CHRISTMAS EVE COLLECTION

A visit from St Nicholas inspires our hooks and hearts to make memories for Christmas present and future

MAGNIFICENT MANTEL This richly-coloured garland looks so fantastic above the replace that Father Christmas may pause to admire your work before disappearing back up the chimney.

’Twas the night before Christmas,

when all through the house...

we love

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!

SILENT MICE

Creep around the house with the lightest of feet in these adorable slippers, to do last-minute preparation for the big day without disturbing squeak dreams.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

Is it Christmas without a stocking going up? This delightful pair are great for any age so should last a lifetime of being stu ed to the toes with goodies galore.

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL

Help a guy out. Santa has spent all night navigating the globe so he’s a little tired. Show him the way to your home (and his midnight feast) with this wall hanging.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

BEAR NECESSITIES

The classic teddy gets a winter makeover, dressed in a onesie and traditional night cap, ready to comfort an excited child (or adult) waiting for the morning to come.

GARLAND

Upcycle old decorations the crochet way with Millie Masterton’s stunning bauble and fir-laden garland

Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky (10 0% acr ylic, 100g/136m), 4 balls of Slate Green (326)

Paintbox Yarns Cot ton DK (10 0% cot ton, 50g/125m), 1 ball each of: Champagne White (403), Coffee Bean (411), Pillar Red (415), Pistachio Green (425), Grass Green (430), Pansy Purple (448), Bubblegum Pink (451), Mustard Yellow (424)

A 6mm (US J/10) hook

A 4mm (US E /4) hook

34 baubles, 8cm

2.5m lightweight garden wire

TENSION

Rounds 1-4 measure approx 8cm (3 in) in diameter

MEASUREMENTS

Garland measures approx 100cm (39 in) long

NOTES

Garland is made up of 100 Fir pieces, which are threaded onto a length of garden wire. The Bauble Covers are made from 2 identical pieces, which are sewn together over a plastic bauble.

GARLAND

FIR MAKE 100 Using a 6mm hook and Slate Green, ch13.

Row 1 Ss in second ch from hook and next 6 ch, ch9, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 6 ch, ch8, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 5 ch, (ch6, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 5 ch) twice, ss in next 2 ch from prev ch-8, ch7, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 6 ch, ss in next 2 ch from prev ch-9, ch8, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 7 ch, ss in final 5 ch from foundation ch.

Fasten off and weave in ends. Cut a 120cm length of garden wire. Fold 10cm at one end to form a hanging loop. Thread all the Fir onto the wire and fold 10cm from the end to form the second hanging loop.

BAUBLES COVERS (MAKE 72)

You can use any colour of DK cotton to make the Baubles.

Using a 4mm hook, ch8 and ss in last ch from hook to form a loop.

Round 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr), 17tr in loop, ss to top of beg ch-3. [28 sts]

Round 2 (RS) (Ch4, skip 2 sts, dc in next st) 6 times, ss in base of beg ch-4. [6 dc, 6 ch-4 sps]

Round 3 Ch1, (dc in next ch-4 sp, ch5) 6 times, ss to beg dc. [6 dc, 6 ch-5 sps]

Round 4 Ch1, *3dc in next ch-sp, ch4, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 3 ch, ch3, skip first ch from hook, ss in next 2 ch, ss in top of prev dc, ch1; rep from * 5 times more, ss to beg dc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Place 2 pieces around a bauble and sew together chs from Round 4 to join.

SACK

Who better to show the way to your presents than Rudolph – he is the leader of the sack, after all. By Natalie Beard

Paintbox Yarns Cot ton DK (10 0% cot ton, 50g/125m), 6 balls of Pillar Red (415), 4 balls of Slate Green (427), 3 balls of Champagne White (403), 2 balls of Coffee Bean (411), 1 ball each of: Pansy Purple (448), Bubblegum Pink (451)

A 4mm (US G/6) hook

2 safety eyes, 8mm

TENSION

Tension is not critical for this project, but it may affect the yarn quantities required

MEASUREMENTS

Sack measures approx 35x45cm (13 x17 in)

ABBREVIATIONS

5-dtr cl *Yrh twice, insert hook in st indicated, yrh and pull up a loop, (yrh and pull through 2 loops) twice; rep from * 4 times more, yrh and pull through all loops on hook For a full list, see page 94

NOTES

Parts of the pattern are worked in a continuous spiral without closing off each round with a ss. You may find it helpful to mark the first st of the round, moving the marker up as you go.

Where 2 colours appear in one round, change colour on the final yrh of st before colour change is indicated. Carry the unused colour across the top of your sts, enclosing the strand as you work.