Apple Coin Purse & Scrunchie

I've been crocheting a lot lately for custom orders I've been getting, so it's nice when I can take a moment to make something small for myself. I was inspired to make apple-themed crochet projects since the annual Apple Festival is coming up, and we're in the midst of apple season. I got some amazing Honeycrisp apples from a farm store the other day - so good! If you haven't gotten the chance to buy some apples yet this fall, here is your sign. Get the apples. Or, in the case of this post, make apple-themed things!

Materials:

• Medium(4) acrylic yarn in red, white, black, and brown (if you want to add leaves you can use green as well)

• 5 mm crochet hook

• Scissors

• Crochet/tapestry needle

• Sewing needle and thread (for stitching the button on)

• Button (medium sized works best)

• Hair tie/elastic

Instructions:

Coin purse:

Start with white yarn. Make a slip knot. Chain 4. Slip stitch to connect.

Round 1: Chain 1. Single crochet (SC) 10. Slip stitch to connect.

Round 2: Chain 1. SC, increase every 2nd stitch. Slip stitch to connect.

Round 3: Chain 1. SC, increase every 3rd stitch. Slip stitch to connect.

Round 4: Chain 1. SC, increase every 4th stitch. Slip stitch to connect.

Round 5: Chain 1. SC, increase every 5th stitch. Slip stitch to connect.

Switch to red yarn.

Round 6: Chain 1. SC, increase every 6th stitch. Chain 1, cut, and knot tightly to finish.

Repeat this process for the second apple slice.

Once you have your two apple halves, use the crochet needle with black yarn to stitch "seeds" in the middle of each apple half.

Connect a long piece of brown yarn to the top of one of the apple halves. Chain 12 with brown (or green) yarn to make a loop.

On the other apple half, use the sewing needle and thread to sew a button on near the top.

Use the crochet needle and a long piece of red thread to stitch the apple halves together, leaving an opening at the top.

Weave in all remaining yarn ends so they don't show.

Scrunchie:

Start with white yarn. Make a slip knot.

Round 1: Take the hair tie you're using for this project and position the hook on the outside of it. Single crochet (SC) around the hair tie. You should finish with about 54 SC stitches, but it could be more or less depending on the size of your hair tie.

Slip stitch to connect.

Round 2: Chain 1. Increase every 4th stitch. Slip stitch to connect.

Switch to red yarn.

Round 3: SC. Slip stitch to connect.

Switch to brown yarn.

Chain 3. Turn and SC back to the where you started.

Chain 1, cut, and knot to finish.

Use the crochet needle and black yarn to stitch on "seeds".

Weave in all remaining yarn ends.