Bauble Decoration

I designed these little hanging decorations to add some colourful, homespun Hooky Goodness to my Christmas Tree this season, but there's no reason why they can't be used all year round and in all sorts of ways. I've had suggestions for using them as baby rattles, baby mobiles, as tags on wrapped gifts, or simply just as little decorative gifts to pass on to friends and family.

These are quick and satisfying little things to work up, ideal to use up those little itty bits of stash yarn that you might have lurking somewhere. I personally prefer to use cotton yarn for making decorations (here I've used Rico Creative Cotton), but any yarn would be fine. I also tend to switch down a hook size for making decorations which keeps the stitches quite tight and prevents the polyester stuffing showing through the gaps. So for example where the Rico cotton suggests a 5mm hook size, I switch down to a 4mm hook.

Before we begin, a little summary of the basic stitches. I'm writing using UK crochet terms ::

sl st [slip stitch] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch, then through the loop on your hook.

dc [double crochet] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (two loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook (note :: this is equivalent to the US sc stitch)

htr [half treble]:: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all three loops on hook (note :: this is equivalent to the US hdc stitch)

tr [treble] :: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through two loops on hook (two loops left on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining two loops (note :: this is equivalent to the US dc stitch)

To begin, chain 4 and join to form a ring.

Round 1 :: ch 2 (counts as 1 htr) then work 9 htr's into the ring, making 10 "spokes" in total (see above)

Slip stitch into 2nd chain of initial chain-2 to join the round. Fasten off.

You should be able to clearly see and count the ten stitches you've just created (picture above) :: you'll be working out of these stitches in the next round.

Join in a new colour by tying a knot close to the stitches, as pictured above.

Insert your hook into the stitch directly to the left of your knot, and pull a loop through to the front.

Round 2 ::

Chain 2 (counts as 1 htr), then work 1 htr into same stitch (as above)

**work 2htr's into the next stitch** (this makes a double "V" stitch, or an increase stitch).

Repeat between **, 8 more times.

At the end of round 2, you should clearly be able to see and count 10 lots of double "V" stitches, as pictured above. You'll now have 20 stitches altogether which you'll work out of for the next round.

Slip Stitch into second chain of initial chain-2 to join the round. Fasten off.

Round 3 :: Join in your new colour, hook it through to the front (as above) and chain 2 (counts as 1 htr). Work 1 htr into the same stitch as the chain....this is your first double "V" stitch.

Now work the following :: 1 htr in next stitch,  **2 htr's in next stitch, 1 htr in next stitch**

Repeat between ** , alternating between the double"V" stitches and the single stitches. I find when I'm working this round that it helps to count 2 - 1 - 2 - 1 etc as I'm working, keeping track of the double stitches and the single stitches.

You should end the round with a single htr in the final stitch (picture above).

Slip Stitch into second chain of initial chain-2 to join the round. Fasten off.

Round 4 ::

This round is worked in DOUBLE CROCHET, and combines "Short dc" stitches with "Long dc" stitches. Don't panic, I'll show you what I mean.....

First off, join in your new colour as usual and hook it through to the front to begin.

Chain 1, then work 1 dc in next stitch (picture above).These are your Short dc's.

Now then...the next stitch is a Long dc and is worked out of the base of the previous row. Look at the picture above and see where I've stuck my needle?? You're looking for the little hole underneath the single htr from the pink row, can you see ????

Insert your hook into this hole, yarn over and pull through a loop to the front. Pull the loop right up over the pink stitches until it's level with the stitches you've just worked. Keep the yarn quite loose ok? As with a normal Short dc, you should have 2 loops on your hook, so yarn over and pull through both loops. That's one Long dc made.

Now make another one in EXACTLY THE SAME HOLE.....insert your hook into the hole (more or less over the top of the previous Long dc you just made), yarn over and pull a loop through to the front. Same as before, pull the loop right up until it's level with the top, remembering to keep the yarn quite loose as you work. Now yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook. That's your second Long dc made, it should be sitting very snuggly next to the first one, as pictured above.

Now working immediately to the left of the two Long dc's, work 1 dc into each of the next 2 stitches (pictured above). These are your two Short dc's.

OK, still with me?

Right-o, time for the next pair of Long dc's. Remember you are looking for that little hole beneath the single htr of the previous (pink) round...my needle in the picture above shows you where it is.

Just as before, work two Long dc's out of this same hole so that they sit snuggly together with each other.

Then work 1 Short dc into each of the next two stitches.

Continue working your way round the circle, alternating 2 Short dc's with 2 Long dc's .

You should end the round by working 2 Long dc's. You should be able to count ten altogether. Now Slip Stitch into the first chain (see my arrow above) to join the round. Fasten off.

Yippee!! Isn't that good? Now you may find that the last row has made the circle go a little bit wavy and wobbly...you'll perhaps need to stretch it out a bit with your hands and flatten it down. It helps if you make an effort to keep your tension quite loose when working that last round.

And this is probably very obvious, but you will of course need to make TWO identical circles for front and back of the Bauble.

[a Little Note :: if you fancy having a go at making your circles into a Star, you'll now need to hot foot it to THIS tutorial to add a fifth round of pointy triangle star-making bits].

Right, now for the Embellishing and Assembling.

Embellishing first....start by stitching a button to the centre of each circle. Then using some fine yarn or embroidery floss, attach a couple of beads and/or bells to the bottom of the circle, as pictured above.

The Hanging Loop ::

Make a slip stitch leaving a tail end roughly 6 inches long. Chain 30. Fasten off, leaving another 6 inch tail end (pictured above)

Bring yarn ends together and thread them both together through 2 or 3 beads. If your yarn is quite thick like the Rico cotton is, you will need to choose your beads carefully and find ones with nice big holes. Otherwise you will be using a few Choice Words trying to get them to thread. I can tell you that after many Choice Words with some very pretty but small-holed glass beads, I ended up using Little Lady's plastic beads from her bracelet making set as they were bright and colourful and the holes were Big.

When the beads have been threaded successfully, breathe out a sigh of relief. Then thread the ends of yarn onto a darning needle and stitch the beaded loop securely to the edge of the circle. Make sure it sits directly opposite the beads/bells you've already stitched on (see above) so that it hangs nicely.

Onto the Assembly now then....it's up to you whether you stitch or crochet your two circles together, either method will work well. I chose to crochet mine together.

Hold the two circles together (right sides facing out) and start at the bottom next to the bead/bell you stitched on earlier. Insert your hook through the INNER LOOPS ONLY of both circles (picture above) and draw the yarn through. Leave a tail end which you can darn in at the end. Working out of the next stitch, insert hook through the inside loops of each circle. Pull yarn through both loops, then through the stitch on your hook (Slip Stitch).

Keep working your way round, slip stitching through the inside loops of both circles....you'll be forming a neat little chain ridge around the edge.

When you are half way round, you'll come to the hanging loop :: simply continue to sl st either side of the beads, they should be stitched securely in place already.

About 2/3 of the way round you'll need to add in the stuffing. I used a small handful of polyester stuffing, but you could use whatever you have to hand (wadding, or perhaps even cotton wool would do the job). Don't use too much filling, you want it to be sort of padded, not stuffed. Continue to close up the gap with your slip stitches until you get back to where you started.

Snip off the yarn leaving a 6 inch tail end and fasten off the crochet. Thread the yarn end onto a darning needle and darn it in securely.

And there you have it :: one little Crochet Bauble Decoration. Cute eh??

Now skip off and make many, many more, you know you want to.

Happy hooking!

ps If you fancy having a go at making a Star, you'll need to make two circles as described above, then hot foot it to THIS tutorial to add a fifth round of pointy triangle star-making bits.

pps You can see and read more about my Decorations in this Ta-dah post.

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Comments

[Isabel H]

Hi Lucy,
Your work is sooooo nice, and finally after years of trying I can follow a written crochet pattern, your tutorials are so easy to follow, thank you. I will be doing a lot of them 😄

[Maggie]

Hi is there a pattern for your Christmas wreath because it looks amazing and would love to make one fir next year x x

[Sally Wade]

Which needle do you use for getting the embroidery floss through the buttons? I'm struggling! Also is there any reason you chain 4 to form a ring rather than magic circle?

I'm rubbish at sewing, a tutorial on sewing onto crochet would be so great! Thanks

[karina]

Thank you so much.I´ll try. Regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina

[djamila oriflame]

c'est joli pouvez-vous expliquez en français s'il vous plais

[Neroli Roocke]

Hi Lucy - This is a wonderfully simple and effective decoration, Thnak You so much. It is also a perfect project for me at this time of year when our temperatures start to regularly climb over 30 degrees(northern Australia) The baubles are small and I am using cotton to get around that 'fuzzy' feel of wool when it's too not and sticky. Best wishes, Neroli

[Liliana]

Debo decir que el mejor sitio de la Web, tu explicacion es EXCELENTEE, incomparable. Buenisimo que lo encontre, muchas gracias por tu tiempo y por compartir. GRACIAS un beso.

[davida]

your sight always puts a smith on my face

[ketty]

i like your worke

[Melissa]

Hi! I love all your tutorials and I am making my way slowly through them all. Why aren't any of my circles laying flat? I following to at T as far as I can tell by the picture, and the circles for these baubles are even wavier than the circles for the birds. Do you have any advice on what I might be doing wrong?

[Sofia, the Chocolate Killer]

Dear Lucy,

My colleauge sent me your blog. Now it's 1 o'clock in the night, I am tired like hell, I should sleep after ten hours of work, but I cannot stop reading your blog, and wonder about that wonderful stuff you create!!!

Greetings!

Sofia

(who is Hungarian but lives in Austria and has a nice confusion in the head about the crochet short forms in three languages:)))

[Eleanor Cullivan]

I am going to make these for my granddaughter's Easter Egg tree in pastel colors. She will love them.

[tiziana]

Thank you!!!!
Tiziana, from Italy

[ecelectichomelife.blogspot.com]

Just lovely as always Lucy. Today on my blog, I mention you and your lovely little balls you crochet as well as Christmas baubles to make with yarn. Pop over and visit, you are most welcome! http://eclectichomelife.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/knitted-christmas-baubles_15.html?showComment=1387195708501

[Lindy]

Hi Lucy, just wanted to tell you that your blog really inspires me! I am from the Netherlands, I just started to crochet about a week ago and I can't stop! Your clear and step-by-step tutorials and beautiful patterns make it a lot easier for me to practice and make beautiful things than any Dutch blog or pattern site, even though I have to look up words sometimes! I just started to make a pendulum of bauble and star decorations as a baby gift for my best friend who is pregnant. She can hang it above the baby dresser or crib for the baby to look at or play with. Wish me luck! ;-)
Many many thanks!
Lindy

[Rhiannon pugh]

wow i have just herd about you and i am very inpressed thank you and i will be back

[Sabine Schmölz]

dear Lucy,
1st sorry for my may be "german english".
I wanna thank you for all your pretty things!!!!They are so wonderful - really "my colours"/my style.
I have a question - where did you resp. can I get these wonderful beads and bells?
Many hugs
your new fan from Germany

[Blanca Marín P.]

Thank you very much for your clear and good explains. Blanca, from Madrid, España.

[Dot Hage]

These would make an awesome granny-style afghan if joined together!

[Sally]

thank you for this very detailed tutorial :) I can't wait to give it a try. Loving your blog so full of colour and crafty inspiration

[jhelum]

I love your blog. your detailed pictorial tutorials :-) I'm surly going to make few of them :-)
thanks a lot!
Jhelum

[Alison Spanner]

These are lovely! Such a good way to use up yarn leftover yarn bits from other projects. You should write a book!

[Valentina - realizzaidee.com]

i love your website!!!
These buble are wonderfull!!

[Nat @ Made in Home]

Lucy, this is a great pattern - it just had to feature on my post with other baubles 9http://made-inhome.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/making-baubles-patterns-review.html) - so different though! Thanks for sharing

[Nikki E]

Thank you for posting this lovely tutorial. I just wanted to take a minute to say that I've been crocheting for quite a long time now, but this is the first time I've ever seen anyone attach a new color of yarn in the way that you have shown here - and I love it! I'm going to do it like this from now on, thank you so much.