Homemade Christmas Tree

With the help of my son's youngest children my tree is up for this year. I decided to use a 4 foot tree instead of my huge one I usually use. Every ornament on the tree is handmade and has a story. There are knitted and crocheted ornaments. My oldest daughter, Mandy, has a ceramic ball ornament that she made in girl scouts and a plastic canvas penguin she made a few years ago. My youngest daughter has a teddy bear she made in kindergarten and a bear spoon ornament that was made for her by my Mother when Cyndy was small. Mariah, my oldest granddaughter has a tiny moccasin to represent her heritage and a marshmallow snowman she made in Headstart. My son's tree holds his ornament he made in cub scouts and his children's ornaments.

Here in this close up you can see the polymer clay ornaments I made this year and a few of my mini hats, bells and winter wear I knitted and crocheted.

The angel at the top is always the crowning glory. My youngest daughter was killed in an automobile accident on November 17, 2001. This angel looks just like her and is always at the top of my tree. I made her out of porcelain and lace. You can see Cyndy's photo peaking out of the left side of the angel.

Tiny Knit Sweater for Barbie or an Ornament (or both)

I did one for my tree and one for my Granddaughter’s Barbie.

Materials:
WW yarn
Size 3 needles-1 set
Yarn needle

Cast on 14 sts and turn.
K1, P1 for 2 rows.
Work stockinette stitch (k1 row, p1 row) for 10 rows.

You will now be forming the sleeves.
K across row, do not turn, cast on 10 sts, now turn.
P across row, do not turn, cast on 10 sts, now turn.
K 1 row, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be forming the neck in 2 sections while still keeping all the stitches worked on the same needle.
P across 14 sts, bind off 6 sts, P across to end, turn.

You will now be working on the right side of the sweater.
K 14 sts, turn.
P 14 sts, turn.
K 14 sts, turn. Fasten off and weave in this end.

You are now working on the left sleeve.
Attach the yarn in the 1 stitch next to the neck and knit across, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be creating the back of the sleeves.
P 14 sts, cast on 6 sts, P 14 sts, turn.
K 1 row, turn.
P 1 row, turn.
K 1 row, turn.

You will now be creating the back of the sweater.
Bind off 10 sts, P across to end, turn.
Bind off 10 sts, K across to end, turn.
Work stockinette stitch (k1 row, p1 row, beginning with a p row) for 10 rows.
K1 P1 for 2 rows and turn at the end of each.
Bind of in k1 p1.
Fasten off.

Sew arm and side seams, weave in ends.

I then used wire to shape my own hanger.

Enjoy.


Here is the sweater before sewign the seams.

Here si the sweater sewn up.

And the sweater on my hanger.

Crochet Christmas Star

Just sat down this morning and wanted to crochet another ornament but wanted something different. I started wanting a poinsettia flower. I tried a few things, frogged a bit and came up with this star that would look pretty in any window or on any tree or as a coaster.

Materials:

Scraps of Worsted weight yarn - I used a red Christmas yarn with a silver thread in it
G crochet hook. A smaller hook will make a smaller star, a larger hook will make a larger star for a potholder
The G hook makes it about 4 1/2 inches across.

Ch 6, join to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 4, 19 tc in ring, join in top of ch 4.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in joining, skip 1 st, *5 dc in next st, skip next st, sc in next st, skip next st* repeat around ending with a sl st in top of 1st sc.

Round 3: Sl st in next st, ch 1, sc in same st, hdc in next st, (2 dc, 1 tc, 2 dc) in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, skip 1 st (located between points), *sc in next st, hdc in next st, (2 dc, 1 tc, 2 dc) in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, skip 1 st (located between points), repeat around for a total of 5 points.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Simple Ball Ornaments in Knit and Crochet

These ball ornaments are very simple but can be snazzier up by using the pretty Christmas yarns or adding some lace or dried flowers. Fixed the knitted ball as it refered to repeating rows 2 and 3 but is repeat rows 1 and 2.

Crocheted Ornament

Materials:
Worsted weight Christmas yarn
Small amount of polyester fiber-fil
E crochet hook

Chain 22 leaving a 12" tail, sc in 2nd chain from hook and in each ch across. Turn.
Row 2 - 21: ch 1, sc in each stitch across.
Fasten off leaving another 12" tail.

Use this tail to sew side seam and gather bottom. Fasten off and weave in end. Turn piece inside out (seam inside).

Lightly stuff ball and gather top with other tail. Use remaining tail after top is gathered to crochet a loop for hanging.



Knit Ornament

Materials:
Worsted weight Christmas yarn
Small amount polyester fiber-fil
Size 5 or 6 knitting needles
Small crochet hook or yarn needle

Cast on 21 sts and turn.
Row 1: Knit across. Turn.
Row 2: Purl across, Turn.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for a total of 17 rows. Do not bind off.
Cut your yarn leaving a 12 - 16" tail.

Using the crochet hook or yarn needle weave the tail through the stitches on the needle and pull tight. Then sew the seam along the side making sure to have the knit side facing itself.

Turn right side out and lightly stuff with fiber-fil.

Gather top and sew tight. Now use crochet hook and remaining tail to crochet a loop for hanging and fasten off. Weave in end.