Free Pattern: Holiday Trio

  If you need a quick accessory or want something extra for decorating, this pattern combo has you covered for the holiday season. Christmas trees, candy, and snowflakes are all made easier with the help of a step by step tutorial for each pattern. Each piece can be made in under a day, and can be customized to suit your own taste.




 

Skill level:

*Two of these patterns begin with a magic circle. Click here for help.


Plarn Candy Drop Ornaments

  Any kind of plarn could be used for this project, but milk jug labels have a different texture and gauge. The combination of bold, bright colors and candy-colored pastels found on these labels are difficult to find in plain bags.

  Plastic means you can decorate outside, too! However, consider your surroundings. These are quite small, and PLASTIC - Which usually means a choking hazard for children, pets, and wildlife. Please don't use these any place where they could be a danger.

Skill level: Easy

Materials:
Crochet hook size I/9-5.50MM
Plarn (plastic yarn) cut from milk jug labels, 1/2" (1.2 cm) wide
Smaller hook to weave in ends
Ornament hooks (optional)

Gauge:
Not important. With hook size I/9-5.50MM, entire motif measures 1" (2.5 cm)

Notes:
Click here for pattern tutorial. This Guide will show you how to cut the plarn for the project and give you step by step instructions for this pattern.

Stitches:
Slip stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)

Directions:

Begin with a magic circle.

Round 1:
Chain 1 (counts as 1 sc), mark stitch as beginning if needed. Make 5 more single crochet in the magic circle. Pull circle tight. (6 sc)

Round 2:
Do not join. Starting in the beginning ch-1, make 2 sc in each stitch (mark first sc if needed). (12 sc) Join with a sl st to beg sc. Bind off.

Finishing:
Secure last stitch. Pull up a loop about the circumference of your finger. Holding loop secure, finish weaving in ends. Add an ornament hook to this loop.


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Christmas Tree Earrings:

  This pattern can seem very complicated if you haven't used this technique before. There are no true "rounds", only an excess of stitches worked into the stitches of the starting chain. The entire pattern is actually worked in only one row.

  It's obvious that you could use this motif as anything you want, you don't have to make earrings. But do you want to customize these? Consider using colored beads, or any bead shape and size you wish. These little trees also look cute in white or icy blue thread. What color would you use?

Finished size of motif is less than 1" (2.5 cm) diameter, with an adjustable height.

Skill level: Intermediate

Materials:
Steel crochet hook size 7/1.65MM
Size 10 crochet thread
Tip-drilled, drop-shaped beads (click here for the ones I used)
Craft glue (optional)
Needle or smaller hook to weave in ends
Jewelry assembly materials (jump rings, fish hook findings, pliers)

Gauge:
Not important. First "round" of stitches in first chain (triple crochets) is less than 1" (2.5 cm).

Notes:
For a step by step tutorial, click here. This Guide will show you tips on beading, give step by step instructions for stitches, explain how to shape the piece while weaving in ends, and follows how to assemble the earrings.

Stitches:
Slip stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)
Half-double crochet (hdc)
Double crochet (dc)
Triple crochet (tr)

Directions:

To begin, chain 14. In the 5th ch from hook, make 4 triple crochet (skipped chs count as 1st tr), slide up a bead, ch 1. (Make 5 more tr in the same st, slide up a bead, ch 1) twice.

Skip 1 stitch in the starting ch (or count to the 8th st from the tail), make 5 double crochet. Slide up a bead, ch 1. (Make 5 more dc in the same st, slide up a bead, ch 1) twice.

Skip 2 chs in the starting ch (or count to the 5th st from tail), make 5 half-double crochet. Slide up a bead, ch 1. (Make 5 more hdc in same st, slide up a bead, ch 1) twice.

In the second-to-last starting chain, make 5 single crochet. Slide up a bead, chain 1. (Make 5 more sc in the same st, slide up a bead, ch 1) twice. These stitches will tighten up the last chain the in starting chain, making it disappear.

Chain 6* for top of tree and hanging loop. Slip st in the 4th chain from hook and each of next 3 chains.

*Making something other than earrings? You may want this loop larger, or not want a loop at all. Add and skip more chains for a larger loop, or chain 4 and begin in the second ch from hook for no loop.

Bind off, secure stitch, run tail through center of each available starting chain to bottom. Weave in ends.

Finishing:
For earrings, add a jump ring to loop made by skipped chains. Attach a fish hook to the jump ring, close ring.


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Snowflake Earrings:

  These are so beautiful, you could use them for almost anything. One single motif makes a lovely pendant, or you could connect two or three together for a dramatic choker. Use your choice of beads and thread color to customize.

Finished size of motif is 2" (5 cm) measuring from tip to tip.

Skill level: Easy

Materials:
Steel crochet hook size 8/1.50MM
Size 10 crochet thread
Tip-drilled, drop-shaped beads (click here for beads used)
Craft glue (optional)
Smaller hook or needle to weave in ends
Jewelry assembly materials (Jump rings, fish hook findings, pliers)

Gauge:
Not important. First round measures less than 1/2" (1.2 cm) in diameter.

Notes:
Click here for a step by step tutorial. This Guide will help you keep track of your stitches. Pull stitch as tight as possible when adding a bead. Keep loose tension for the rest of the project, or slip stitching in the chains will be extremely difficult.

Stitches:
Slip stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)

Directions:

Begin with a magic circle.

Round 1:
Chain 1 (counts as 1 single crochet). Make 1 more sc in circle. Insert hook, pull up a loop, slide up a bead and pull thread tight. Yarn over, pull through both loops on hook (one bead sc made). Make 3 more sc in circle, ch 4. (Make 2 sc, 1 bead sc, and 3 sc in circle. Ch 4) 3 times. Pull circle tight. Join with a slip stitch to beginning ch-1.

Round 2:
Turn. *Sl st in next available ch-4 space. Chain 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch. Ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next st. Sl st in the chain at the base of the "Y", and sl st in each of the remaining 2 chs. Sl st in same ch-4 space. Ch 7, sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and in next ch. Ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next st. Sl st in the ch at the base of the "Y", ans sl st in each of the remaining 4 chs. Sl st in the same ch-4 space again. Ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch. Ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next st. Sl st in the chain at the base of the "Y", and sl st in each of the remaining 2 chs. Sl st in the same ch-4 space again, ch 4.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Join with a sl st to beginning sl st. Bind off, weave in ends at the back of the motif.

Finishing:
Add a jump ring to the tip of any ch-7 spike. Attach a fish hook to the jump ring, close ring.

In case you would like to make a matching necklace: I find that the motif flops around too much when attached by a single spike. Add a jump ring to each ch-5 spike on either side of the ch-7 spike. Attach another jump ring to each, then add one more to each for hanging from a chain. You can see an example in the background of the main display at the top of the page.

Happy Crocheting!