SETTING THE SCENE

’Twas the night before Christmas,

when all through the house…

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

GARLAND

Upcycle old decorations the crochet way with Millie Masterton’s stunning bauble and fir-laden garland

■ Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky (100% acrylic, 100g/136m), 4 balls of Slate Green (326)
■ Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton, 50g/125m), 1 ball each of: Champagne White (403), Coffee Bean (411), Pillar Red (415), Pistachio Green (425), Grass Green (430), Pansy Purple (448), Bubblegum Pink (451), Mustard Yellow (424)
■ A 6mm (US J/10) hook
■ A 4mm (US E/4) hook
■ 34 baubles, 8cm
■ 2.5m lightweight garden wire

TENSION

Rounds 1-4 measure approx 8cm (3¼in) in diameter

MEASUREMENTS

Garland measures approx 100cm (39¼in) long

NOTES

Garland is made up of 100 Fir pieces, which are threaded onto a length of garden wire. The Bauble Covers are made from 2 identical pieces, which are sewn together over a plastic bauble.

GARLAND

FIR (MAKE 100)

Using a 6mm hook and Slate Green, ch13.

Row 1 Ss in second ch from hook and next 6 ch, ch9, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 6 ch, ch8, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 5 ch, (ch6, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 5 ch) twice, ss in next 2 ch from prev ch-8, ch7, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 6 ch, ss in next 2 ch from prev ch-9, ch8, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 7 ch, ss in final 5 ch from foundation ch.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Cut a 120cm length of garden wire. Fold 10cm at one end to form a hanging loop. Thread all the Fir onto the wire and fold 10cm from the end to form the second hanging loop.

BAUBLES COVERS (MAKE 72)

You can use any colour of DK cotton to make the Baubles.

Using a 4mm hook, ch8 and ss in last ch from hook to form a loop.

Round 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr), 17tr in loop, ss to top of beg ch-3. [28 sts]

Round 2 (RS) (Ch4, skip 2 sts, dc in next st) 6 times, ss in base of beg ch-4. [6 dc, 6 ch-4 sps]

Round 3 Ch1, (dc in next ch-4 sp, ch5) 6 times, ss to beg dc. [6 dc, 6 ch-5 sps]

Round 4 Ch1, *3dc in next ch-sp, ch4, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 3 ch, ch3, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 2 ch, ss in top of prev dc, ch1; rep from * 5 times more, ss to beg dc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Place 2 pieces around a bauble and sew together chs from Round 4 to join.

SACK

Who better to show the way to your presents than Rudolph – he is the leader of the sack, after all. By Natalie Beard

■ Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK (100% cotton, 50g/125m), 6 balls of Pillar Red (415), 4 balls of Slate Green (427), 3 balls of Champagne White (403), 2 balls of Coffee Bean (411), 1 ball each of: Pansy Purple (448), Bubblegum Pink (451)■ A■ 2 safety eyes, 8mm