A playful hanging Christmas ornament with a small crocheted star at the top and a long curling spiral below. Worked in festive red, green, white and gold, the finished decoration twists naturally and looks beautiful on a tree, garland, doorway or gift package.
Finished length is approximately 28 to 38 cm from the top of the hanging loop to the end of the spiral, depending on the starting chain and yarn tension.
What you’ll need
DK cotton or acrylic yarn in red, dark green, white and gold
3 mm to 3.5 mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle and scissors
Optional small wooden bead for the star centre
Abbreviations are US terms. ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, tr = treble crochet, dtr = double treble crochet, MR = magic ring, inc = increase and BLO = back loop only.
Construction overview
The ornament is made in two pieces: a five-point star and a long multicolour spiral. The spiral is crocheted flat first and curls automatically because several stitches are worked into each foundation chain. The two pieces are then sewn together and a hanging loop is added.
Five-point star centre
With gold yarn, make MR and work 10 sc into the ring. Join.
Round 2. *Ch 5. Starting in second chain work sc, hdc, dc, tr. Skip one stitch of the centre and sl st into the next stitch.* Repeat five times.
This creates five pointed arms. Fasten off.
Optional star border
For a fuller star, join yarn at the base of one point and work sc evenly around the entire star.
At each tip work sc, ch 2, sc into the tip stitch.
Fasten off and block lightly.
Spiral foundation
Choose the desired length and ch 70 to 100. A longer chain creates a longer ornament.
Starting in second chain from hook, work 3 dc into every chain across.
The strip will begin curling almost immediately. Do not try to flatten it.
Two-colour spiral
For a candy-cane effect, work the foundation and first row in red.
Join white yarn along one long edge and work one round of sc or hdc.
Repeat on the opposite edge if you want an even stronger colour contrast.
Green and gold version
Use dark green for the main spiral and gold for the edging.
A thin line of surface slip stitches in gold can be added down the centre of the green strip for extra sparkle without using metallic yarn.
Joining star and spiral
Sew the top of the spiral securely to the lower centre of the star.
Keep the spiral free to rotate so it hangs naturally.
If desired, sew a small bead into the centre of the star.
Hanging loop
Join yarn at the top point of the star.
Ch 25 to 35, then sl st back into the same point.
Fasten off securely.
Shaping the curl
After finishing, hold the top and gently rotate the spiral in the direction it naturally wants to twist.
If the curl looks uneven, lightly mist the strip and reshape it by hand while damp.
Colour ideas
Classic candy cane: red and white with a gold star.
Traditional: green and red with a gold star.
Elegant: cream and gold.
Winter: white and icy blue with a silver-grey star.
Questions I get asked
Why does the strip curl? Working multiple tall stitches into each chain forces the fabric to spiral.
Can I make it shorter? Yes. Start with fewer chains.
Can I use bulky yarn? Yes, but use fewer starting chains because the ornament will become much larger.
Pattern note
| This pattern is an original visual reconstruction inspired by the reference image, not a transcription of a published pattern. Exact stitch counts may need small adjustments depending on yarn, hook size, tension and desired finished dimensions. |