It’s Christmas at Kidsknits!  Oh, okay…it’s still August.  But, I’ve been busy making Christmas presents, and the first one is for…YOU!

Around this time last year, the red and white Heilo was flying off the shelves, as fast as we could stock it.  So many knitters were having a blast, making the wonderful Arne & Carlos ornaments.  I got in on the fun, too.  But this year, I decided I would make my ornaments my way.

My Way = Color + Symmetry + Detail + Function

Color: The more, the merrier, baby!

Symmetry:  While I’ve kept the total # of stitches nearly the same as the Arne & Carlos balls (so that all of your Dale of Norway balls can play nicely together), I’ve shifted the increases & decreases around so that the motifs are centered.  I’ve also used a different type of  increase, so that my stranded motifs are not visually disturbed by lower stitches.

Detail: Of course, my motifs are different, and I’ve added an extra bit of duplicate stitch embroidery in one, some nupps in another.  Those fussy bits are optional, but I think they’re fun…hope you do, too!

Function: Whether knit, glass, crystal, wooden, sterling or gold, no ornament on Earth will ever mean as much to me as the glue-soaked, glitter-laden, cardboard wonders that my boys brought home to me from nursery school and kindergarten.  I’ve kept every one of them and they’re still the first ones I hang on my tree.  Thinking back to when my boys proudly toddled over to hang their Christmas creations, it occurred to me that little fingers sometimes have a hard time with skinny, crocheted loops; a shorter, chubbier hanger would be more kid-friendly.  I’ve made I-cord hangers for my new ornaments, but I’ve included the common crochet option, too, in case that’s your favorite.  Little kids will be able to hang the I-cord loop directly on the branches; some of us big kids might want to run a loop of dressy ribbon through the I-cord first.

Function…again:  Once the little ones have over-loved their Christmas balls, those poor babies are going to need a very good bath (the kids probably will, too! )  So, although I’m a die-hard wool junkie, I’ve filled my ornaments with – gasp – the ubiquitous poly stuffing that clogs the aisles in most any craft store.  For decorative keepsakes, you can’t beat wool, but for quick washing and drying (and less heartache, once Junior does his darnedest) the poly works just fine.

Anyway, I hope you’ll have fun making them your way and that you and your family have a splendid Christmas, full of all of your favorite things!

Christmas Balls free downloadable PDF

Links to more of my PDFs