This is the one that took me longest and that I’m fondest of. A green spiral coil with a string of warm fairy lights wound through it, eleven tiny charms hanging off the coils, and a gold bell with a tassel at the bottom so it chimes faintly when you walk past.
The spiral itself takes under an hour. The charms are what take the evenings. You do not have to make all eleven, and I’d honestly suggest starting with five or six and adding more each year, because they are a nice thing to have on the go while you watch something.
What you’ll need
DK cotton is what I used throughout. Cotton keeps the small pieces sharp and the spiral firm. You need small amounts of green, dark red, white, caramel, cream, brown and mustard, and a scrap of black and pink for faces.
A 2.5 mm hook for everything, held a little tight so the stuffing stays hidden.
You’ll also want polyester fibrefill, 3 mm black safety eyes or black embroidery thread, a small gold bell, about a metre of 0.8 mm florist wire, a battery operated copper wire fairy light string, a tapestry needle and a stitch marker.
Finished length is around 50 cm from the hanging loop to the bottom of the tassel.
Abbreviations are US terms. ch is chain, sl st is slip stitch, sc is single crochet, hdc is half double crochet, dc is double crochet, inc is two stitches in one, dec is an invisible decrease, MR is magic ring, BLO is back loops only.
Part 1. The green spiral
In green, ch 130. Keep the chain relaxed and even.
Row 1. Ch 2, which does not count as a stitch. Work 2 dc into the third chain from the hook and 2 dc into every chain across. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
It curls as you work, which is what’s meant to happen. Two dc per chain gives the open coil in the photo. If you want a tighter, springier spiral with more turns, use 3 dc per chain instead.
Thread florist wire through the base of the stitches along the inner edge of the coil before you hang anything on it. Fold both ends over by a centimetre and tuck them back in. Without this, the coil will slowly pull open under the weight of eleven charms and the finished piece will sag by January.
Part 2. Star
Make two in cream. 10 sc in MR (10), inc in every stitch (20), then inc and sc repeated around (30). For the points, sl st in the next stitch, work sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st in the second ch from the hook, dc, hdc, sc into the next stitch, then sl st in the next. Repeat five more times.
Embroider two black dot eyes and a small smile on one piece, add pink cheeks, then join the two halves with sc through both layers, stuffing lightly.
Part 3. Snowflake
In white. MR, ch 1, 12 sc into the ring, sl st to join. Next round, ch 3, skip one sc, sl st in the next sc, repeated around for six loops.
For each arm, working into a ch 3 loop, ch 8, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next two ch, ch 4, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next two ch, sl st back into the stem, sc in the next two ch of the stem, ch 4, sl st in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next two ch, sl st back into the stem, sc in the remaining ch, then sl st into the next loop. Repeat for all six arms.
Stiffen it in a strong sugar solution or fabric stiffener and pin it flat to dry.
Part 4. Stocking
In red, starting at the sole. Ch 6. Work 2 sc into the second ch from the hook, sc in the next three ch, 4 sc into the last ch, then working along the other side of the chain, sc in the next three ch, 2 sc into the last ch and join (14).
Rounds 2 and 3. Sc around (14) Round 4. Sc four times, dec twice, sc six times (12) Round 5. Sc three times, dec, sc seven times (11) Rounds 6 to 9. Sc around (11), which forms the leg Change to white. Rounds 10 and 11. Sc around (11). Fasten off.
Stuff lightly and add a tiny green sprig and two red French knots at the cuff for holly.
Part 5. Gingerbread man
Head in caramel. 6 sc in MR, inc six times (12), sc and inc repeated six times (18), sc for three rounds, sc and dec repeated six times (12), stuff, dec six times and close.
Body in caramel. 6 sc in MR, inc six times (12), sc three times and inc repeated three times (15), sc for four rounds, sc three times and dec repeated three times (12), stuff, dec six times and close.
Arms and legs, make four. 5 sc in MR, sc for four rounds, flatten and fasten off.
Sew it all together, embroider white zigzag icing at the wrists and ankles, add two black eyes and a white smile, and tie a small red bow at the neck from a 15 chain length.
Part 6. Little red house
Walls in red, worked flat. Ch 9, sc in the second ch from the hook and across (8). Work five more rows of sc. Fasten off.
Roof in white, worked flat. Ch 11, sc across (10). Row 2, dec, sc six times, dec (8). Row 3, dec, sc four times, dec (6). Row 4, dec, sc twice, dec (4). Row 5, dec twice (2). Fasten off.
Sew the roof to the top of the walls with a slight overhang on each side. Embroider a brown door with a yellow window beside it, and a small chimney worked as a two by two square in red sewn to the roof.
Part 7. Wreath
In green. Ch 14 and join into a ring with a sl st. Work 30 sc around the ring, covering the chain completely, then join.
Next round, sc in the next stitch, then work a bobble in the following stitch, repeated around. A bobble here is four unfinished dc in the same stitch pulled through together. Fasten off.
Add a red bow made from a 14 chain strip tied at the middle, and scatter five red French knots around the ring for berries.
Part 8. Gift box
In red. 8 sc in MR (8), inc eight times (16), sc in BLO around (16), sc for three rounds (16), dec eight times (8), stuff firmly and close.
Wrap green ribbon over it by chaining two lengths of 12, crossing them over the top and stitching them down at the sides. Add a small green bow on top.
Part 9. Bauble with snowflake
In white. 6 sc in MR (6), inc six times (12), sc for three rounds (12), dec six times (6), stuff and close.
Embroider a simple red six point snowflake on one side using straight stitches, three crossed lines with small side spurs.
Part 10. Mini tree
In green, from the top down. 4 sc in MR (4), inc and sc twice (6), sc around (6), inc and sc twice repeated twice (8), sc around (8), inc and sc three times repeated twice (10), sc around (10), inc and sc four times repeated twice (12), sc around (12), stuff firmly.
Change to brown. Sc in BLO around (12), sc and dec repeated four times (8), sc around (8), dec four times (4), close.
Add a few red French knots and a cream one at the tip.
Part 11. Santa head
In cream. 6 sc in MR (6), inc six times (12), sc and inc repeated six times (18), sc twice and inc repeated six times (24), then sc for five rounds (24). Eyes go in between rounds 6 and 7, five stitches apart. Then sc twice and dec repeated six times (18), sc and dec repeated six times (12), stuff, dec six times and close.
Beard in white, worked flat. Ch 11, sc across (10). Next row, sc twice, hdc twice, dc twice, hdc twice, sc twice. Final row, edge the curved side with sl st, ch 2, sl st in the same stitch, repeated across for bobbles. Sew it under the eyes around the outside edge only.
Hat in red, from the tip down. 4 sc in MR, sc two rounds, then increase two stitches every round until you reach 24, working a plain round in between whenever the shaping starts pulling. Change to white for two final rounds. Add a white pom pom made from 6 sc in MR, inc six times, sc around, dec six times, stuff and close. Sew the hat on with the tip flopping sideways.
Part 12. Candy cane
In red and white. 4 sc in MR, then sc around for 20 rounds, changing colour every two rounds. Slide a length of florist wire down the middle as you go, or push it in at the end. Bend the top over into a hook and close the end.
Part 13. Bell and tassel
Wrap green and red yarn around a 6 cm piece of card about thirty times. Slide it off, tie tightly at one end, cut the other end and trim it level. Thread the gold bell onto the tie and attach the whole thing to the very bottom of the spiral.
Putting it together
Shape the spiral first and lock the wire, then wind the fairy lights around the coil from top to bottom, tucking the copper wire under the stitches as you go so it holds without any sewing.
Make a hanging cord for each charm by chaining a length in cream and slip stitching back along it. Vary the lengths on purpose, from 6 chains for the highest charms up to 20 for the lowest.
Now lay the whole thing flat on the table and arrange the charms before you sew anything. Alternate heavy charms with light ones, and alternate sides, one on the left of the coil and the next on the right. That single habit is what stops the garland twisting sideways once it’s hanging up.
Sew each cord to the underside of the coil so the stitching is hidden. Heavier charms like Santa and the house sit better attached at two points a couple of stitches apart.
Finish with the star at the top, a 30 chain hanging loop behind it, and the bell and tassel at the bottom.
Hang it up and leave it for a day before you weave in the last ends. You’ll want to move something, everyone does.
Questions I get asked
How long does the whole thing take? Around fifteen hours spread across a couple of weeks. The spiral is under an hour. The charms are everything else.
Can I skip the fairy lights? Yes, though the lights are what make it read as a Christmas piece rather than a mobile, especially in a dark hallway. Use a warm white string, not cool white.
Is it safe for a nursery? Not with safety eyes and a battery pack. Embroider all faces, leave out the lights, and hang it out of reach.