Ornaments of Christmas Past

As she was unpacking some of our Christmas decorations this year, my daughter was asking about some of the handmade ornaments in our collection.  In the early years of our marriage, we didn’t have a lot of ornaments for our tree, and I decided to make some crocheted and knitted ones.

I made some of them from a Leisure Arts flyer, and maybe some from an article in McCall’s Needlework & Crafts magazine.  But then I started making some little motifs from crochet pattern books that looked festive to me.  My sister-in-law gave me a pattern for some knitted bells that I liked on her tree, and I made a bunch of those as well.  I liked the fact that I could put little jingle bells in them to make them ring. 

An assortment of handmade Christmas ornaments

I think my hands-down favorite of the ornaments I made early in our marriage was one that I designed myself.  Using the idea of the knitted bells with the little jingle bells inside, I designed a crocheted Christmas bell pattern using some metallic yarn that was popular at the time.  As a special Christmas gift to my readers, and crocheters everywhere, I have written up the pattern for this crocheted Christmas bell, and it will be available for free on Ravelry and Craftsy.  Here are the links to the pattern download:
Ravelry:  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christmas-bell-ornament-6  Craftsy:  https://www.craftsy.com/crocheting/patterns/christmas-bell-ornament/667346    Enjoy!!  

Worsted Weight Bell

Sport Weight Bell from Vanna's Glamour

Thread Bell

This pattern can be made in several sizes, depending on what size of yarn you choose to use.  The worsted weight bell measures 3” tall by 3 ½” in diameter at widest point, the sport weight bell measures 1 ¼” by 2 ½”, and the thread bell measures 1 ½” by 1 ½”.  So choose your yarn weight and desired size!

Three sizes of bells

Several of these little bells would make a great wreath decoration, or use them on a garland.  They look great in a metallic yarn, as I originally used.  Use your imagination, and have fun with them.

Christmas Bell made with metallic yarn