Crochet Christmas Decorations :: Ta-dah!!

Hello, and welcome to a beautifully bright and festive hooky Ta-dah day! Yippeeee, my favourite kind of a day!!! Firstly though, I'd like to say thank you ever so much for all your wonderfully enthusiastic responses to the early glimpses of these little decs in my last post, I really love it when you love what I'm up to. Thank you.....I think you're going to like today's pictures!!

I've been so incredibly happy immersing myself in this latest project, it's honestly had me leaping off the furniture with pure giddy excitement. It's been really good to have my old creative bounce back I have to say.

As with most of my designs and patterns, I started out with a very clear idea of what I wanted to try and make before I even picked up my hook. I wanted a simple circular shape, something that would be easy and quick to make up. Nothing too complicated or faffy and plenty of scope for playing with colour (of course). I remembered a pretty little pattern I'd seen in the quirky granny crochet book I've got (remember I showed you some pages from it in this post? The book is called "Granny Crochet Favourites", written by Jean Leinhauser & Rita Weiss). It was actually a pattern for a Potholder, but I loved the simplicity of the circular design and thought I could adapt it and re-work it somehow.

So on Sunday morning I sat and had a go at working the original potholder pattern, working my way out of the brain freeze that always happens with written patterns. Keep at it, frog it back, try again, scribble notes, alter stitch numbers, scribble more notes and soon enough things begin to fall into place.....

.....and the beginnings of a great little workable pattern starts to come about.

I started out making simple circular shapes, then went on to attempt various edgings. I tried lots of different picot edgings (none of which looked right) and some little scallop edgings (which I loved but made the whole thing look too flowery).

Then with a lot of ooomphing and tsking and harumphing and frogging I finally managed to produce what I was after :: a pointy triangle edging.

WOW, a pointy triangle, that was a GREAT moment!

Cos you see the pointy triangle edging can magically transform a humble circle............

...............into a  S T A R!

Yaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first attempts were made using Stylecraft acrylic as that was what was nearest to hand at the time, but I soon abandoned that and got stuck in with my cotton stash. I think cotton yarn makes the best decorations, I really do. Something about the unwoollyness of it that I love for making decs, and the colours are very vibrant too. This particular cotton yarn is called Rico Creative Cotton, you can read a little more about it in this post (scroll down near the bottom). Its a lovely yarn, reasonably priced and comes in the most delicious colours :: you can buy it from First4Yarns and they've even got all my "Attic24 colours" selected ready for you look.

oH My. WhAt FuN! These decorations are SuCh FuN to make! Not only do you get to pull together some sooooper dooooper colour combos, but you can also get really giddy over embellishments too. Yes, I love nothing more than embellishing my hooky with some colourful buttons, beads and bells. It's the icing on the cake. For me, it turns an excited jiggy-jig moment into a deliriously happy leap-off-the-furniture moment.

I'm telling you now, making these decorations is seriously addictive.

Circles and stars with cute little beady dangly bits can be whizzed up in no time at all.

Last night I went to visit a friend who is also of Hooky Persuasion, and over two cups of tea and the most divine cupcake with swirly wirly icing, I produced six circles ready to transform into decs.

ooooooooooooo yum yum yum, the colours are just so scrummy, don't you think?

And ooo ooo ooo, those teeny tiny little bells are to die for, so tinkly and festive!

Yes, Little B thinks so too, he has taken rather a shine to my decs. In fact, I ended up giving him his very own hooky decoration (minus the buttons and beads) in an attempt to keep him away from mine. It sort of worked. For a weeny while at least.

So.... as of this afternoon I have managed to complete six decorations look, with another two in flat-circle form awaiting their stuffing and embellishments.

Not only that, but I've also managed to finish off the entire photographic bit of the pattern/tutorial for you. Yes! I really, honestly have!! Don't ask me how I managed it, but somehow I did. Admittedly Little B spent rather more time than usual learning to Play Independently, and he did good for his Mummy for the most part. We also have an extremely messy house and an alarming lack of clean clothes, but hey ho, I did the photographs!

So I shall now begin the labour-intensive task of uploading the shed load of step by step pictures and writing the equally large shed load of words to accompany them. And then you too will be able to get giddy over your very own hooky decs.

I'll be right back as soon as that Minor Miracle occurs....see you soon I hope!

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Comments

[Tennille Harwood]

Have ypu made up a pattern for these so others can make them also

[Lorraine]

These are so beautiful! Would they be suitable for a beginner crocheted? I am looking for a project to make for some friends and am hopeful that I could manage these! Is there a pattern or tutorial available? Thanks so much. Love you're beautiful blog - it's so inspiring.

[Lucilyn]

Thank you so much for being an inspiration. I learned a lot from your blog and I will always be a fan of yours :)

[Erika]

Hi, you have a lovely blog.
I was just wondering about your house chores, how do you keep such big and beautiful house clean and in order?
I am working on a scrapghan, I took your crocheted colourful afghan as inspiration :)
I really like how you appreciate the little things in a daily housewife life. The best legacy for your kids is the memory of a happy mother.
God bless you!

[Sandra Gardener]

Making me want to start crocheting. Is it easy ?

[Sabine Schmölz]

I discoverd your site a few months ago - your "things" are gifts for smiling as often I look at them. I think I will make some for myself and maybe for closely connected friends. Thank you so much.
xoxo
Sabine from Worms in Germany

[Dot Hage]

I've enjoyed getting lost in your blog pages. You're so prolific and you're a color genius!

[TJ]

Hi Lucy
Love your blog and your house is sooooo gorgeous! Little daughter and I are now totally addicted to these beautiful round decorations - are making a garland for her room. So restful and satisfying girlie thing for us to do together. Thank you xxx

[Debby Decker]

Very cute. I have linked to my blog!
http://historicneedlecrafts.blogspot.com

Thanks, Debby

[RUTH RYAN]

Lucy you have done it again---- these are just great LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, THE COLORS I JUST printed the directions and are going to go make a few thank you so much for these patterns. they are just wonderful Lucy thnk you ruth

[marcia;;;/brasil/sao paulo]

ola ,tudo bem ?
voce é maravilhosa em tudo que faz...
eu queria muito que voce fosse minha vizinha,rsrs
iria adora ver seus trabalhos de croche bem de perto!!!
obrigada por ser tão generosa e atenciosa
com seus tutoriais lindos
estou aprendendo fazer croche com voce.....
que deus sempre abençoe voce e sua familia ...
abraços

[Marcela]

Que lindo todo lo que haces!!!!!!!!! Gracias Lucy!

[Marcela]

Hello, Lucy ..... Congratulations you make everything beautiful .... I'm from Chile ....
I tell you that I'm learning crochet and you motivate me, but I have a question, how many threads have you use cotton? Chile does not sell the brand you are using, and not as an alternative to purchase, as I mentioned I'm starting in this, and the ratios of thickness and size of crochet not even manage .....
My jobs stay small or too big ... I can not even find the right cotton.

Help me?

Blog Congratulations so cute.

Marcela ([email protected])

[[email protected]]

lovely work! amazing and my daughter 11yrs loves to see your work and will be trying do them too. thanks!

[Catherine L.]

I simply love them all ! What a great idea for DIY Christmas ornaments.
Warmest thoughts from France.

[Genevieve Jackman]

I absolutely loved these they are so colourful and gorgeous and i can't wait for your pattern! mucho thanks x

[mariana nunes]

Thank you for this wonderfull ideas! I was looking for something different! And there I find you! We are in our winter holidays here in South Africa. It was really a surprise to see a ladie of my age that is so creative with crochet. I also do have 3 children. The youngest a 3 year old girl, and I hope I will also learn her the love of needlwork as I from my mom. Regards Mariana Nunes

[Tina Pickett]

So did you ever write a tutorial for these? I'd love to make them as gifts for my co-workers but I don't see any instructions...

[monica]

Hello im monica im under 14 (I don't want to say exact age) and love crochet I have made flowers from your site and I also have a purse with a flower on the bottom it fits a lot of money but is small I hope I could one day be able to crochet like you

[mercedes]

Hello. A am from Peru, yours works are very nice, and has very colours, sorry my english, but will want congratulations. mercedes

[Betty]

Where can I get the patterns for these lovely decorations?

[Ronda]

I love these. Will the instructions be English stitch. I hope I can get a U.S. stitch conversion on line. I think I can. Thanks.

Ronda

[Maria]

Mi piacciono molto tutti i tuoi lavori, deliziose queste decorazioni natalizie e mi piace anche il modo con cui hai chiesto un piccolo contributo senza obbligo! Grazie!

[Candie Rossler]

My mom used to do that kind of stuff to add some personality when we're decorating for Christmas in which we assist her in making one. The spirit of Christmas always shines bright on our household, especially from our front doors to our spiral staircase there are garlands, candles, and big balls everywhere.

[gave]

Hi!
I don't remember how I get here but I'm really pleased!, lovely works
greetings from canary islands, spain!