How to: Crochet Christmas Ornaments

I do not like to create small things. Like baby shoes, amigurumi or ornaments. I love how they look, but me with thin yarn and a small needle – no good combination. I tend to get so angry with myself if I make mistakes in these tiny thingies, that I use more time to think about the various methods to burn them, than making them.

But…. There are exceptions. On Pinterest I found such nice and kitschy Christmas ornaments, I overcame my hate of fiddly crochet and remade them. Here is my recipe for making hanging ornaments (and in reality they are not really tiny, about 15 cm diameter)

For theses ornaments you need a crochet hook, thin cotton yarn, a wooden or plastic ring, fabric glue, foam material or fabric, Edwardian scraps and a sewing needle.
I used Wolle Rödel Mille Fili 50 g / 130 m and a 3,5 mm crochet hook. The ring is actually for hanging curtains, but I think you can also buy special rings for crochet.

The first step is to crochet on very tight row of single crochet around the ring. Connect the last stitch with the first by a slip stitch. The second row is another single crochet row.
The next row is the pattern row. Here you have many different options. I used the following pattern: skip 3 stitches then work in the next stitch (3 double crochet, chain 2, slip stitch into second stitch from hook, 3 double crochet) repeat this….
But your possibilities for this round are endless, you could also make small round waves, bobbles and so on.
When you cut your yarn, leave a long tail so you can use it as a loop.

When your finished the crochet part you must block the ornament to open the lace. Therefore, wet the ornament und pin the picot edges evenly on a soft surface and let it dry. I did this on my sofa – don’t copy that – because the colours of the cotton yarn bleed a little and my sofa is no longer white.

Now cut a circle from your fabric or foam material wish is slightly bigger then the hole in the ornament. Glue your Edwardian scrap on the fabric and then glue the fabric on the backside of the ornament. Let the glue harden and then sew the fabric on the backside to make it long lasting.

I made several of these ornaments and gifted them to friends and family. If you also want to use them as a present, beware not everybody understands the high art of kitsch :-D

Thanks to @anise for her inspiration…. Please go to her blog and check out her amazing crochet Christmas tree
https://steemit.com/needleworkmonday/@anise/a-christmas-tree-for-needlework-monday