Dial L for Love

It's day three of my SOAP DISPENSER WEEK extravaganza!  Who knew covering soap bottles in crochet could be so fun?!  Wait, I think I got that confused with drag racing... Anyway, today's soap is a classic, non-foaming household staple:

Dial Antibacterial Hand Soap with Moisturizer Cover

Supplies:

100% cotton worsted weight yarn, approx. 45 yards (I used Peaches & Creme in Oasis)

Size G hook

Yarn needle

ch 27, sl st to first ch to join round (26 st)

R1: ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to first sc to join round (26 st)

R2-14: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (26 st)

R15: ch 1,(3 sc, sc 2 st tog) 5 times, sc, sl st to first sc to join round (21 st)

R16-21: ch 1, sc in each sc around, sl st to first sc to join round (21 st)

R22: ch 1,(sc, sc 2 st tog) 7 times, sc, sl st to first sc to join round (14 st)

R23: ch 1, (2 sc, sc 2 st tog) 3 times, 2 sc, sl st to first sc to join round (11 st)

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

The finished cover reminded me of our last beach trip.  The beach sand had been warm and darkly speckled from summer-barbecue charcoal.   The seagulls had just finished feasting on muscles that had washed up on the shore, the empty seashells littering the damp sand at the water's edge.  The shells were so beautiful, deep blacks and purples, sometimes tipped in white.  I picked several up, and rinsed them in the tide, amused that the open shells resembled a heart.  I carefully carried them home, knowing that I wanted to do something special with them.

I decided that I wanted to use the shells to decorate my cover.  I cut out two felt pieces about the shape of the open muscle shells, and hot glued a bobby pin between the felt.  I then, carefully, split the two shells apart.  I glued the felt to the backside of the shells, working on one side at a time.  Now, I could attach my shell heart to the soap dispenser cover simply by sliding the bobby pin between the crocheted stitches.  

I love that the heart is removable, and that I can wash (and dry!) the cover when it gets yucky.  Because while this project wasn't expensive, to me it holds a pretty special memory...

xoxo