UPCYCLED CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
HAPPY sCraPmAs!
Whether you make gifts with scrap yarn, create reusable alternatives to holiday favourites or upcycle a would-be throwaway item, you'll have lots to feel good about this season
INFINITE STARS
Grab all the spare yarn in your stash – it's time to put it to good use! Make as many of these star baubles as you like, in as many colours as you can, to place in your loved ones' stockings.
CROWNING GLORY
This reusable alternative to single-use paper crowns will not only have everyone at Christmas dinner looking fabulous, but also give everyone a fun keepsake to help them remember the day.
WRAPPED WISELY
Your gifts will become both more sustainable and more personal when you adorn them with lovely scalloped crochet ribbons and unique scrappy Christmas tree tags.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
What to do with all those lovely Christmas cards? If you have multiple of the same size, turn them into creative Christmas Eve boxes for the kids by crocheting the edges together.
CREATIVE CRACKERS
Try this no-waste version of the Christmas cracker at your next holiday get-together. Pop a few trinkets inside and enjoy, then put away to use next year – and every year after that!
CARD GIFT BOXES
Use crochet to turn holiday cards into reusable keepsake boxes with this inventive design by Natalie Beard
■ Yarn and Colors Must-Have (100% mercerised cotton, 50g/125m) 1 ball of each: Green Beryl (077), Pepper (032) and Mustard (015)
■ A 3mm (US C/2 or D/3) hook
■ 6 square Christmas cards, 15x15cm
■ A hole punch
■ 70cm length ribbon per gift box
TENSION
Tension is not critical for this project, but it may affect the yarn quantities required
MEASUREMENTS
Box measures 16x16x16cm (6¼x 6¼x 6¼in)
ABBREVIATIONS
standing dc
Place a slip knot onto the hook, work a dc in stitch indicated For a full list, see page 88
CARD GIFT BOXES TO PREPARE
You will need to repeat the following for each side of the gift box (6 times in total). With your first card, mark out where the holes will be punched. Leaving a 1cm gap between each hole, mark 14 holes down each side of the card (56 holes for each card). This number can be adjusted to suit. Punch each hole and when you have punched all of the holes into the first card, use this one as a template for the remaining 5 cards.
PATTERN
Round 1 Starting with a standing dc, *3dc in each hole across to corner, ch2; rep from * around, ss to beg dc. [56 3-dc clusters, 4 ch-2 sps] Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew the sides together.
TO MAKE UP
Once all 6 cards have been crocheted around, whipstitch four into a strip, then whipstitch the ends together. Whipstitch a card to one opening for the base. Attach the lid in the same way along one edge only. Using the image as a guide, punch a hole at the open edge of the lid and to the corresponding edge of the box. Thread the ribbon through to tie in a bow to close.