How to make Christmas pine tree decorations

Each triangle is red on one side and white on the other, making the pines ideal for grouping as a table centrepiece, where they can be viewed from both sides.

Gather your supplies

17mm-diameter dowel: cut into 1 x 30cm, 1 x 28cm and 1 x 23cm lengths; 3 x 6.5cm terracotta pots; acrylic paint: red and white; 8- or 10-ply yarn: white and scarlet; 1 pair 4.5mm knitting needles; needles: blunt-end yarn and sewing; assorted small buttons: red and white; sewing thread: red and white; polyester fibrefill; florist’s foam; serrated knife; foam glue; cottonwool balls

Tension

Tension is not critical to the success of this project.

Click here for the stitch guide

General knitting abbreviations

dec = decrease; dpns = double-pointed knitting needles; inc = increase (knit into the front and back of the same stitch); K = knit; K2tog = knit 2 stitches together; P = purl; pm = place marker; rem = remain/ ing; rep = repeat; rnd/s = round/s; RS = right side; sl = slip; ssk = (slip, slip, knit) slip 2 stitches, 1 at a time knitwise, insert left-hand needle and knit 2 together; st/s = stitch/es; st st = stocking stitch (knit all RS rows and purl all WS rows); WS = wrong side

Here’s how

Step 1 Paint the dowel lengths white and the terracotta pots red; allow to dry.

Step 2 Complete knitting as follows.

Large trees

Using 4.5mm needles and white yarn, cast on 30 sts. Row 1: (WS): Purl. Row 2: K1, ssk, knit until last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 … 28 sts. Working in st st, dec in this manner every 4th row 7 more times … 14 sts. Then dec in this manner every 6th row 5 more times … 4 sts. Work next 3 rows in st st. Last row: K1, K2tog, K1. Cast off and weave in ends. Rep using the scarlet yarn to make a red large tree triangle.

Medium tree

Using 4.5mm needles and white yarn, cast on 28 sts. Row 1: (WS): Purl. Row 2: K1, ssk, knit until last 3 sts, K2tog, k1 … 26 sts. Working in st st, dec in this manner every 2nd row 3 more times … 20 sts. Dec in this manner every 4th row 4 times … 12 sts. Dec in this manner every 6th row 4 times …4 sts. Purl 1 row. Last row: K1, K2tog, K1. Cast off and weave in ends. Rep using scarlet yarn to make a red medium tree triangle.

Small tree

Using 4.5mm needles and scarlet yarn, cast on 26 sts. Row 1: (WS): Purl. Row 2: K1, ssk, knit until last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 … 24 sts. Working in st st, dec in this manner every 2nd row 4 more times … 16 sts. Dec in this manner every 4th row: 6 times … 4sts. Purl 1 row. Last row: K1, K2tog, K1. Cast off and weave in ends. Rep using the white yarn to make a white small tree triangle.

Step 3 Referring to photo, use a blunt-end yarn needle to backstitch a central trunk and branches onto each tree triangle. Use scarlet yarn on the white triangles and white yarn on the scarlet triangles. Make each vertical backstitch 2 knit stitches long, and each diagonal backstitch 1 knit stitch wide. Finish each branch before the last 2 stitches at the edge of the tree triangle.

Step 4 Sew buttons randomly onto each tree triangle, using machine thread and sewing needle.

Step 5 Pair a tree triangle with a matching white tree triangle, wrong sides together. Use scarlet or white yarn threaded in a blunt-end yarn needle to overcast the edges neatly together, using small neat (invisible) stitches; leave an opening in centre bottom of each tree and a long yarn tail.

Step 6 Lightly stuff each tree with fibrefill through opening, using a knitting needle to poke filling into corners. Stuff just enough that tree stands up.

Step 7 Place opening of stuffed tree over 1 end of corresponding dowel (use longest dowel for largest tree, and so on), pushing dowel into stuffing until dowel end is about 4cm from the treetop. Stuff more fibrefill into opening around dowel. Close openings and weave in the yarn ends.

Step 8 Use a serrated knife to trim a piece of  foam to fit snugly inside each pot. Leave 5mm between top of foam and top of pot. If needed, attach foam to bottom of pot using foam glue. Push exposed end of each dowel into centre of foam in a pot, keeping dowel as straight as possible. Secure dowel with foam glue, if needed.

Step 9 Tear apart cottonwool balls; place on foam to resemble snow.