Crochet Your Christmas Ornaments: 25 Christmas Decorations to Make

By Lara Messer, Cara Medus, Claire Wilson and 2 more

A fun and festive collection of DIY crocheted Christmas baubles and decorations from five talented designers.
 
Five Christmas themes from five designers allow you to select one theme or mix and match to create your perfect Christmas tree decorations. The designs are suitable for all levels of crocheters and are quick and simple to make. Each theme offers five new patterns. Choose from Santa's Grotto, which includes the classic Santa Claus with his reindeer, traditional Christmas trees, elves, and a string of dancing gingerbread men. Or why not crochet a delightful Frozen Winter Wonderland of snowflake baubles, snowmen, hearts, and candy bows, complete with a Snow Princess. Our Fairy Tale theme is sure to appeal to children and features a fancy Christmas fairy with a jolly pair of Christmas birds, red woodland toadstools, and a Christmas gnome.
 
If you are looking for something more sophisticated, you will be inspired by the stylish collection of Scandinavian Christmas baubles in classic red & white, complete with bunting, or our stunning White Christmas theme featuring an amigurumi Christmas tree with mistletoe baubles, snowflake bunting, and Chinese lanterns with Christmas berries.
 
All the patterns and instructions you need to crochet your bauble collection are included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781446371831

Book preview

Introduction

Crochet your own fun and festive collection of Christmas tree decorations from these 25 simple-to-crochet patterns in five seasonal themes.

Enter Santa’s Grotto and meet Santa Claus, Nordic Elf, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and a string of dancing Gingerbread Men. Then you need as many cute amigurumi beaded Christmas trees as you can crochet to complete the Christmas magic!

Children and the young at heart will love the characters from Fairy Tales and Frozen Winter Wonderland. Guaranteed to brighten up your festivities, the quirky characters and bold decorations are sure to become family favourites, creating Christmas memories to treasure.

If you are looking for something more sophisticated, add some traditional baubles from the White Christmas collection or try some easy-to-crochet Scandinavian Style baubles in classic red and vintage white. The patterns for matching bunting will complete the festive fun!

The patterns are all quick and easy-to-follow and make perfect decorations for your own home or to crochet as gifts for family and friends, so pick up your hook and crochet some Christmas cheer.

Santa’s Grotto

Designed by Cara Medus

Welcome to Santa’s Grotto, featuring Santa Claus, his extra special reindeer, Rudolf, the original Nordic elf, Bushy Evergreen, and a string of dancing gingerbread men. The final project, a beaded Christmas tree, completes the collection in style. The patterns are worked using the amigurumi method: crochet as many as you like to add character and charm to your tree.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa Claus

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

12cm (4³⁄8in) tall

YOU WILL NEED

DMC Natura Just Cotton yarn (100% cotton, 50g/155m per ball):

A 50g (1³⁄4oz) of shade N11 Noir

B 50g (1³⁄4oz) of shade N23 Passion

C 50g (1³⁄4oz) of shade N01 Ibiza

D 50g (1³⁄4oz) of shade N35 Nacar

E oddments of shade N16 Tournesol

F oddments of shade N39 Ombre

Crochet hook: 2.5mm (US B/1 or C/2)

Tapestry needle

Embroidery needle

Toy stuffing

Pattern notes

These patterns are worked using the amigurumi method. Work stitches continuously in a spiral without closing off each round with a slip stitch unless directed otherwise. It may help to use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round, moving it up as you work. When changing colour, pick up the new colour in the last yrh of the previous stitch. When fastening off, leave tails of yarn that can be used for sewing the pieces together afterwards, unless instructed to weave in ends.

Start here

Legs (make 2)

Using A, make a magic ring.

Round 1 (RS): Ch1 (does not count as st), 6dc into the ring. [6 sts]

Round 2: 2dc into each st around. [12 sts]

Rounds 3–5: Dc in each st around. Change to B.

Rounds 6–10: Using B, dc in each st around. Fasten off on first leg only.

Make second leg, don’t fasten off.

Joining the legs

When you have finished the second leg, work another 3dc on second leg, then beginning in the next unworked st on the first leg, 10dc. (This places the seams at the back of the legs.)

The next st will be back on the second leg, but you will need to leave two stitches in the centre unworked before continuing on the second leg. Work 7dc on the second leg to complete the round.

Use the tail end from the first leg to sew together the two unworked sts in the centre of both legs.

You will now have a round of 20 sts. Do not fasten off.

Body

Round 1 (RS): 2dc in each st around. [40 sts]

Round 2: Dc in each st around.

Round 3: (4dc, dc2tog, 5dc, dc2tog) twice, (5dc, dc2tog) twice. [34 sts]

Round 4: Working in back loop only: (6dc, dc2tog, 7dc, dc2tog) twice. [30 sts]

Round 5: Working in both loops: (5dc, dc2tog, 6dc, dc2tog) twice. [26 sts]

Rounds 6–8: Dc in each st around.

Round 9: (11dc, dc2tog) twice. [24 sts]

Round 10: (2dc, dc2tog) 6 times. [18 sts]

Round 11: (7dc, dc2tog) twice. [16 sts]

Flatten the top ready to close straight across with a dc seam. Work enough sts to position the hook and yarn at one end of the seam, stuff and then dc through both layers to close. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Skirt

Rejoin B at centre back in one