As more and more of my friends have become parents over the last few years, I’ve found myself having to buy Christmas presents for increasing numbers of children. As a parent myself, I struggle with the influx of toys my children receive each Christmas and birthday. So, for the last few years, I’ve decided to cut down on the festive toy buying for friends’ children, and have instead given each a small Christmas decoration.
The first year, I supported a friend’s small crafting business and bought some handmade felt decorations. Last year Pumpkin and I did a little crafting together and made homemade salt-dough style decorations, and this year I decided to indulge in a little hooky time to compensate for all this knitting I’ve been doing.
Last Christmas I was given a crochet magazine with patterns for some ‘Scandi Decorations’, so I used some of those and also made up a couple of my own patterns along the way.
Unfortunately I’d already wrapped some, including my intarsia reindeer design that turned out rather well, before I thought about taking pictures.
The round ones turned out to be my favourite, so here’s a very quick write up of the pattern for you.
Yarn: Rico creative cotton Aran
Hook: 4mm
Embellishments: A variety of buttons and felt garlands from Hobbycraft
Toy stuffing
US terms
Round 1: 10sc into magic loop, pull circle tight and slip st into first sc to join
Round2: ch1, 2sc into each sc around and join (20 sc)
Round 3: ch1, [*1sc, 2sc in next sc], repeat from * to end of round and join (30sc)
Round 4: ch1, [* 1sc, 1sc, 2sc into next sc], repeat from * to end of round, join and finish. (40sc)
This is your front piece – sew on any embellishments you choose at this point.
Choose a contrasting colour and make a second circle as before, up to end of round 4. Join, but do not finish.
Round 5: Turn, ch1, holding the two circles with wrong sides together, and beginning at the top of the ‘front’ piece, sc around to join the two together, making sure to go through 1 sc from each circle for each stitch. Stuff lightly with toy stuffing when you are about 3/4 of the way round. Join yarn at the end. (40sc)
To make a hanging loop, chain 18-20 st, then join at beginning. Cut yarn with a tail and weave in.
All that is left now, is to wish you all a very happy Christmas!
Jack of all Crafts 