Knitted Christmas Baubles

Knitted Christmas Baubles

By Suzanne Strachan

Materials: Yarn: Anchor metallic yarn in main colour (MC) and contrasting colour (CC) Approximately ½ meter of waste yarn of similar weight

Needles: Knitting Needle size 2.5mm/US1

Tapestry needle for grafting

Strong craft sewing needle > 8cm long with big enough eye to thread yarn

Crochet hook 2.5mm / US B/1

Other: Polystyrene ball – 5cm or 6cm in diameter

Tension/gauge: approx. 30 sts per 10cm/4in in stocking st. (unstretched)

Abbreviations: K – knit MC/CC – Main Colour/Contrasting colour P – Purl RH/LH – Right Hand/ Left Hand S – Slip purlwise RS/WS – Right Side / Wrong Side WYIF – With yarn in front

Pattern Notes:

 The pattern has been written for 2 diameter sizes of polystyrene balls, 5cm & 6cm. The instructions refer to the smaller size. The number in parenthesis refer to the 6cm size. When only one number is given, it applies to both sizes. The pattern can be easily adjusted to cater for bigger sizes by increasing the number of stitches to cast on and number of repeats, and adjusting the position of turning for short rows.

 The instructions are given for provisional cast on and grafting for a neater and smoother finish. An easier option is to cast on using back loop cast on. And, instead of grafting one can use false grafting to sew the live stitches to the cast on edge. However, the finish may not be as neat.

 For the more adventurous knitter, the pattern can be easily modified to produce different design effects such as: making the vertical lines in CC wider; using more than 2 colours; knitting bobbles; using beads or adding tassels etc.

 Short Rows:

There are different techniques for short rows. The method used in this pattern is sometimes referred to as German short rows.

When knitting in stocking stitch:

Work up to the specified stitch of the short row, turn the work.

With yarn in front slip 1 stitch purlwise. Take the yarn to the back over the RH needle tugging the yarn so that the 2 legs of the stitch below the slipped stitch are raised and wrap over the RH needle, this stitch is referred to as “double stitch”. The reason for tugging the yarn this way is to avoid having holes around the short row turns.

Next, if the current row is a knit row then proceed to knit as per the instructions. If the current row is a purl row then bring the tugged yarn through the 2 needles to the front (as if to yarn over) but always tugging the yarn, then proceed to purl as per the instructions.

On the next row where one comes to work on the “double stitch,” it must be knitted or purled as one stitch by inserting the RH needle into both legs of the double stitch, similar to k2tog or p2tog stitch, depending the stitch pattern of the row.

When knitting garter stitch:

Work up to the specified stitch of the short row, turn the work.

With yarn in front slip 1 stitch purlwise. As above, take the yarn to the back over the RH needle and tug to create double stitch. Then proceed to knit.

As above double stitch must be knitted as 1 stitch.

 Provisional Cast on:

Provisional cast on is a way to cast on leaving live stitches at the bottom of work which later can be placed on needle and knitted in the opposite direction. There are few ways to do a provisional cast on. The one described here makes use of crochet and waste yarn.

With a waste yarn, make a crochet chain for as many stitches as the required cast on plus few more. Cut the waste yarn and pull the yarn through the last loop to stop the chain from unravelling. Tie a knot on the cut end of the yarn as a marker. On the back side of the V of the chains, there are bumps. With the normal yarn and a knitting needle pick up stitches by inserting the knitting needle in each bump starting from the end with a knot until the required number of stitches are picked up. Proceed to knit from row 1 in the instructions.

To transfer the live stitches held up by the waste yarn onto a needle, take the end of the waste yarn with the knot made earlier and pull through the last loop so that the crochet chain starts unravelling. As each chain unravels revealing a live stitch, place the stitch onto a knitting needle continue in this manner until all the stitches are transferred onto the needle, make sure the ½ stitch at end of the row is also transferred onto the needle.

There are few tutorials on Youtube. A good example is LucyNeatby’s provisional cast-on video at this link:

 Grafting (also known as Kitchener Stitch): Grafting joins together two sets of live stitches seamlessly. It makes use of tapestry needle threaded with yarn to create a row of stitches linking the 2 sets of stitches. Detailed instructions are imbedded in the pattern directions

Directions:

Step 1: Knit

Cast on 18(22) stitches with CC and using provisional cast on method

Row 1 (WS): K

Row 2 (RS): Change to MC, knit

Row 3 (WS, short row): S1, p until there are 4(5) sts left on the LH needle, turn

Row 4 (RS, short row): Wyif s1, take yarn to the back & tug to create double stitch, knit until there are 4(5) sts on LH needle, turn

Row 5 (WS): Wyif s1, take yarn to the back & tug to create double stitch, yo, purl to end. Ensure the double stitch created in the previous row is worked as 1 stitch

Row 6 (RS): S1, k to the end. Ensure the double stitch created in the previous row is worked as 1 stitch

Row 7 (WS): S1, p to the end

Row 8 (RS): Change to CC, knit

Next, repeat rows 1-8 6(8) more times. Check the knit around the polystyrene ball to make sure the 2 ends are about 1cm apart when held taught. If the gap is much wider then repeat rows 1-8 again and check again. Repeat if necessary

Next, repeat rows 1-6

Step 2 – Grafting the two ends

Cut the MC yarn leaving enough for grafting, approx. 30 cm. (Note: leave CC yarn as is for Step 3.) Thread the MC yarn through a tapestry needle.

Transfer the bottom live stitches held up by the provisional waste yarn onto the other knitting needle (see section on Pattern Notes). Ensure the needle points in the same direction as the needle at the other end when held in parallel side by side. You should have the same number of stitches on either side.

Place polystyrene ball on the WS of the knit and wrap the knit around so that the 2 edges meet. Hold the needles with LH such that the needles are pointing to the right. This means the needle with the live yarn threaded with tapestry needle is in the back and the other in the front. Start grafting as follows:

a) Bring threaded tapestry needle through front stitch purlwise and leave stitch on needle.

b) Bring threaded tapestry needle through back stitch knitwise and leave stitch on needle.

c) Bring threaded tapestry needle through first front stitch knitwise and slide this stitch off the knitting needle. Bring threaded tapestry needle through next front stitch purlwise and leave stitch on knitting needle.

d) Bring threaded tapestry needle through first back stitch purlwise, slide this stitch off the knitting needle, bring tapestry needle through next back stitch knitwise, leave this stitch on needle.

Repeat c) & d) until no stitches remain on the needles.

Weave in MC end and cut MC yarn.

Step 3 – Sewing

Cut the CC leaving enough to sew both edges and create the hanging loop (approx. 1m). Thread CC yarn through a long sewing needle, tack along the edge in small stitches to ruche up the end. Tug yarn so there is no hole in the centre. Secure the yarn so the ruche won’t loosen. Call this end the Base.

Insert the needle at the centre of the ruche through the polystyrene ball all the way to the exact opposite end of the ball. Push through the needle and pull it out from the opposite end.

Next, tack along the edge on this side in small stitches in the same way as the Base ruche. Tug the yarn so there is no hole at the centre. Secure the yarn so the ruche won’t loosen.

Insert the needle at the centre of the ruche through the polystyrene ball all the way back to the opposite end i.e. the Base. Pull needle and yarn. Do not cut the yarn

Step 4 – Hanging Loop

Insert the needle near the Base area and sew a small stitch and do not pull the needle all the way, just enough to leave a small loop. Use this loop to start up a chain stitch. Call this loop a starter loop.

Insert a crochet hook in the starter loop, and crochet a chain of approximately 10 cm long or as long as desired. Pull the yarn through the last loop so the chain does not unravel.

Sew the yarn at the Base, and then wrap around the base of the chain few times as done when sewing buttons. Secure the end. Weave in end and cut yarn. Et voilà… a decorative ball for the festive season. Enjoy the holidays!