Crochet Jingle Bells

It’s that time of the year, the time of year when the kids get sick..one after the other…never ending sickness. So while we were having a sick day on the couch, watching a movie, I took out my crochet hook and a little yarn and made Jingle Bells! I thought I would squeeze in this one last holiday craft before Christmas 🙂

Materials:
– Worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in mustard)
– Size G6 (4.00mm) Crochet Hook
– Poly-fil
– Jingle bells (if you want to it to jingle). Mine are from Craftprojectideas.com.
– Tapestry needle
– Black felt
– Jingle Bell Template from Sugarbelle’s Jingle Bell Cookies (my inspiration for this crochet pattern!)

Abbreviations:
Magic Ring Tutorial
SC = Single Crochet
SC Decrease = Single Crochet Decrease
ch = chain

Jingle Bell Ball Pattern:
Magic Ring, chain 1, make 6 SC in ring, join, ch 1
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around, join, ch 1 (12 SC)
Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next stitch, join, ch 1 (18 SC)
Round 4-5: SC in each stitch around, join, ch 1
Round 6: Slip stitch in front loops only in each stitch around (18 Slip Stitches)
Round 7: Now in back loops only (of round 5, not the slip stitch), SC in each back loop around (18 SC)
Round 8: SC decrease, SC in next 4, repeat around
Round 9: SC decrease, SC in next 2, repeat around (you will end with a SC decrease)
At this point you will want to stuff it with poly-fil and add a jingle bell (or two) if you want it to actually jingle 🙂
Round 10: SC decrease until closed.
Fasten off leaving long tail. Weave tapestry needle through the center of the jingle bell so your tail is now sticking out of the top of the bell. Tie a small loop and then weave in ends. The loop is used for hanging your bell.

I used the bottom left hand corner bell as the template to cut my felt. Fortunately felt is very forgiving so if your lines and circles are perfect when you trace or cut, it barely shows 🙂 I used a dab of hot glue in the very center then all 4 circles and glued it on the bottom of my bell. The bottom of your bell should be the part where you made the SC Decreases.