Christmas Tree Decoration Pattern

A little something extra for Christmas

It’s not long now chaps!! Can’t believe how quick it’s come round this year!! It’s crazy! We literally have a couple of weeks till the big day and less till the little elves in our lives break up from school too!! I actually thought I was quite organised this year! My shopping list has been getting relatively smaller over the past few weeks. I had quite a big blast in October just before our two little one’s birthdays. I think because their birthdays are only two days apart and kind of near to Christmas, I had a big splurge on getting everything. But the to do list of making, still seems to be rather large! I’m not sure how, but recently things have been added which wasn’t the plan at all!! So starting to get a little bit panicky about it all! I know I will get it all finished in the end, but my time to finish things is getting smaller and smaller. There is definitely a need to prioritise now! Do I get things finished first that will be quick or do I finish the big jobs first?!? It’s a tough one! This is when I wish I had started everything a lot earlier in the year! I say it every year, but I never do. It always seems to catch me out for some reason!

So thinking about presents and things, I realised I needed to make some decorations to give to people. I love giving presents and especially crocheted ones. But it’s also nice to add a little crocheted present onto something else.

Now I’ve seen lots of different crocheted christmas tree decorations in my time. Some fat ones, some tall ones and some with lots of layers. But not really one that was flat & used simple treble stitches. So I had a little play and this is what I came up with. It’s so much fun making up a new pattern. My only problem is how messy my scribbles are, when writing down the pattern. I wish I was neater, but I’m usually frantically scribbling it down, before I forget or trying to change what I’ve written as the pattern hasn’t worked!

Now as this is a little bit of a long winded pattern, with quite a few stitches, I haven’t included a photo for each part. As I think it would be a little bit crazy to follow and I’m sure you guys would get sick of the same thing!! So I’ve just included photos for each stage. Now if you do find you get stuck, please don’t hesitate to shout and I can show you what I mean.

Stitches – 

(Don’t forget that all the stitches on pipsrainbow are using the UK crocheting terminology. If you need help translating them to American, then just let me know.)

Magic Ring (mr) – For a magic ring, make a loop with the yarn, leaving a tail. (Make sure the tail is under the working yarn.) Now insert your hook into the loop, from the front to the back. Wrap the working yarn around your hook and pull the yarn through and pull tight to create a ring.

Slip stitch (ss) – This is where there is no height to the stitch. It’s usually used to join rounds. So insert the hook into the front of the stitch you are joining to. This is usually into the first stitch you made in that round/row. So yarn over hook and pull through that first stitch then also through the loop on your hook.

Chain (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Double Crochet (dc) – To make a double crochet, insert hook through your stitch/space, yarn over hook and pull through the stitch. You should have 2 loops on your hook, now yarn over hook and pull through both loops on your hook.

Treble (tr) – To make a treble crochet, firstly yarn over your hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops, yarn over hook and pull through the last two loops.

Half treble (htr) – A half treble crochet is basically one less movement than a treble. So yarn over hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through all 3 loops.

Double treble (dtr) – A double treble is quite a tall stitch. So yarn over hook twice, insert hook through the stitch/space and then yarn over hook again. Now pull the yarn through the stitch. There will now be 4 loops on the hook. Now place the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops. Then yarn over the hook again and pull through the next two loops. Haha, now place the yarn over the hook again and pull through the last 2 loops. Phew! It’s a bit of a long process, but a lovely stitch with the height that it gives.

Using multiply strands of yarn – when I use more than one ball of yarn together I literally just grab the two or three ends of each ball and place them together in between my fingers. Then start crocheting as if they are one. The photo below is showing you 2 strands of dk yarn in a magic ring.

Supplies – 

My little tree shown above is made with multi strands of yarn. So it uses a ball of cotton dk and a ball of wool dk in the colours of yellow, green and brown. So you will need a 7mm crochet hook, blunt ended tapestry needles and some scissors.

You can also make my little tree smaller, by just using one strand of dk wool. So again you will just need wool or cotton dk yarn in yellow, green and brown and you can use a 4mm hook. (The pattern below is using one strand of dk wool.)

So here we go 😁…

The tree itself.

1 – Make a magic ring and chain 3 into the ring. Now treble (tr) x 2, chain 3, tr x 3, chain 3, tr x 3 and then slip stitch (ss) into the original chain and pull the non working yarn to pull the ring together.

2 – Now for the next round chain 1, tr x 3 into the space, chain 3, tr x 3 into the same space, chain 1, tr x 3 into the next space, chain 3, tr x 3 into same space, chain 1, tr x 3 into the next space, chain 3, tr x 3 into same space, chain 1 then ss into the original chain.

3 – This is the start of the last round. So chain 2, ss into next space, chain 2, tr, dtr x 2, chain 3, dtr x 2, tr, chain 2 and slip stitch into the same space.

4 – Now chain 2 and work tr x 4 into the next space, then ss into the same space.

5 – Ok so now chain 2 and work tr x 3 into the next space, chain 3, tr x 3 into the same space, then ss into the same space.

6 – Now for the base of the tree chain 2, then work htr x 3 into the next space, then chain 2. Now ss into the next space.

7 – This is the other side of the tree now, so work tr x 3 into next space, chain 3, tr x 3 into the same space. Then chain 2 and ss into next space.

8 – For the last space work tr x 4, then ss into same space, then ss into the original chain, fasten off and weave in the two ends.

And there you have it. The branches of a little Christmas tree.

Now for the trunk.

Turn your tree so that the top of the tree faces down and locate the 4 centre stitches of the base you previously created. Now make a slip knot on your hook with the new brown yarn and take the yarn off your hook. Now push your hook through the first of the 4 stitches, place the slip knot back onto your hook, pull the non working yarn tight, then pull back through the stitch.

Now chain 5 which will give you the height for the next stitches.

Now in the next stitch, dtr, then dtr again in the next stitch. Now finish the trunk by working chain 5 and ss into the next stitch, fasten off and weave in ends.

Now every tree needs a star.

Magic ring, *chain 1, htr, chain 3, htr and slip stitch into the ring*. Repeat ** 4 more times then fasten off.

To finish off, pull the non working yarn tail tight to pull the ring closes and creates the star.

Don’t forget to use the ends to attach the star to the top of the tree by using a blunt ended tapestry needle then weave them in. And there you have it!


I hope you enjoy making these as much as I have. They are so quick and easy to make and lovely to add that little bit of something extra to someone’s Christmas.

Wishing everyone the best of luck for the next weeks finishing, crocheting, buying, decorating, writing & posting duties. It’ll all be worth it on the 25th!!

Don’t forget I am always here if you need any help with anything.

Happy hooking everyone.

🌈 xx

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Utterly Addicted!!


I think it is safe to say that I am utterly addicted to crocheting! It’s not something that everyone would admit to, but as it stands, I’m one of them!! I’m not even sure how and when it happened really. I don’t think it was a gradual thing either!! All I know is I love giving people little crocheted parcels of love.

I will never forget the sheer joy of finishing Benedict and presenting him to my daughter, who bless her cotton socks, adored him from the word go. She was so excited that I had made him for her and she was only 3 at the time. This picture was taken way back in early 2015. I was chuffed as I was visiting my Grannie and I’d designed and made my own tail for him on route there. (Should have known then that my crocheting love would grow.)

Looking back now, most of his limbs look like they may fall off at any moment and I definitely had no idea about weaving in ends!!! But hey, she loves him and that’s all that matters. Once Benedict was completed, there was definitely a mad rush to get started on Hank!! He was one of my favourites from the lovely Edward’s Menagerie at Toft. He took me a while, but he was definitely a lot neater than Benedict! I will never forget finishing his fleece though!! I vowed I would never make another sheep after that fleece – it seriously nearly finished me off. My 3mm hook was never the same again!!

We were on holiday in Majorca on my parents in laws yacht. And all I needed to do to finish Hank, was his fleece. It was only chaining 8 and slip stitching to attach, then repeating this process. You had to cover all of his head and body! Well my husband bet me I couldn’t finish him that night!! You will soon learn about me that when someone (especially my husband) bets me to do something it generally gets completed!! So there I was in the dark at anchor with a tiny torch light above me, frantically finishing his fleece!! Everyone else had gone to bed!! I am happy to report that I managed it! He was finished!!

Then came the grannie square blanket!! That was definitely when I knew I loved crocheting!! As if I didn’t, this blanket would never have been finished!! I dread to think how much it costs!! A little person enjoyed playing with it whilst I was making it.

As I wasn’t following any pattern or anything, I just bought as and when I needed more! So the final amount of balls of wool I used is a completely unknown sum. I know that I could potentially weigh it! Which would give me an idea, but the thought frightens me!

It’s the size of a single bed and made out of the beautiful Sublime Baby Merino Wool. I love this wool and so does my mum. It’s so utterly soft and really lovely to crochet with. My mum makes my children the most incredible cardigans and jumpers out of this wool. I urge you to try it, if you haven’t done so already. You will be converted I am sure. I still haven’t quite finished the blanket, as I would love to finish it with a border. But my daughter won’t let me for some reason! I think she thinks it will change it too much and she likes it the way it is. Oh well, I might have to sneakily do the border while she is out. I’m sure she will love it when she sees it.

Being utterly addicted to crocheting means that you basically live, breathe and sleep thinking about crocheting. There isn’t a moment that goes by when I’m not thinking about a new or existing project or otherwise crocheting one. I have been known to carry wool in my pocket and a hook, so I can sneak in a few quick stitches in between making the dinner or running around after my little ones!! I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I have even been known to carry a hook & yarn around in my salopettes on a ski holiday!! Crazy, I know,  but I did manage to do some up the mountain!

Many people ask me how I manage to crochet so much and well kind of keep the house tidy and clean. Well here’s how, if you are sitting down and not eating or holding/playing with a baby/child or driving. Then you can crochet!! Haha! Only joking! No I basically will work like a whirlwind to get house jobs done when little one is asleep or otherwise get him to help me with them, so that I can crochet at every opportunity. Sometimes him helping isn’t such a good idea, as he can empty a washing machine quicker than I can fill it, but hey, he tries!! Bless him.

I basically squeeze every inch out of every minute of the day to the point where the only time I’m not doing something is when I am sleeping. (Hang on, I may have had a dream about a project last night!!! Ooops) Pj crocheting is always a more comfier affair.

So yeah, there’s a proper addiction going on isn’t there!?!? The best place, as many of my Instagram/Facebook followers will know is on a car journey or in the car waiting for a little one to wake up.

My husband, bless him, will always do nearly all of the driving when we are off on our outings, so I can squeeze in however long the journey is, worth of stitches. The only problem with this is when I should be navigating! Ekk!! Yeah I may sometimes get into trouble for this!! Heyho! I can see how annoying that might be when your husband is realising that we are potentially getting lost and I am just sitting there crocheting away!! Not a smart move, I can tell you!

I remember getting off the ferry in France a few weeks ago and desperately wanting to carry on with the slipper socks I was making, but knowing that might tip my husband over the edge!!! You will be pleased to know, it stayed in my bag, but unfortunately we still did get a little lost!! My fault entirely!

Holiday crocheting is always lovely. I honestly get excited about which projects i’m going to take with me. Most people think about which shoes will go with which outfit, but in my case it’s – have I got enough wool? Maybe I should take one more project just in case I finish those? I even realised I could stash wool in the car doors for that wonderful moment when you realise you have a few minutes of possible crocheting!! This was on a beach in Cornwall. My daughter was fast asleep in our little beach tent beside me. Happy days!

Smiles here was made in France on our latest  holibobs! (And yeah probably while I was supposed to be navigating!)

Have you ever come across Lite up crochet hooks? These are literally pure genius!! I found these whilst desperately trying to find a way to crochet in the dark on the landing, whilst waiting for the little man to drop off. They are absolutely brilliant!! Great for camping or even just when crocheting with dark yarn and there isn’t enough light.

I have even got one of these as a present for my lovely Mum for christmas. Mum is a knitter, but I think she will find one of these extremely useful when she has dropped a stitch and needs to see clearly which one to hook up. I am slowly building up my stock, buying when I need to for different projects. I recently brought one for my slipper sock projects. I haven’t mentioned yet, but I have started a serious love for slipper sock crocheting at the minute, but that’s another story!!

The other thing about being utterly addicted to crocheting is the yarn storage!! Hmm, not sure if I should admit this – in case my husband reads it. Ok, so here goes – I have wool, cotton, any types of yarn really, in the majority of the rooms in this house. I don’t think anyone who lives in this house knows this, but it’s true!! I don’t know why, but there seems to be little mini piles all over. Some ready to be put away, some for new projects, some for ideas for new projects. Seriously, it is everywhere. These were on the window ledge in our bedroom for ages!!

I am doing my best and trying to use it up, but whenever I go into a wool shop I seem to come out with something. I recently took my friend into our local shop that’s based on a lovely farm outlet centre. It’s a lovely little shop with some really nice yarn. Now this is a bit of a proud will power moment! So I entered the shop and bought what I needed and that was that. Buy I then saw some new sublime merino wool that was a delicate rainbow coloured effect. I think it was the Sophia addition, but i’m not sure. Well my heart was saying buy some, scarf for my daughter was the top of my list, but then something actually stopped me! A little crochet hook on my shoulder screaming you have a ridiculous amount of projects to finish at home, you do not need another! So I walked away. Can you imagine!!

At the minute, my to do list is as long as my arm. And it’s so tricky to know what to do first. There is so much to do, so I am having to prioritise for Christmas at the minute. So thinking about which will take the longest and which needs doing first. It’s so hard to decide! I’ve just designed a robin for my sister to make for our Grannie. Not sure if it’s ready yet though, the hat needs some tinkering with. So that’s priority really as I need to pass the pattern on to her. Grannie loves robins, she always says that it’s Grandad flying in to take care of us all and check everyone is ok! Hopefully she will like it. Think it needs a Pom Pom on the hat!! And I have also made a simple christmas tree decoration. One that you can make up quite quickly, so would be good for an extra little present for someone. Hoping to get both patterns on my blog soon.

Well there you have it. My confession is complete!! I think it’s time to finish these slipper socks & a cuppa is definitely on the cards.

Happy hooking everyone. Keep going on those Christmas projects – it’s nearly December!! Ekk!!

🌈Xx

 

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