I've made a sparkly crochet bauble! I used my old pattern from a few years back as a starting point for the first 5 rounds then made some alterations as I went along to make the bauble less gappy between clusters as the rounds got bigger.
Materials
Polystyrene ball - 7.5cm diameter
King Cole Cottonsoft DK in white
Anchor Artiste Metallic Yarn in silver and blue
4mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle (to weave in ends)
Pattern
Glossary:
tr: treble crochet (UK)
dc: double crochet (US)
htr: half treble crochet (UK)
hdc: half double crochet (US)
ch: chain
st: stitch
Note - I start each row with a standing crochet stitch and I end each row with an invisible join. However, you can start each row with chains to count as the first stitch and end with a slip stitch if you prefer.
(UK term first, US term in brackets)
Rnd 1: [In white] 12 tr (dc) into magic ring (12 st)
Rnd 2: [In silver] htr (hdc) ch 1 into gaps between stitches of previous row (12 st 12 ch 1 spaces)
Rnd 3: [In metallic blue] 3 tr (dc) ch 1 into ch 1 spaces of previous row (12 groups of 3 tr (dc), 12 ch 1 spaces)
Rnd 4: [In white] 3 tr (dc) ch 1 into ch 1 spaces of previous row (12 groups of 3 tr (dc), 12 ch 1 spaces)
Rnd 5: [In silver] 3 tr (dc) ch 2 into ch 1 spaces of previous row (12 groups of 3 tr (dc), 12 ch 2 spaces)
Rnd 6: [In metallic blue] Into each ch 2 space of previous row work: 1 tr (dc), 2 long tr (dc) one each into the gaps either side of the middle tr (dc) of white rnd 4, 1 tr (dc) ch 1 (12 groups of 4 tr (dc), 12 ch 1 spaces)
Rnd 7: [In white] 3 tr (dc) ch 1 into ch 1 spaces of previous row (12 groups of 3 tr (dc), 12 ch 1 spaces)
Rnd 8: [In silver] Into each ch 1 space of previous row work: 1 tr (dc), 1 long tr (dc) into the gap between the two middle tr (dc) of blue rnd 6, 1 tr (dc) ch 2 (12 groups of 3 tr (dc), 12 ch 2 spaces)
Rnd 9: [In white] Into each ch 2 space of previous row work: 1 htr (hdc), 2 long htr (hdc) one each into the gaps either side of the middle tr (dc) of white rnd 7, 1 htr (hdc) (12 groups of 4 htr (hdc))
Make this twice then sew the two halves together using blue metallic yarn, going round in one direction first then back in the other direction in order to create the crosses.
You can find more details and waffle, if you're interested, in my old pattern!
Disclaimer - I am a tight crocheter and my polystyrene ball is quite big, so you may find yourself needing less rounds. Although I found I had to stretch this tighter than I had planned in order to sew it together. Play it by ear, trying your crochet on your ball as you go, and adjust accordingly!
Do let me know if you make any baubles using this pattern!