Crochet, Reinvention, and The Sea Glass Journal

More than twenty years ago, crochet quite literally helped save my life.

When I left the Middle East with my toddler son, I carried very little with me — a few belongings, a crochet hook, and the determination to build a life where I could support us while raising him on my own.

Crochet became the path forward.

Over the years, designing patterns and sharing them with makers around the world allowed me to build a creative business and a community I’m endlessly grateful for.

But creativity evolves.

And after two decades of expressing creativity through yarn and stitches, I began to feel another story waiting to be told.

That story eventually became The Sea Glass Journal.

The novel explores themes that have always been close to my heart — reinvention, healing, creativity, and the courage to forgive ourselves for the past.

Just as crochet once helped me rebuild my own life, the main character, Tess, begins rediscovering her own creativity and sense of self after her life takes an unexpected turn.

In many ways, the story reflects something I’ve come to believe deeply:

Sometimes creating something with your hands is the first step toward creating a new life.

Many of these crochet designs were inspired directly by moments and symbolism within the story.

This collection includes 22 free crochet patterns, including shawls, bookmarks, accessories, and home décor designs inspired by the ocean and the story of The Sea Glass Journal.

22 Free Crochet Patterns Inspired by The Sea Glass Journal

Creativity and handcrafts are woven throughout The Sea Glass Journal, so it felt natural for many of the themes, symbols, and settings from the story to inspire crochet designs as well.

In fact, more than twenty patterns have grown out of the world of the novel so far — from shawls inspired by ocean tides to bookmarks designed for readers who want to pair handmade creativity with the story itself.

Below are 22 free crochet patterns inspired by the world of The Sea Glass Journal, from ocean-inspired shawls to bookmarks made especially for readers.

1. Bioluminescence Bloom Ruana Free Crochet Pattern
2. Heartstring Harbor Bookmark Free Crochet Pattern
3. Bloom & Breakwater Bookmark Free Crochet Pattern
4. Dragonfly Drift Bookmark Free Crochet Pattern
5. Dragonfly Shimmer Cowl Free Crochet Pattern
6. Three Tides of Love Bookmark Free Crochet Pattern
7. Seafarer’s Song Shawlette Free Crochet Pattern
8. Ember Rise Free Crochet Shawl Pattern
9. Stop and Smell the Roses Free Crochet Pattern
10. Tidal Whisper Shawl Free Crochet Pattern
11. Moonstone Tide Shawl Free Crochet Pattern
12. Driftwood Horizon Bias Wrap Free Crochet Pattern
13. Driftwood Rose Doily Free Crochet Pattern
14. Starlight Stroll Shawl Free Crochet Pattern
15. Tidal Bloom Pillow Free Crochet Pattern
16. Sea Glass Secrets MCAL Shawl Free Crochet Pattern
17. Cypress Key Wrap Free Crochet Pattern
18. Bjorn’s Catnip Jellyfish Toy Free Crochet Pattern
19. Pineapple Drawstring Pouch Free Crochet Pattern
20. Sand Dollar Coasters Free Crochet Pattern
21. Luca’s Compass Rose Coasters Free Crochet Pattern
22. Velvet Wake Wrap Free Crochet Pattern

Explore the Sea Glass Pattern Collection

If you enjoy combining storytelling with handmade creativity, you can explore all of the designs inspired by the novel in the Sea Glass pattern collection, where you’ll find shawls, bookmarks, accessories, and home décor patterns connected to the themes and imagery of the story.

👉 Browse all Sea Glass patterns here

Craft While You Listen to the Story

Many readers and makers enjoy crafting while listening to a story, and I’ve begun sharing chapter readings of The Sea Glass Journal on YouTube so you can experience the story while working on a project inspired by it.

👉 Watch the chapter readings here

Several of these designs also make thoughtful handmade gifts. Pairing a crochet bookmark, shawl, or accessory with a copy of the novel can make a beautiful handcrafted gift for a fellow reader or maker.

My hope is that these designs allow makers to bring a small piece of the Sea Glass world into their own creative lives.

If you’d like to experience the story that inspired these designs, you can learn more about the novel here:

👉 The Sea Glass Journal

About Kristin Omdahl

Kristin Omdahl is a bestselling author, designer, and creative entrepreneur known for her “sensory storytelling” — weaving food, craft, and nature into unforgettable fiction and non-fiction. Her debut novel, The Sea Glass Journal, is a love letter to Florida’s Gulf Coast, exploring themes of healing, connection, and creative legacy.

When she’s not writing, Kristin shares crochet and knitting designs, recipes, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her creative process with her global community on Patreon.