I continue to be enamored with making Christmas ornaments.

My ornament collection is growing!

Today’s ornament is crocheted using Araucania Toconoa yarn. This 100% Merino Wool yarn comes in 139 yard (100 gram) hanks. The suggested knitting gauge is 4.5 sts per inch on a US7 needle.

The Araucania line is inspired by ancient Chilean crafts made from hand painted natural yarns. The Araucania Yarns company supports local job development, which is pretty cool when you think about it.

Toconoa yarn has a nice, round shape, which gives plump, crisp stitches when you knit. The finished fabric is cushy and squishable, making it nice for garments and accessories.

Yesterday’s ornament, crocheted with Mirasol Kutama, was worked through the back loops giving the finished fabric a smooth appearance. Today’s ornament is crocheted through the front loop. This leaves the back loops free to create an interesting ridge around the fabric.

Of course if you don’t like the ridge just work through the back loop or under both loops.

Toconao Crocheted Ornament

Materials:

Yarn: Araucania Toconoa Solid in color #525, one skein.

Crochet Hook Size G

2.5 inch Styrofoam ball

Scrap yarn or stitch markers to mark rounds.

Gauge: 4.5 sc x 4 rounds/1″

NOTE: US crochet terms used throughout.

NOTE: Work through front loops only. Work in continuous rounds without turning.

Pattern:

Chain 4. Join with slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring

Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)

Round 3: 2 sc in each sc around (24 sc)

Round 4: 1 sc in each sc around (24 sc)

Round 5: *Sc, 2sc in next sc, repeat from * around (36 sc)

Rounds 6-10: work even in sc

Round 11: *Sc, sc2tog, repeat from * around (24 sc)

Round 12: 1 sc in each sc around (24 sc)

Insert ball. You will work the rest of the cover with the ornament form in place.

Round 13: sc2tog around (12 sc)

Round 14: sc2tog around (6 sc)

Round 15: 1 sc in each sc around (6 sc)

Form Loop: Chain 12. Join with slip stitch to top of ornament. Fasten off.

Make tassel: Wrap yarn around your hand or a stiff piece of cardboard 20 times or to desired fullness. Tie a strand of yarn around one end of the loops to synch. Cut loops on opposite end to make fringe. Attach to bottom of ornament.

Weave in ends.

Variations

It would be a simple matter to change the look of the ornament by adding stripes or beads.

As I said at the beginning, you don’t have to make the ridge.

Make some with tassels and some without.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the first knit ornament!