The smallest thing in my Christmas box and the one I make most of. A white star, a short coil hanging beneath it, and a scattering of gold beads. It takes about forty minutes and uses almost no yarn, which makes it the obvious answer when you need eight identical gifts by Friday.
It is also the best possible introduction to crochet spirals. One row of stitches into a chain, and it curls up on its own.
What you’ll need
Size 3 crochet cotton or 4 ply cotton in white or cream. One 20 g ball makes about four of these.
A 2.5 mm hook.
You’ll also want about eight gold beads, 4 mm, a scrap of fibrefill, and a tapestry needle.
Finished length is about 13 cm plus the hanging cord.
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, MR is magic ring.
The star
Make two pieces.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR (6) Round 2. Inc six times (12) Round 3. Sc, inc, repeated six times (18)
For the points, sl st in the next stitch, then work sc, hdc, dc, ch 2, sl st in the second ch from the hook, dc, hdc, sc all into the next stitch, then sl st in the following stitch. Repeat four more times. Fasten off, leaving a long tail on the second piece.
Hold the two halves wrong sides together and sc through both layers all the way round, pushing in a wisp of stuffing before you close the last point.
Sew one gold bead to the centre of the front.
The spiral
In the same white, ch 45. Keep the chain relaxed.
Row 1. Ch 1, then work 2 hdc into the second chain from the hook and 2 hdc into every chain across. Do not fasten off.
Row 2. Turn and work sc into every stitch across the full length.
Row 3. Turn and work sc into every stitch across again. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Three rows is what gives you the wide flat band rather than a thin curled edge, and it is the difference between this looking like a ribbon wrapped round an invisible cylinder and looking like a piece of frilled trim. By row 3 the work will be coiling hard, so follow the curve with your hands instead of trying to hold it flat.
Two half doubles per chain gives the open evenly spaced coil in the photo, with the turns sitting a good centimetre apart. Three per chain gives a tighter spring with more turns if you prefer that, though on a band this wide the turns start to touch.
There is no wire in this one, so the band itself has to hold the shape. If your coil sags or the turns bunch up, wet the finished spiral, wind it gently around a marker pen or a thin candle, and let it dry there overnight. It will hold that spacing afterwards.
The bottom bobble
In white. 5 sc in MR (5), inc five times (10), sc around (10), then dec five times (5). Push in a tiny pinch of stuffing and close, leaving a long tail.
Putting it together
Sew the top end of the spiral to the back of the star, going through the same spot several times, because this join carries the whole coil.
Sew the bobble to the bottom end of the spiral. It weighs the coil down slightly, which is what stops the ornament twisting on the tree.
Sew the remaining gold beads along the outer edge of the coil, roughly one per turn, alternating sides so they do not all sit in a line. Pass your thread through each bead twice, because single pass beads work loose within a season.
Make the hanging cord by chaining 30 and slip stitching back along it, then fold it into a loop and attach it behind the star.
Notes and variations
Make a set in cream, white and pale grey and hang them together on one branch.
A gold thread version worked in metallic yarn looks expensive and takes exactly the same time.
Scale it up by chaining 70 instead of 45 for a much longer coil, though at that length it will need a heavier bead at the bottom to hang straight.
For a garland, make ten and string them along a length of cord with a wooden bead between each.
Questions I get asked
Why is my coil floppy? You skipped the second row, or your tension is loose. Row 2 is what gives it body.
Which way should it coil? Whichever way your chain twisted. It does not matter and you cannot easily control it, so let it do what it wants.
Can I use DK yarn? Yes, and it will be quicker, but the result is chunkier and less delicate. Go up to a 3.5 mm hook.
How long does it take? Around forty minutes once you have made one, so a set of eight is a single evening.