Frosted Christmas Bauble

Frosted Christmas Bauble 

I have wanted to make a Christmas ornament all season long, but have been too bogged down in other projects.  My one attempt (previously blogged about here) morphed into a pin cushion and hook organizer.  

Sometimes things hit us by surprise though - including creative surges and weather (which, for me, are often connected).  I woke up last Sunday to a beautiful dusting of snow and was inspired - today would be the day I finally made an ornament!  This 'quickie' pattern is the result of that attempt; it is in turn, my surprise for all of you - an easy afternoon make.

Please note - because this was a last minute project and time is short this season, I have chosen to post this project/pattern **UNTESTED**. If you try it out and notice any errors, please PM me, or let me know in the comments section below so I can fix them.  

I hope you enjoy making this little bauble.  I would love to have you share your results in my Ravelry group here.

Holiday blessings!

Lisa

Materials:

·         Size D/3.25 mm crochet hook;

·         2 beads, spacers, or bead caps, size and color of your choosing.  Make sure the hole is large enough to accommodate 2 strands of your selected yarn;

·         Polyfill stuffing;

·         Needle or needle threader to attach beads – eye needs to be large enough to accommodate yarn but narrow enough to fit through bead hole;

·         Tapestry needle for weaving in ends;

·         2 colors of cotton sport weight yarn in the brand your choosing.  You will need approximately 22 yards of color A and 12 yards of color B per bauble.

Pattern example uses the following brand/colors:

Color A:  Cascade Ultra Pima - Teal

Color B:  Cascade Ultra Pima - Natural 

Basic Terms/Abbreviations Used (US):

ch – chain                                                           

yo – yarn over                                                  

slst – slip stitch                                                                 

sc – single crochet          

FPsc – front post single crochet                

BLO – back loop only                     

FLO – front loop only     

Sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together (i.e. decrease)

Special stitches:  Triple cluster (trc), and Front Post Triple Cluster (FPtrc) - are defined in rounds they are used in.

Step 1 – Make a tassel

•  Wrap your color B yarn around your four fingers about 10 times – this will be your tassel; 
• Tie an 12” piece of your color B yarn with a firm square knot around middle of your tassel.  These two tails will form your tie for hanging the tassel later;
• Fold the tassel in half with your tie in the middle at the top.  Take a second 18” piece of color B yarn and tie it around the tassel toward the top of the fold.  Tie it unevenly so that you end up with about a 4” tail on one side and a 14” tail on the other;
• Take your longer tail and wrap it firmly 3 or 4 times around the top of the tassel where you just tied your knot.  Use a tapestry needle to pull the yarn through the wraps you just made from top to bottom.  For extra security, tie that tail to the shorter tail from the prior step with a square knot;
• Cut the loops of your tassel and even up the ends -  tassel is made.  Set aside for later.

Step 2 – Frosted Bauble:

This pattern is worked in rounds, amigurumi style.  We will be joining in our beginning stitch at the end of each round.  Because this beginning stitch can sometimes be hard to see, I highly recommend placing a stitch marker in your first stitch at the beginning of your rounds.

Round 1:

With color A, 6 sc into a magic ring.  Pull magic ring closed and join with a slst to beginning sc.  6 stitches.

Round 2:

(Ch 1, 2 sc) in same stitch as join. (2 sc) in each stitch around.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  12 stitches.

Round 3:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join. (2 sc) in the next stitch.  [sc in the next stitch, (2 sc) in the next] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc. 18 stitches.

Round 4:

(Ch  1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next stitch, (2 sc) in the next stitch. [Sc in the next 2 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  24 stitches.

Round 5:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 2 stitches, (2 sc) in the next. [Sc in the next 3 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  30 stitches.

Round 6:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 3 stitches, (2 sc) in the next. [Sc in the next 4 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  36 stitches. 

Do not cut your yarn, instead place a stitch marker in your active loop and drop it behind your work.   Be sure to keep this active loop behind your work in the next round – we will pick it up again in Round 8.

Round 7:

Join color B with a standing sc in the same stitch as join.  Sc in the next stitch.  Sc in the BLO of the next stitch. [Sc in both loops of the next 2 stitches, sc in the BLO of the next stitch] 11 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc and fasten off.  36 stitches.

Round 8:

Pick up color A again.  (Ch 1, sc) in the same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 4 stitches.  (2 sc) in the next stitch.  [Sc in the next 5 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  42 stitches.

Round 9:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 5 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch.  [Sc in the next 6 stitches, (2 sc) in the next stitch] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  48 stitches.

Do not cut your yarn, instead place a stitch marker in your active loop and drop it behind your work.   Be sure to keep this active loop behind your work in the next round – we will pick it up again in Round 11.

Round 10:

Note – in this round we will be working in the unworked FLOs from Round 7.  Refer to photos.

Special Stitch for this Round – Triple Cluster (trc) – Yo 2 times.  Insert hook in indicated stitch and pull up a loop. [Yo, pull through 2 loops] twice – 2 loops on hook.  Yo 2 times.  Insert hook in next indicated stitch and pull up a loop.  [Yo, pull through 2 loops] twice – 3 loops on hook.  Yo and pull through all three loops.

Join color B with a slst in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 3 stitches.  Trc in the 1^st two skipped FLOs from Round 7 – these are the first two skipped FLOs after the join.  Skip the next Round 9 stitch – directly behind the trc just made – and sc in the next 3 Round 9 stitches.  [Trc in the Round 7 FLO that contains the last leg of the prior trc and the next skipped FLO from Round 7.  Skip the next Round 9 stitch – directly behind the trc just made – and sc in the next 3 Round 9 stitches] 10 times.  Trc in the the Round 7 FLO that contains the last leg of the last trc and the Round 7 FLO that contains the first leg of the first trc.  Skip the next Round 9 stitch – which should be the stitch that contains your beginning slst.  Join with a slst in the the first sc of Round 10 – this will actually be your second stitch of the side.  Fasten off.  48 stitches.

Round 11:

Pick up color A.  Ch 2 and sc in same stitch as join.  Sc in each stitch around.  Join with a slst in beginning sc.  48 stitches.

Round 12:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 5 stitches.  Sc2tog.  [Sc in the next 6 stitches, Sc2tog] 5 times.  Join with a slst in beginning sc. 42 stitches.

Round 13:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 4 stitches.  Sc2tog.  [Sc in the next 5 stitches, sc2tog] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  36 stitches.

Do not cut your yarn, instead place a stitch marker in your active loop and drop it behind your work.   Be sure to keep this active loop behind your work in the next round – we will pick it up again in Round 15.

 Round 14:

Note – in this round we will be front posting around the ‘peaks’ of the trcs from Round 10. When working your post stitches around the trcs from Round 10, you will work around both legs of the cluster together. Refer to photos.

Special Stitch for this Round – Front Post Triple Cluster (FPtrc) – Yo 2 times.  Insert hook from front to back to front around the post of the first indicated stitch.  Pull up a loop. [Yo, pull through 2 loops] twice – 2 loops on hook.  Yo 2 times.  Insert hook from front to back to front around the post of the second indicated stitch.  Pull up a loop.  [Yo, pull through 2 loops] twice – 3 loops on hook.  Yo and pull through all three loops.

Join color B with a standing sc in the same stitch as join.  Sc in the next stitch.  Work a FPtrc around the first two Round 10 trcs.  Skip the next Round 13 stitch and sc in the next 2 Round 13 stitches. [FPtrc around the Round 10 trc that contains the last leg of your prior FPtrc, and the next Round 10 trc.  Skip the next Round 13 stitch – directly behind the FPtrc just made – and sc in the next 2 Round 13 stitches] 11 times. Omit the last 2 sc on the final repeat.  Join with a slst to beginning sc and fasten off.  36 stitches.

Round 15:

Pick up color A.  Ch 2 and sc in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next stitch. [FPsc around the next FPtrc, sc in the next 2 stitches] 11 times.  FPsc around the next FPtrc.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  36 stitches.

At this point, attach your tassel by pulling both tails of the ties through the bottom of your bobble and tying them together to secure in place.  If you wish, thread the tassel through a bead, spacer, or bead cap prior to pulling through the base of the bobble.

Round 16:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 3, sc2tog. [Sc in the next 4 stitches, sc2tog] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc.  30 stitches.

Round 17:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next 2 stitches, sc2tog. [Sc in the next 3 stitches, sc2tog] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc. 24 stitches.

Round 18:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in the next stitch, sc 2 tog. [Sc in the next 2 stitches, sc2tog] 5 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc. 18 stitches.

Round 19:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc in each stitch around.  18 stitches.

Firmly stuff your ball with polyfill before continuing.

Round 20:

(Ch 1, sc) in same stitch as join.  Sc2tog.  [Sc in next stitch, sc2tog] 5 x.  Join with a slst to beginning sc. 12 stitches.

Round 21:

Ch 1.  [Sc2tog] 6 times.  Join with a slst to beginning sc2tog.  Fasten off!

Leave a long tail when fastening off.  Use this tail to sew closed the hole at the top of your bobble.  Using your tapestry needle, add a tie to the top with a matching bead, spacer, or bead cap if desired (see photo of finished bauble).  Hang on your tree and enjoy!

Please Remember:

This pattern was written and designed by me, Lisa Mauser, for This Little Hook of Mine. I am happy to share it with you, but this pattern belongs to me and I retain all rights.  You may not distribute, sell, or share this pattern, or any parts of it.  If you wish to share the pattern, please refer the party you are sharing it with to the original pattern link.

 If you find a mistake, please let me know in the comments section below, or private message me on Ravelry.

Thank you for respecting my property.  Hope you enjoyed the pattern.