Crochet Christmas Cactus

Continuing with the somewhat Dickensian idea of Christmas past, here is the ornament/fridgie I featured in my 2006 Xmas Card project. It is so much more fun to make than to write down so I had to work up the pattern from my truly sketchy 2 yr old notes, which were written in pencil, a very light pencil, with a lead that apparently fades a little over time. :-) That will teach me to use ink. ;-)

Ok so here's to a Merry Cacti Christmas:


Festive Version



Subtle(r) Version

Christmas Cacti

Cecilia A. Lira 2006 (revised 2008)

Note: crochet thread sz 10
hook sz 9 (1.75mm)
finished height 2.5”

blsc – sc around back loop of stitch


1) Ch18
right arm
2) ch17, sc7, sc dec, sc7, ch2 turn
3) blsc6, blsc dec, blsc5, 2 blsc last st, ch2 turn
4) blsc dec, blsc3, blsc dec, blsc 7, ch7, turn
body
5) sc 27, ch2 turn
6) blsc 26, 2 blsc next st, ch2 turn
7) blsc 28, ch2 turn
8) blsc 26, blsc dec last 2 st, ch2 turn
left arm
9) blsc dec, blsc 8, ch 15, turn
10) sc 9, sc dec, sc 3, sc in side of next, blsc next sc on body
11) ch2, blsc4, 2 blsc next st, blsc 9, 2 blsc next st, ch2 turn
12) blsc dec, blsc8, 2blsc next st, blsc7, blsc 14, end off


Decorate as desired.

Examples in photos are decorated with gold and silver lame metallic crochet thread, plastic metallic colored star beads, red AB silver lined round hole size 10/0 glass beads and matching metallic sewing thread used to tack down crochet thread at ends and before and after each bead.Final product glued to cardstock for stability.

"Festive" cactus features the "right" side of the pattern and "Subtle(r)" cactus features the "wrong" or reverse side.

Christmas Boot Crochet

A blast from the fairly recent past. I've only been making my own X-mas cards for three years now, but each one has featured a fridgie/applique ornament with a Texan theme. In 2007 it was a Santa Claus Cowboy Boot. I already kinda posted it at Ravelry but I've revised the instructions and added a chart and will link it properly this time.





Santa Cowboy Boot Appliqué - revised

Cecilia A. Lira 2007 (revised 2008)

Note: crochet thread sz 10,
gold lamé crochet thread
hook sz 9 (1.75mm)
finished height 2”


Heel/Sole – Black
1) ch7,ch2 turn
2) sc6, ch2 turn
3) sc6, ch11, end off

Boot Body – Red
Attach at last ch of black
4) ch2, sc3, hdc2, hdc dec , dc3, 2dc in next st, dc6, ch3 turn
5) dc8, hdc2, hdc dec, sc4, sl st, ch1 turn
6) sl st in sc, sc3, sc dec, hdc, hdc & dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc7, ch3 turn
7) – 9) dc9, ch3 turn
10) dc9, end off

Cuff – White
Attach last ch3 of red
11) ch3, 2 dc in same st, dc8, 3dc in last st, ch3 turn
12) dc3, hdc, sc, sl st2, sc, hdc, dc3, ch3, sl st to next st, end off

Strap - Black
Attach at end of R6, ch11, sl st to start of R6, slst11, end off

Buckle – Gold
Attach in 4th dc R5, sl st 2, (turn 90 degrees, sl st3) 3 times, end off