Jeep Tire Cover

Last year I made this spare tire cover for my Jeep.  Wanting a unique piece, I immediately turned to crochet.  I had never seen a crocheted lace tire cover before and I wasn't exactly sure where to start.  

After searching for inspiration and coming up short I remembered a 19th century doily pattern that reminded me of wheel spokes that I had seen on Ravelry.  I loved the idea of taking such an old pattern (for a delicate doily nonetheless) and turning it into something very different from its intentions.  With some modifications to the pattern I was ready to get crocheting.

 I went to Home Depot and purchased a sturdy "all-weather" twine.  The kind salesperson assured me that it could take brutal weather hits.  And it did...through rain and snow it withstood.  It never discolored or grew mold.  It was perfect. But when summer arrived and the hot sun began beating down, the top of the twine began to fray where the sun's heat landed.  Stitches and stitches were literally disintegrating.  Upon discovering this after an afternoon run with a friend, there was nothing to do but pout and tear it off.

Never giving up, I've been brainstorming different materials to make it out of.  Right now my thoughts are with a hard plastic twine or a thin metal chain.  Time to go back to the drawing boards and get creative, because I'm determined to have another lace tire cover make a fabulous debut on my beloved Jeep.