In 1785, Prince George or Wales commissioned a tiny portrait of his eye and sent it to his beloved, Maria Anne Fitzherbert, to convince her to marry him. It worked, and they were married shortly thereafter. The Prince then commissioned a portrait of Fitzherbert’s eye so that he might have her with him all the time. The tiny portraits became popular in England in the late 18th century. Some commissioned them as a token of affection for their lover, and others used them as a memento of a departed family member.
These necklaces have gained a new popularity with the show Bridgerton. If you follow the show, you have likely noticed that Marina wears a lover’s eye necklace on a strand of pearls.
You can crochet your own lover’s eye for a necklace or brooch. This simple pattern takes only an evening to complete and measures approximately 2” wide by 1.25” tall.
Materials:
#10 crochet cotton yarn
4 yards tan
2 yards white
3 yards blue (or desired eye color)
1 yard black
Size 7 steel crochet hook
Crewel needle
28, 4-mm pearl beads
Small piece of tan felt
Jump ring and chain for necklace or pin for brooch
Rnd 1: With black thread, ch 2 (or magic circle), 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook (8 sc). Join with sl st. Fasten off black.
Rnd 2: With blue thread, ch 1, 2 sc in each st (16 sc). Join with sl st.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around. Join with sl st. (24 sc).
Rnd 4: Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st,* repeat around. Join with sl st. (32 sc). Fasten off blue.
Row 5: Attach white thread, ch 1, sc in same sts, sc in next 6 sts. (7 sc).
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, sc in next 2 sts, work 3 sc tog, sc in next 2 sts (5 sc).
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc in next st, work 3 sc tog, sc in next st (3 sc).
Row 8: Ch 1, turn, sc last 3 sts tog. Fasten off white.
Return to Rnd 4, sk 9 sts, and rep Rows 5-8 on the other side of the iris.
Before beginning Rnd 9, thread about 30 beads onto tan thread.
Rnd 9: Attach tan thread at bottom of eye of edge of Row 8 (marked by arrow). Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in ends of Rows 7, 6, and 5. *Working across iris, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, sc in ends of Rows 5, 6, and 7, 2 sc in end of Row 8.* On top of eye, sc in ends of Rows 8, 7, 6, and 5, rep * to *. Join with sl st (40 sc).
Rnd 10: Ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts,* repeat around (48 sc). Join with sl st.
Rnd 11: Ch 1, turn, *sl st in next st including one bead in st, sl st in next st,* repeat around. Join with sl st. Fasten off tan leaving 12” tail. Thread tail through needle and sew in place any beads that are out of line.
To get an ad-free PDF version of the pattern, please visit Lover’s Eye Necklace Crochet Pattern.
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Weekly Featured Pattern
The “Born Cowl/Infinity Scarf” is this week’s Featured Pattern, which is brought to you by Marsha YarnDoodles.
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Puppy Love Dog Toy Crochet Pattern
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