was a previous row, and continued with dc. It was only four stitches per row and was simply a case of 1dc in each dc with a turning chain at the end of each row. 

Originally I was thinking of reusing the buckle but I thought why use a buckle when you can use a button! At the end of the side to have the button I created a rounded end by chaining 1, skipping the first dc, doing 1 half treble in the next 2dc, chaining 1 and slip stitching into the last dc. I chose a little two-holed, mother of pearl button. I then used the end of the cotton to attach the button and sewed the end in.

On the end of other strap I chained 6, attached to the 4th dc of the previous row, then crocheted 10dc into the chain space, slip stitch into the last dc of the last row, I then made sure it was the correct size for the button to fit through and sewed the end in with a needle.

All done!
I found one skein was just the right amount, in fact I had just over 30cm left.

I'm so happy with the result and if possible love the watch even more!?
Until next time craft in earnest, Craftin' Ernest x