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It’s cold and dark outside. So, have a happy hour with tea, a blanket, and a new little crochet project.
Crocheted Christmas Bauble
I've worked on different Christmas bauble ornaments, or Xmas balls the last few years. The first pattern is available below. Yeah!

Skills

The bauble is an intermediate/advanced project. If you are familiar with waistcoat stitches and slip stitches, the Christmas ball pattern is likely trouble-free and you can go straight to the yarn-hook suggestions and the pattern notes.

If the stitches - or this way of using them - are fairly new to you, a little extra effort might be required at first. I promise you, getting to know the stitches better is very well worth it.

Want more details about this way of working? Read: Tessa's Triangles - Hexagon Pattern

You should feel comfortable making uniform stitches of all kinds and it is also good to know how to adjust the tension of your work. - If not, read this one: How to Change and Control Your Tension

A Note about your Hook

A perfect hook for waistcoat stitches has a head that is slightly smaller than the neck and is pointy or has a lip/nose that makes it easy to insert the hook between the legs of the previous stitch.

Remember. We should always use the neck of the hook to determine the size of our stitches - and avoid tightening them after the loop leaves the hook. With waistcoat stitches, it is even more important or it will be difficult to make the following round.

Read about wellformed waistcoat stitches here: Waistcoat Stitch and Stitch Patterns in Rounds.

Yarn-Hook & Size

The bauble should be rather small to keep it light. A Catona-yarn-bauble like mine will be around 5cm (2") wide/tall.

I used:
  • Scheepjes Catona (Ravelry) 125m/50gr (138 yds/1.76oz)
  • hook size 4mm for the main parts and 3mm for the final round (US G6 and D3, UK 8 and 11).
However, any cotton yarn doable for amigurumi should work with this pattern. It could be cotton yarn with yardage 170m/50gr (186 yds/1.76oz) and hook size 3-3.5mm (US D3-E4, UK 10-9). For the final round use a slightly smaller hook for a nicer closing.

Crochet Christmas Balls

The Striped Bauble Pattern

The bauble is worked in rounds in a continuous spiral. (No joining with a slip stitch after each round).
Make not-tight stitches to make it easy to work with. Be thorough with the size of your chains. Adjust accordingly if needed, like when you change color.

Use a stitch marker or a long piece of yarn to mark the beginning of a round.

Use 3-4 stitch markers or tiny stitch holders for the final round.

Special Stitches

Slip stitch BLO decrease (slst-blo-dec). Hook into back loops only (blo). Hook into the next two stitches in reverse order. Yarn-over and pull through all loops. For more info and a video, see Slip Stitch Tutorials - Part III.

Unfinished-ws. Insert the hook between the legs of a stitch, yarn-over and pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through one loop only. Keep the extra loop on the hook.

Waistcoat stitch decreases (cap version only). Insert the hook between the legs of the next stitch, yarn-over and pull up a loop, do the same for the next stitch so you have 3 loops on the hook, yarn-over and pull through all loops on the hook.

Abbreviations

ch = chain
sc = single crochet stitch
ws = waistcoat stitch
ws-c = Ws with a color change (see below)
slst-blo = slip stitch in the Back Loop Only (blo)
slst-blo-c = slip stitch BLO with a color change
slst-blo-dec = slip stitch decrease - in the back loop only
* * = Repeat instructions within * * all the way round
( ) = Repeat instructions within the parentheses as many times as instructed.
[ ] = number of stitches in the round

Color changes are marked ‘-c’. Change color while pulling up the last loop of a stitch, so the new color is ready for the next stitch. For slip stitches, pick up the new color immediately.

Instructions

Foundation
With red yarn. Make 6 loose sc in a Magic Ring. Pull the Magic Ring loosely together. [6]

1st Half of the Red Ball
  1. *1 ws in the first sc,1 ws-c in the same/current sc,
    ch-c 1 (change color to red immediately). *
    Repeat from * to * all the way. [18]

  2. Keep changing color so all ws appear red and all slst appear white.
    * With red. 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next stitch.
    With white; 1 slst-blo in the chain,
    1 slst-blo-c in the ws *.
    Repeat all the way. Start the repeats in the CURRENT ws. [24]

  3. This round you will have 3 white slst between the ws.
    * 1 ws in the current stitch,
    1 ws-c in the next stitch,
    1 slst-blo in each slst,
    1 slst-blo-c in the ws * [30]

  4. Repeat round 3. This round you will have 4 white slst. [36]

  5. Repeat round 3. This round you will have 5 white slst. [42]
Tighten the Magic Ring and weave in the yarn end from the beginning of the work. - Or - if you dare try if it will work for you, just tuck the loose end inside the bauble with or without a knot. - I mostly don't make a knot, mine are fine as long as they are only used for decoration purpose.

2nd Half of the Red Ball

  1. Begin this round in the ‘current ws’ and make the repeats from the ‘next ws’.
    * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo in the next 4 slst,
    1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [42]

  2. Repeat the previous round. [42]
Prepare to fill the bauble. Depending on your tension, yarn, and more, the white part might arch inward. Use it if you like, or fill the bauble firmly in the end, if you want a very round ball.

  1. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec,
    1 slst-blo in the next 2 slst,
    1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [36]

  2. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec,
    1 slst-blo in the next slst,
    1 slst-blo-c in the last slst * [30]

  3. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec,
    1 slst-blo-c * [24]

  4. * 1 ws in the ws,
    1 ws-c in the next ws,
    1 slst-blo-dec-c in the slst. * [18]

  5. * 1 ws in each ws * (Skip all slst). [12]
If you don't want a cap, head directly to the Final Round (No Cap). Otherwise, prepare for the cap. Use the colored yarn.

  1. Make waistcoat stitch decreases all the way [6]
slst and cut the colored yarn, Pull the yarn end through the loop. Secure ends. A little knot using the white and colored yarn should be fine. Tug the loose ends into the bauble. Gaps between the last round of stitches should be closed after the next round.

The Cap

Use a smaller hook and golden yarn. Attach the yarn by inserting the hook between the legs of the last waistcoat stitch (as if doing a new waistcoat stitch), yarn-over, and pull through. This doesn’t count as a stitch. To hide the loose end of the golden yarn, crochet over it for the next rounds.

  1. Make 2 rounds of waistcoat stitches.

  2. Slip stitch into the next stitch, cut a long yarn end, and pull through the last loop.
    Tighten the last slst.
Create a loop for hanging the ornament
Attach a needle to the yarn end. Insert the needle into the next stitch and out in the middle of the cap.

While leaving most of the golden yarn to form a large loop, bring the needle back into the cap's center, and out at the bottom of the cap, then reinserting it right next to the initial point.
Tie a knot using the large loop and the short loose yarn end. Tuck the knot and the yarn end into the cap to hide it.

Change to a hook 1 size smaller.

Make 1 ws in the first stitch and unfinished-ws the rest of the way. Every time you have 4 loops (max) on the hook, move 3 loops to a stitch marker /stitch holder (or just a piece of string). The loop you made last, keep that on the hook.

Last round of the Christmas Ball

Cut a long yarn end. Pull the yarn end through all the loops on the hook and then all the loops on the stitch markers. Use a needle or a hook.

Insert a needle

Fill the bauble - firmly for a round ball.
Tighten the yarn end and use a needle to secure it by going around in the last loops once more.

Closing the Christmas Ball

Insert the needle into the ball and let it emerge from the middle of the 'star'.

Striped Christmas Bauble Crochet Pattern

Please let me know below, if you chose this cap-less solution. - Otherwise, I might eventually remove this part :)

You are all done!

Shape the Christmas bauble by hand if needed and have a lovely crochet Christmas!

...Psst!

Waistcoat stitches are not used much with traditional patterns but are very fun to work with.
If you liked this, try other projects using waistcoat and slip stitches. You find them under the theme Waistcoat Stitch Love.
Originally published in 2022, last updated in 2024.
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Crochet a Halloween Pumpkin. Make it happily orange, stylish, or scary.

Crochet Halloween Pumpkin

Add eyes and a mouth to your pumpkins for a playful touch, or let them keep a chic and neat look.

Updated September 2023.
The pattern has been tweaked and a few helpful images have been added.

The pattern has two pumpkin variations with stem and blossom. It also includes a leaf and wings. A small (optional) twist makes the wings mirrored.

The Halloween Pumpkin pattern includes a lot of helpful images - and is available in English and Danish.

Purchase the pattern now, right here: Buy Now

Or visit Ravelry, LoveCrochet, or the StoneGnome Shop.

Skills Needed

All the minor parts are made with regular crochet stitches. 

The body/head of the pumpkin is made with Tunisian crochet stitches. If you don't know Tunisian crochet, don't worry. You will only need to learn a couple of basic Tunisian crochet stitches to make this, and it can be made with a regular crochet hook (with no handle).

Halloween crochet pumpkins

Reverse Stitches

This is totally optional. But if you want to make the wings truly mirrored, a few unusual stitches are explained in the pattern.

I've borrowed the technique from Tunisian crochet where they are called 'reverse stitches'. However, it is different from the kind of reverse stitches we usually relate to, when we do regular crochet. 

See more in the pattern or check this out: Another kind of Reversed Stitches.

Happy Halloween!

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Bunny Egg usually hangs out around Easter enjoying the company of Junior Egg. 

Crochet Easter Bunny Egg and Junior Egg

Hence, the pattern for Bunny Egg has been updated and now includes Junior Egg. The two of them love that ♥ 

The 2-in-1 pattern is available at Ravelry, LoveCrafts or you can purchase it in the StoneGnome Payhip store. It's available in English and Danish.

If you want to try Junior Egg for FREE, then you'll find Junior right here.

Updated. This post has been updated as of March 2023

Skill level

The pattern is written for crocheters that are familiar with amigurumi. Difficulty level is intermediate/advanced. There are a few special stitches like BLO and Puff stitches. They are slightly modified, but - of course - explained.

Junior is the easiest one to make, while you might need a little peace, glasses and good light when you make the legs for Bunny Egg.

Size and Yarn

The Easter Egg will be around 6.5cm tall (2.6") if you work with the recommended hook size 2-2.5mm (US 0-B1 or steel 4, UK 14-13).

Use regular cotton yarn for amigurumi.

It could be something like Scheepjes Cotton 8 or similar.
Colors could be:
  • 502 white
  • 710 grey
  • 649 soft coral (or 715 nude).
  • 639 Burned Orange.
Bunny Egg and Junior Egg


I tried Scheepjes Organicon (Ravelry link), which was soft and lovely to work with. Even a bit thick and fluffy in the right way. Totally recommend this for a luxury project and if the egg is for decoration purposes only.

However, if you plan to use the Easter Egg as a toy, the yarn might get a little worn out faster than other yarn. At least that is what I experienced when I used it for samples and had to frog it several times.

More versions

Margie helped test and proofread the original patterns. Check out her latest colorful Junior Eggs from 2023 or her very, very cute Bunny Egg on Instagram. 

Thank you Margie for being such a patient and positive tester and proofreader.

Enjoy the pattern and Easter!

Related blog post: Junior Egg
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Crochet your own decorated eggs. Use a basic egg and change colors as you wish for nicely decorated eggs.

crochet Easter eggs

If you use waistcoat stitches for your egg you get different options. Like small, heart-shaped dots ♥ 

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This adorable double heart is double love. Give it to someone extra special or make it for your own joy.

Double Heart - Crochet Pattern

The heart ornament is made in one piece, so there is no sewing the parts together in the end.

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Amigurumi and Tunisian Crochet arent’ something you very often think about as related. However, Tunisian crochet can be a very good choice for making nice and soft amigurumi.

Tunisian crochet Pumpkin

I missed working with Tunisian crochet stitches. Then I got inspired by our creative kids (age 6 and 8) to make a pumpkin.

UPDATE. This pattern has been updated with extra items and features. Read more here.

The body of the pumpkin is made of Tunisian crochet stitches. The stem and the blossom end are regular crochet.
Tunisian crochet Amigurumi

Yarn.
I recommend the wool yarn blend Scheepjes Metropolis. It’s very very nice to work with and supports the softness of the Tunisian crochet stitches that makes the pumpkin nice to hold.

Size. The pumpkin will be around 7cm tall and wide (2.8”) with the suggested yarn here.

Currently, you can purchase the Pumpkin Pattern at Ravelry and at LoveCrafts.
- OR -
Find the pumpkin at my payhip store and get it for FREE when you use the coupon code PUMPKIN
(The coupon code expires November 1st 2021.)

Happy Halloween!


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If you haven't met the cute Junior Egg already, let me introduce you now. He/she likes to sit in a nest of yarn - or hang from a twig or a tree. And the Junior Egg pattern is free!
Crochet Easter Egg - Junior
Years ago, right before Easter, the kids and I played with paper and cardboard and we came up with an egg with legs because it was pretty easy to draw and cut out and glue.

We loved it! We thought the result was eggcellent. An egg with a lot of personality. So I thought. Why not make a crochet version? 

Materials

  • Hook size 2-2.5mm (US 0-B1, UK 14-13)
  • Scissors
  • A long piece of scrap yarn to use a stitch marker
  • Filling
Yarn
Cotton yarn with yardage around 170m/50gr (186y/1.76oz)
A tiny bit of white and orange.

Spiral Note
The egg and leg are worked in a spiral. Working in a spiral means working in continuous rounds without ending each round with a slip stitch. Put your scrap yarn stitch marker in place, when a round is done, and continue with the next round immediately. The yarn stitch marker show what round you are working on.

Abbreviations (US terms)
  • ch = chain
  • sc = single crochet
  • inc = increase. Make two sc in the same stitch.
  • dec = decrease. Work 2 sc together. 

  • () = repeat instructions between parentheses as many times as directed – OR throughout the round/row.
  • [] = the number of stitches in a round or row.

Junior Egg Pattern

Work in a spiral.
  1. Begin with 5sc in a magic ring. Pull tight. [5]
Increase with 5 stitches in each round like this:
  1. 1 inc in each stitch all the way. [10]
  2. (inc, 1 sc) 5 times. [15]
  3. (sc, inc, sc) 5 times. [20]
  4. (inc, 3 sc) 5 times. [25]
  5. (2 sc, inc, 2 sc) 5 times. [30]
  6. (inc, 5 sc) 5 times. [35]
Round 8-15. (8 rounds in total). Work straight up now – no increases. 1 sc in each stitch. [35]

For shaping the top of the egg, I recommend invisible decreases*: Insert the hook into the front loops of the next 2 stitches right after each other (do not yarn-over in between). Yarn-over and pull through two loops. Yarn-over and pull through the last loop.
*Don't make invisible decreases if you plan to turn the backside out like I sometimes to do.

  1. 1 sc, (dec, 15 sc) 2 times. [33]
  2. (9 sc, dec) 3 times. [30]
  3. (4 sc, dec, 4 sc) 3 times. [27]
  4. (7 sc, dec) 3 times. [24]
  5. (3 sc, dec, 3 sc) 3 times. [21]
Add fill. Add more fill after the next couple of rounds.
  1. (5 sc, dec) 3 times. [18]
  2. (2 sc, dec, 2 sc) 3 times. [15]
  3. (1 sc, dec) 5 times. [10]
Remove your marker. The closing off is not worked in full rounds.

Closing Off the Egg
Cut a long yarn end. Expand the loop on the hook and pull until the yarn end is out and the work secured.

Attach a needle to the yarn end. Insert the needle into the front loop of every stitch all the way around (9 stitches). Pull tight and the hole closes.

Only if needed, secure the yarn again, by weaving it in and out a couple of times.
Use the yarn end for hanging the egg on a twig.

Related blog post: The Easter Bunny Egg pattern


Bunny Egg and Junior Egg
Bunny Egg & Junior Egg

Leg

Work in a spiral.

Foundation option #1: Ch 5. Slip stitch it into a ring. [5]
Foundation option #2: Magic Ring with 5 sc. [5]

1-6) Sc all the way for 6 rounds.
 
7) Toe: Ch 4.
 
8) Use the back bumps of the chains. Skip the first and slip stitch into the next three.
9) Slip stitch into the middle of the foot through front and backside.
10) - 11) Repeat line 7-8.
12) Slip stitch into the left side of the foot.
13) - 14) Repeat line 7-8.
15) Slip stitch into the side of the foot again.

Finishing Off
Cut a long yarn end and pull the yarn end through the slip stitch.

Pull the yarn through the leg, so both yarn ends are at the top of the leg. (Find the nearest ’hole’ to pull it through. Use a needle or your hook).

Make another leg.

Sew the legs on the egg. Place them somewhat on the same side. ’Fold’ the legs, with the toes pointing forward and the ’knees’ slightly bend.

Free crochet pattern - Junior Egg

Thank you to Sofiia Norah Rasmussen for helping me test this with short, short notice.

If you want ideas of how to make a colored version, then check what Margie did on Instagram and give her a little love.

Enjoy!


Note. The original blog post is from March 2017. The latest update is of March 2021.

Share and Selling Note
You are welcome to share or sell any products you make from my patterns. :)
Read more about copyright and selling here.
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This December has been all about rain and rain and rain, so I've made a free snowflake pattern that pair up well with the one I made almost two years ago.
Free Snowflake Crochet Pattern

This is my X-mas present for you.

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Fluffy and furry yarn tips
Fluffy yarn, fuzzy yarn, fur yarn or eyelash yarn. All of these long-fibered yarn types aren't always easy to crochet with. But, they look so fluffy and soft and kitten-like...

Fluffy and furry yarn tips

Here are a couple of tips for you, so you are prepared next time you find a fluffy or furry yarn.

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I'll show you how to link crochet stitches and eliminate the slit between them.

Tutorial: How to link crochet stitches

It is very useful, if you want to use a tall stitch for an amigurumi figure or just want another stitch in your stitch collection.

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Say hello to another happy member of the baby toy family. The Smiley Cloud.


As a gift to everyone on the newsletter list and following on Facebook, The crochet pattern is FREE for a few days - but on Ravelry only! Use the coupon code FREECLOUD.

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A new pattern is out. A cute little Smiley Moon.


The Smiley Moon has actually existed for quite some time. Now it exists as a written pattern too. Find it at  Ravelry or as a package with 3 amigurumi patterns at LoveCrafts.

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Crocheted Sea Grass and Succulents
Bymami has this exquisite pattern package with 5 different succulents. I wanted to try one with variegated yarn, and then I made a tuft of (sea)grass as well to create a sea theme. This might be a good way of spending leftover yarn.

Crocheted Sea Grass and Succulents

Get links and patterns here.

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Use the Perfect Stitch Marker

Once in a while you work on something, were you need to count and count and count. Most of the time you are counting rows and sometimes you need to make sure, you do the increase/decrease or color change in the right place.


FYI: You don't need to count the same rows again and again.

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Crochet pattern Smiley Sun

A little Toy for Your Next Project?

Babies love smiley faces. This is a happy little sun that crackles when squeezed. The sun is loved by my 1½-year old girl as well as my 3-year old toddler. You can make it of leftover yarn.

It is perfect as a present for a baby shower. Make 3 of them and put them on a string and you have a stroller toy, the baby will love!

The Smiley Sun amigurumi pattern is currently available as part of a 3-piece package at LoveCrafts in Danish and English.

Or can be bought individually at Ravelry in both Languages.

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I am busy on a project, but I don't know what I'm doing!
I've joined another Mystery Crochet-A-Long.

Deadline for joining now is Tuesday October 11th.
So Hurry Up if you want to join too!

You can find the Facebook group for the CAL here.

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Crocheted work in a Spiral
Working in a spiral is one of my favorite ways to work for a flat circle, amigurumi or likewise. The reason is, you don't get ugly looking joints, as if you close each round with a slip stitch. And yes! I do know there are prettier methods for seamless joining than the slip stitch.
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What to use for filling? I hear this question a lot from the amigurumi people in the Facebook groups I'm in. First: Make sure it can be washed, if you really need that.

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