Seasonal

Handmade Christmas runs on a timetable, and the timetable is earlier than it feels. A crocheted gift for twelve people is roughly forty hours of work. Started in December, that is a fortnight of evenings and a certain amount of panic. Started in September, it is pleasant.

Ornaments are the exception. A snowflake takes twenty minutes, a bauble cover about forty, and they use the leftovers of everything else you have made this year. That is why they are first in this section.

Work backwards from the date. Small things any time, gifts by the end of November, anything with a deadline attached to a person by the middle of December at the very latest.

Ornaments and the tree

The fastest wins. Most of these take under an hour and use scraps.

• 24 Christmas ornaments to make this December
• 18 tree ornaments with free patterns
• 20 snowflake patterns that stiffen beautifully
• 15 Christmas ball patterns for a handmade tree
• 14 Christmas tree patterns, mini to mantel

Around the house

Bigger pieces that come out every year, so they are worth the hours.

• 22 Christmas decorations for every room
• 16 stocking patterns with free charts
• 12 wreath ideas for the front door
• 12 garland ideas for mantels and stairs
• 10 tree skirt patterns, free and paid

Gifts, and running out of time

Sorted by how many evenings are left.

• 25 gifts you can finish in a weekend
• 18 quick projects for the last fortnight
• 30 free Christmas patterns for a handmade holiday

When to start each thing

Assumes a few evenings a week rather than full days. Add time if you are making more than one of anything.

Colours that do not look dated in January

Traditional red and green photographs beautifully and looks like decoration the moment the tree comes down. If you want pieces that stay out longer, work in the winter palette instead: cream, oatmeal, silver grey, forest green on its own without the red.

White and silver snowflakes in particular carry through the whole winter, which is worth knowing before you make forty of them.

Questions

When should I start crocheting Christmas gifts?

September for blankets and garments, early November for accessories, and December is fine for ornaments and small items.

What is the quickest crochet Christmas gift?

A set of coasters or a pair of ear warmers. Both take about an hour each and both get used.

How do I stiffen crochet snowflakes?

Sugar solution for one season, diluted PVA glue or commercial stiffener for something that goes back in the box each year. Pin them flat while they dry.

What yarn should I use for Christmas ornaments?

Cotton thread or DK cotton. It holds crisp detail and takes stiffener well. Acrylic goes floppy and does not hold a blocked shape.

Can I crochet a stocking in a weekend?

Yes, in worsted yarn on a 5.0 mm hook, about five hours. Chunky yarn brings it down to three.

How much yarn for a crochet tree skirt?

A 90 cm skirt takes roughly 900 to 1,200 metres of worsted, so six to eight standard skeins.