Knitted Mini Christmas Trees

 I've been looking for a suitable jumper in charity shops for ages now to chop up make a knitted Christmas tree. I'm still looking, none of our local shops have had anything I could use. So I thought maybe I could knit my own instead. I've made them quite little so they don't take too long to make.

I've taken a load of photos as I go, especially of the cable bit, so if you can knit a bit but haven't tried cable before I think this would be a great starter project. Don't let the length of the pattern put you off, it's just long because I've written every row out. I thought it would be clearer when to decrease etc.

I'm not sure about the little one, I've not written that pattern up yet, I think it looks better in real life. I might try some buttons or beads to decorate and if I like it then I will post the pattern.* see below for details of the picture in the background

You can make your trees bigger or smaller simply by changing the wool you use and the size of needle. The chunkier the wool - the bigger the needle - the bigger the tree - easy!

Here the larger green tree is 18cm/7" tall and 8cm/3" across at the base, the cream one is 15.5cm/6" tall and 6cm/2.5" wide.

There is a mixture of photos of the green tree and the cream one, the pattern is the same but the cable shows up better on the cream.

First just the pattern for those who already know what they are doing:

Knitted Cable Mini Christmas tree

Approx 25g of wool (I know this is a terrible way to write a pattern but I was just using up oddments, a 25g ball would be plenty)

My green wool was a thick DK(worsted) and I used 4mm needles
My cream wool was also DK but was a bit thinner (go figure) and I used 3.25mm needles
You also need a cable needle approx same size as your regular needle, some stuffing or wadding of some kind & a big sewing needle

cast on 45 stitches
R1: p3 *k4 p3 rep from *
R2: k3 *p4 k3 rep from *
R3: rep R1
R4: rep R2
R5: p3 *c4f p3 rep from *
R6: rep R2
R7: rep R1
R8: rep R2
R9: rep R5
R10: rep R2
R11: p2tog p1 *k4 p2tog p1 rep from * (38sts)
R12: k2 *p4 k2 rep from *
R13: p2 *c4f p2 rep from *
R14: rep R12
R15: p2 *k4 p2 rep from *
R16: rep R12
R17: rep R13
R18: rep R12
R19: rep R15
R20: rep R12
R21: p2tog *c4f p2tog rep from * (31 sts)
R22: k1 *p4 k1 rep from *
R23: p1 *k4 p1 rep from *
R24: rep R22
R25: p1 *c4f p1 rep from *
R26: rep R22
R27: rep R23
R28: rep R22
R29: rep R25
R30: rep R22
R31: p1 *k1 k2tog k1 p1 rep from * (25 sts)
R32: k1 * p3 k1 rep from *
R33: p1 *c2f k1 p1 rep from *
R34: k1 *p3 k1 rep from *
R35: p1 * k3 p1 rep from *
R36: rep R 34
R37: p1 *slip 1 st to cable needle k2tog then knit st from cable needle p1 rep from * (19 sts)
R38: k1 * p2 k1 rep from *
R39: p1 * k2 p1 rep from *
R40: rep R38
R41: p1 *c2f p1 rep from *
R42: rep R38
R43: p1 *k2tog p1 rep from * (13 sts)
R44: work k1 p1 rib starting with k1
R45: work k1 p1 rib starting with p1 
R46: rep R44
R47: p1 * sl1 k1 psso rep from * (7 sts)

Break off wool leaving about a 30cm tail. Thread a big old sewing needle and thread the tail though the remaining stitches and pull up tight.

Fold in half right sides together and slip stitch up the long side to form a cone
Turn right side out
Stuff with wadding making sure to adjust as you go to get a nice even cone shape

To Knit the base:
Cast on 8 st
R1: k to end
R2: p to end
R3: k row inc at both ends (10 sts)
R4: p row inc at both ends (12 sts)
R5: rep R3 (14 sts)
R6: rep R4 (16sts)
work 6 rows stocking stitch starting with a p row
R12: k2tog k to last 2 sts k2tog (14sts)
R13: p2tog p to last 2 sts p2tog (12 sts)
R14: rep R12 (10 sts)
R15: rep R13 (8 sts)
cast off.

Pin then stitch the base in place at the bottom of the cone

* see below for details of the picture in the background

Now exactly the same pattern again with a bit more help:
The black writing is the pattern same as above, the red is me leaning over your shoulder talking to you!

cast on 45 stitches
R1: p3 *k4 p3 rep from *
R2: k3 *p4 k3 rep from *
R3: rep R1
R4: rep R2

It should look like this, a sort of rib:

 R5: p3 *c4f p3 rep from *

I'm showing you here in the middle of a row, just because it's easier to photograph. So you've done your 3 purl stitches, take the wool to the back ready for your knit stitch

c4f means cable 4 stitches to the front. Your little cable twist will be 4 stitches wide in total. Get your cable needle and slide it into the next 2 stitches.

Then slide these two stitches off the regular needle they were on. Now they are just on the cable needle. Bring them to the front

Next you are going to knit the next two stitches on your regular needle. This is a bit of a fiddle because the cable needle is kinda in your way

 Now it should look like this:

Tuck your left regular needle out of the way for a minute and pull the cable needle across to the left. You are now going to knit those two stitches from the cable needle

That's it, c4f - you've done it! see the little twist it's made

R6: rep R2
R7: rep R1
R8: rep R2
R9: rep R5
R10: rep R2
R11: p2tog p1 *k4 p2tog p1 rep from * (38sts)
R12: k2 *p4 k2 rep from *
R13: p2 *c4f p2 rep from *
R14: rep R12
R15: p2 *k4 p2 rep from *
R16: rep R12
R17: rep R13
R18: rep R12
R19: rep R15
R20: rep R12
R21: p2tog *c4f p2tog rep from * (31 sts)
R22: k1 *p4 k1 rep from *
R23: p1 *k4 p1 rep from *
R24: rep R22
R25: p1 *c4f p1 rep from *
R26: rep R22
R27: rep R23
R28: rep R22
R29: rep R25
R30: rep R22
R31: p1 *k1 k2tog k1 p1 rep from * (25 sts)
R32: k1 * p3 k1 rep from *
R33: p1 *c2f k1 p1 rep from *

c2f just means you little twist is now only 2 stitches wide instead of 4,

so you only slide 1 stitch onto the cable needle

R34: k1 *p3 k1 rep from *
R35: p1 * k3 p1 rep from *
R36: rep R 34
R37: p1 *slip 1 st to cable needle k2tog then knit st from cable needle p1 rep from * (19 sts)

So you've just got 1 st on the cable needle and you knit the next 2 stitches together, then knit your one from the cable needle

R38: k1 * p2 k1 rep from *
R39: p1 * k2 p1 rep from *
R40: rep R38
R41: p1 *c2f p1 rep from *
R42: rep R38
R43: p1 *k2tog p1 rep from * (13 sts)
R44: work k1 p1 rib starting with k1
R45: work k1 p1 rib starting with p1 
R46: rep R44
R47: p1 * sl1 k1 psso rep from * (7 sts)

s1 means slip one - you just slip the next stitch onto the right needle without doing anything to it. psso means pass slip stitch over.

So here you slip a stitch, knit the next stitch:

 then use your left needle to pick up the slipped stitch

 and pass it over the one you've just knitted

Break off wool leaving about a 30cm tail. Thread a big old sewing needle and thread the tail though the remaining stitches and pull up tight.

Fold in half right sides together and slip stitch up the long side to form a cone

Turn right side out
Stuff with wadding making sure to squidge it and adjust as you go to get a nice even cone shape

To Knit the base:
Cast on 8 st
R1: k to end
R2: p to end
R3: k row inc at both ends (10 sts)
R4: p row inc at both ends (12 sts)
R5: rep R3 (14 sts)
R6: rep R4 (16sts)
work 6 rows stocking stitch starting with a p row
R12: k2tog k to last 2 sts k2tog (14sts)
R13: p2tog p to last 2 sts p2tog (12 sts)
R14: rep R12 (10 sts)
R15: rep R13 (8 sts)
cast off.

It should look a bit like this:

Pin then stitch the base in place at the bottom of the cone

Use a load of pins, ease it round carefully before you start to

stitch, make sure it's even

You could just cut a circle of felt for the base if you prefer, or even crochet a little circle if that's your thing. My nan always crocheted anything that needed to be round, like the base of snowmen, hats for toys etc as she said crocheting round things is easy, whereas knitting round things is much more difficult.

*The Christmassy picture behind was one I printed from the lovely How to nest for less last year, it's in an old frame just covered with Washi tape, first red then green. It is still available for free download along with loads more lovely printables.

Our charming sons are not enamoured with the cream coloured tree, I was aiming for a country chic look and they advise it looks like a ice cream cone! Ah well, you can't please everyone!

Update: I've sewn a few buttons on, I found a button with a star for the top of this cream one which I'm not sure about. 

The little one I quite like with it's tiny buttons, the top is a mini peg that already had a silver star on it, I just painted the star red with nail varnish.

What do you think, better with or without?

You might also be interested in:

Crochet Owl Brooch

Christmas Scrabble Sign

Gift Boxes from Old Cards

Reindeer Noses

I'll be linking up at all these great link parties, pop over and have a little look round at all the lovely ideas.