FREE PATTERN - Fancy Christmas Bauble

 Fancy Christmas Bauble

(Adventurous Beginner to Intermediate)

  

Just to get into the Christmas spirit early...I have had a lot of fun designing and making this pattern. A great way to use up your yarn scraps to create a special colour scheme for this year's Christmas decorations.

 KEY

MR - magic ring

ch(s) - chain(s)

sc - single crochet (UK - double crochet)

dc - double crochet (UK - treble crochet)

rnd - round

st(s) - stitch(es)

sl st - slip stitch 

beg - beginning

pm - place stitch marker

2tog - 2 together

pc - popcorn stitch 

 

Popcorn stitch: 5 dc in same st, remove hook & place in top of 1st dc & last dc loop. Yarn over (yo) & pull through both loops. In new round - ch 3 & 4 dc in same st. Place hook in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 and last dc loop. Yo & pull through both loops to complete pc.

Materials

Yarn - Any yarn can be used. I used both acrylic & cotto yarn in 8ply (DK) & 10pl (4 medium weight). My personal preference is 8ply (DK).                  

Hook - I recommend that you use a smaller hook size than recommended on the yarn label (e.g. 0.5mm smaller) for tighter sts for stuffing.

Scissors

Darning needle

Stitch markers

Toy stuffing

Beads, ribbon, embellishments     You may choose to use embellishments to decorate your bauble. Check your bead's hole is large enough for your yarn. Use ribbon is an alternative to the ch-20 for hanging bauble. 

Dimensions

Dimensions will vary depending on the yarn, hook size, tension and amount of stuffing used.

Here are my measurements (I have tight-normal tension):

8ply:        Approx. 21cm circumference & 9 cm high

10 ply:     Approx. 26 cm circumference around & 10cm high

 

I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did. Please tag me on Instagram or Facebook with your wonderful creations @MuchAdoAboutCrochet. I would love to see what design & colour choices you make!

 

Instructions

Rnd 1	WORK IN ROUND for Rnds 1 – 5 & pm in first st of each rnd, if required. In MR, work 6 sc. (or ch 2, 5 sc in first ch)  (6 sc)
Rnd 2	(Increase every st). 2 sc in each st.  (12 sc)
Rnd 3	(Increase every 2nd st). Repeat: sc, 2 sc, sc, 2 sc to end of rnd.  (18 sc)
Rnd 4	18 sc.  Tighten beginning yarn tail and weave in to close hole.  (18 sc)
Rnd 5	18 sc and sl st to beg sc to join.  (18 sc)
Rnd 6	Ch 3 (dc), 4 dc in same stitch (beg pc) & complete first pc. Ch 1 loosely. Skip next st. Repeat: pc, ch 1, skip 1 to end of rnd & sl st join to beg pc.  (9 pc, 9 ch)
Rnd 7-8	Beg pc. Ch 1. Pc in next ch-1 rnd 6. Ch 1. Repeat: pc, ch 1 to end. Sl st join to next ch-1.  (18 pc, 18 ch)
Rnd 9	Beg pc & ch 1. Repeat: pc, ch 1 in each ch-1 from Rnd 7. Sl st join to beg ch-1.  (18 pc, 18 ch)
Rnd 10	Working in each ch-1 from Rnd 8, sc 2 tog & ch 1 to end. Sl st join to beg sc 2tog.  (9 sc, 9ch)
Rnd 11	Beg pc & ch 1. Skip ch-1 from Rnd 9. Working in sc sts (& skipping ch-1 from Rnd 9), repeat: pc, ch 1, to end. Sl st join to top of beg pc.  (9 pc, 9 ch)
Rnd 12	WORK IN ROUND for Rnds 12 – 15 & pm in first st of each rnd, if required. STUFF. Ch 1 (sc). Sc in each ch-1 & pc from Rnd 11.  (18 sc)
Rnd 13	18 sc.  (18 sc)
Rnd 14	(Decrease every 2nd st). Repeat: sc, sc 2tog to end. STUFF.  (12 sc)
Rnd 15	(Decrease every st). Sc 2tog and sl st to next st in rnd.  (6 sc). Ch 20 or more for hanger. Sl st to opposite side sc and fasten off. (Use alternative material, such as ribbon weaved in to last rnd, to create hanger).

 Tips

 

1.     Leave any yarn tails from colour changes unwoven. They help as stuffing.

2.     For eliminating yarn tangles with multiple colour changes & uncut yarn (e.g. alternating colours for each popcorn), carry the yarn with your work and pick up as you work your stitches. You may only need to pick up the yarn strands in one stitch to help keep it along the outside of your bauble and avoid any bulking.

3.     When working beads into the body of the bauble, thread them onto your yarn before starting. You need to have an idea of how many you wish to use and in what colour order for multiple coloured beads. Keep them on the working strand side until required, then slot in place at desired point and continue with your next crochet stitch. It is better to have more beads on your yarn than less! Unused beads can easily be removed after yarn is cut.

4.     If you wish to invert your bauble, attach the hanging cord before closing the beginning hole, tie securely and weave in ends.

5.     Play around with extra/decreased rows of popcorns or sc to change the look and shape of your baubles.

6.     If you wish to fill your baubles with a gift, chocolates etc., from Rnd 13 work 1 or 2 extra rnds of 18 sc, with the 2^nd last rnd being a repeat of sc, ch1, skip 1 for the closing tie. Ensure that all ends are weaved in (or crocheted over as you go) and thread your hanging & tie cord through the ch-1 spaces created in the 2^nd last row of sc.

7.     See the Chandelier Christmas bauble for a different feel to this pattern.