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40 Below Ornaments
These elegant little ornaments celebrate the magical beauty of -40 winter days. Under sunshine at frigid temperatures, everything becomes crisp and clear. Snow and ice shimmer, hoarfrost sparkles, and water droplets freeze instantly. The pattern provides a selection of motifs creating a set of similar but unique ornaments. Polystyrene or styrofoam balls provide shape and structure for the ornaments.
Each ornament requires one 3” polystyrene or styrofoam ball and approximately 40 yards of fingering weight yarn in the base color plus 20 yards in the overlay color. They work up quickly and are perfect for using up leftover sock yarn!
A clever construction technique permits these ornaments to be made without the necessity of awkward knitting over the polystyrene or styrofoam balls. The ornament bases are made in two sections with all necessary increases worked in stockinette in the base color. These pieces are then placed over a ball and grafted together using kitchener stitch. This requires a bit of patience but is much easier and enjoyable than trying to knit around a solid ball. The lace overlays are worked separately and then tacked in place.
Sizing: 3 inches in diameter
Yarn Requirements: fingering weight yarn: 40 yards base color; 20 yards overlay color
Needles: 2.5 mm (US 1.5) double point needles
Gauge: 8 stitches and 11 rounds = 1 inch in stockinette
Skills/Techniques Required:(Pattern provides instructions and links to assist with unfamiliar techniques)
working small circumferences in the round
circular cast-on
lace including dropped and wrapped stitches
grafting using kitchener stitch
finger knitting for hanging loops