Three small ornament patterns — a lace snowflake, a puff star, and a mini stocking — that work up in under an hour each and stiffen beautifully for the tree.
Small ornaments are the perfect scrap-yarn holiday project. Each one uses a few yards of thread or worsted cotton, works up in about an hour, and looks noticeably handmade in a good way — like something you'd buy at a craft fair, not something rough at the edges.
Three patterns below cover the classic tree-ornament shapes. Make one of each to test styles, then batch-make favorites in an evening.
Use white or cream size-10 thread and a 1.75 mm hook.
Rnd 1: Ch 6, join with sl st to form a ring. Ch 1, work 12 sc into the ring, join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), *dc in next sc, ch 2,* repeat 10 more times, join with sl st to 3rd ch of starting ch-5. You now have 12 chain-2 spaces.
Rnd 3 (points): sl st into first ch-2 sp. *In the same sp, work (ch 7, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in same ch-2 sp — this forms one snowflake point), sl st into next ch-2 sp,* repeat around the entire round.
Fasten off, weave in ends, block and stiffen as below.
Use size-10 thread in any color and a 1.75 mm hook.
Rnd 1: Ch 4, join to form a ring. Ch 1, work 10 sc into the ring, join.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same sc, ch 2, *2 dc in next sc, ch 2,* repeat 8 more times, join to top of starting ch-3.
Rnd 3 (star points): sl st across to first ch-2 sp. *In the sp, work (ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, tr in last ch — one star point complete), sl st into next ch-2 sp,* repeat around. Join, fasten off.
Use worsted-weight cotton and a 3.5 mm hook. Finished stocking is about 3.5 inches tall — perfect ornament size.
Cuff: Ch 20, sl st to form a ring. Work 4 rounds of sc in the back loop only (creates ribbing). At the end of round 4, do not fasten off.
Leg: Work 4 rounds of sc through both loops (20 sts per round).
Heel: Row 1: sc in next 10 sts. Turn. Row 2: ch 1, sc across 10 sts. Turn. Row 3: sc in first 8 sts (skip last 2). Turn. Row 4: sl st across 2, ch 1, sc across 6. Turn. Continue narrowing 2 sts per row until 2 sts remain. Fasten off.
Foot: Rejoin yarn at the front of the ankle. Work sc in each stitch around, picking up 4 sts along the side of the heel (to close the gap), for a total of 14 sts. Continue 3 rounds even.
Toe: sc2tog around until 4 sts remain. Fasten off, thread tail through remaining stitches, cinch closed.
Add a small ch-8 hanging loop to the top back of the cuff.
For snowflakes and stars, dip the ornament briefly in stiffener (or a solution of ½ cup sugar dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water, cooled). Squeeze out excess between paper towels.
Lay flat on wax-paper-covered cardboard. Pin every point outward with rust-proof T-pins, stretching the ornament into shape. Let dry 24 hours before removing pins.
Mini stockings don't need stiffening — a light steam block with an iron above (never touching) is enough.
For snowflakes and stars, thread a 4-inch piece of thin ribbon or twine through any point, tie in a loop, and it's tree-ready. For stockings, use the crocheted ch-8 loop attached to the cuff.
Size 10 mercerized cotton crochet thread. It has enough body to hold a stiffened shape, comes in white and cream (the classic snowflake colors), and works crisply with a 1.75 mm steel hook.
Dip in commercial fabric stiffener or a homemade sugar-water solution (½ cup sugar to ¼ cup boiling water, cooled). Squeeze out excess, pin flat on wax paper, and let dry 24 hours. The result is rigid and holds its shape indefinitely.
Decades, if stored flat in a dry box. Stiffened ornaments can crack if crushed, so pack them in a shallow container with tissue paper between layers. Avoid attics, which get humid and can soften the stiffener.
Yes, but they'll be larger and less lace-like. Sport-weight snowflakes end up about 4–5 inches wide instead of the classic 2.5–3 inch size. Great for gift toppers or garlands.
Yes — a steel crochet hook in the 1.5–2.0 mm range. Standard aluminum hooks start at 2.25 mm, which is too big for size 10 thread. Steel hooks are inexpensive (usually under $5) and last forever.
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