Homemade Knitted Christmas Ornaments

Hand-knitting and wool yarn evoke warm memories of holidays and pleasant winter days, and so knitting is a perfect medium to create cozy and lovely decorations. All of these ornaments can be enhanced with themed embroidery, fair isle designs, or Christmas colored stripes.

Miniature Scarf Ornament

Using fingering weight or sock yarn scraps and small sized needles (1-3), cast on 6-10 stitches. Knit in garter stitch for about two inches, stopping in the middle of the row.

Cut a toothpick in half and glue a bead on the cut end of each half. Using the pointed end, transfer the stitches to the toothpick halves.

Cut the yarn, leaving a good amount, and roll it into a ball. Put the toothpick "needles" into the mini ball of yarn.

Cut a banner from felt and use a marker to write something like, "Wishing you warmth this Christmas". Use a long needle strung with yarn or fishing line and pierce the ball of yarn and the banner, adding some shiny beads. Tie this into a loop for hanging.

Mini Mittens

Using fingering weight or sock yarn and size 1-3 double pointed needles, cast on 16-22 (in an even number) stitches and work in the round in ribbing for about half an inch. Switch to stockinette and increase one stitch.

On the next round, place a marker, increase one, knit one, increase one, and place another marker. Work even on the next round.

Repeat the last two rounds until there are seven stitches between the markers, then slip the stitches between the markers to waste yarn. Work even on the rest of the stitches until the entire mitten measures about an inch and a half long.

K1, k 2 tog to end of round. Repeat this round until there remain 4-6 stitches. Break off yarn and use it to gather up the remaining stitches.

Pick up the thumb stitches and work in the round for about a quarter of an inch. Repeat decrease rounds and finish the end of the thumb the same way as the end of the hand. Weave in all ends and use them to close any gaps where the thumb meets the hand.

These can be made in pairs and strung together with a crocheted chain, then draped over the tree branches, or they can be hung one at a time with ornament hooks or ribbon loops.

Scented Squares

A very quick and easy knitted ornament can be made from gauge swatches and practice squares. Use Christmas and holiday themed fair isle, cabled or textured patterns and in appropriate colors to match your decorating scheme or in traditional colors, like red and green, or cream and gold. These can be sewn together or can be backed with matching fabric. You can use store bought trims or knitted I-cord to add a decorative edging to each miniature pillow.

Stuff these with poly-fill and add in pine or cinnamon scented potpourri. These are great to hang on the tree, and also lovely to tuck into gifts to add a beautiful festive scent.