Thrifty MummyHen

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Advent has begun

Four weeks until Christmas, I love Christmas – I had hot Christmases as child when we lived in Africa and cold Christmases here in England, both very different – the food, traditions, and obviously the weather but the constant was the family being together, carols and church.

How do you prepare for Christmas?

I have ordered meat and poultry from the butcher – in previous years I’ve used high street supermarkets but in more recent years I like to support the local butcher.

I have made drink – mentioned here in my previous post. This will be decanted in the next week or so ready for gifting.

I have made food and stocked the freezer for the days after Christmas and New Year before life gets back to normal in January. I am hoping to take time off from work and have a rest so I little planning ahead will help.

I have been crocheting a table running – my poinsettia table runner. I used 100% cotton and a 4mm hook.

Start with yellow, create a magic loop or chain 6 to form a circle/loop, chain 3 (counts as 1tr), 11tr in to the same space. Slip stitch into the first stitch to join. 12 stitches in total.

Change to red and work 12, 2tr & chain 1 clusters into each space. Slip stitch into the first stitch to join.

Change to green and work 12, 3tr & chain 1 clusters into each space. Slip stich into the first stitch to join.

Change to white into the next space work 2tr, chain 1, 2tr 1chain.

Into the next space work 2 dtr (double trebles), chain 3, 2 dtr, chain 1. This forms a corner cluster.

Into the next space work *2tr, chain 1, 2tr 1chain*. Repeat * *

Into the next space work 2 dtr (double trebles), chain 3, 2 dtr, chain 1. This forms the second corner cluster.

Repeat until you get back to the beginning the format is two clusters [2tr, chain 1, 2tr 1chain] in between each corner cluster.

I joined as I went along but you could create all the squares and then crochet them together. There are a few ends to sew in but its worth the effort.