Christmas baubles

A while ago I ordered a box of polystyrene balls of the internet. I had intended to make decorative pretty crochet baubles that I could sell at a craft fair.

However like most of the plans it didn't pan out and I didn't get enough time to make things for sale. I've been trying to think what else I could do with the balls and as I was playing around with the idea of adding some festive characters to my fat friends collection of patterns I decided to combine the ideas.

I wanted to work around the polystyrene ball so the they would be perfect bauble shape and lighter than if I'd use toy stuffing.

I don't have my Christmas tree yet this year but a little bit of raffia has done quite a nice job of the background in these pics.

I started with a robin. not something I've tackled before this was defiantly a pattern I wanted to try.

 So the hat and the body are what covers the ball and you place the ball inside before you start to decrease so that it becomes fully covered

From this basic shape the details are added to create a rather quite fat robin. You can find this pattern here link

I liked how with this one I was able to work the whole body so for the next I stuck with the idea of festive birds and made a penguin.

 I used the full round of the ball for the shape of this one and add a lovely red scarf to make him look lovely and festive.

The pattern for this one can be found here link

The next one I planned to make was a reindeer but I'd used up what I had of the brown cotton yarn on the robin and untill the postman brought me new supplies I would have to have another idea.

I thought of making the balls into heads and my first attempt was a little elf.

 This one evolved in the design as I was making it. I knew I wanted the stripy hat but I added the ears and pointed hat band as I was working him up as he was lacking a bit of character.

 Pattern for this jolly chap can be found here link

Next up I when for a snowman

 I have made lots of snowmen in the past but I have never been very happy with the faces. On this larger bauble I've been able to create the face I really wanted to. The hat isn't stuffed to it gives it a misshapen look that I really like aswell.

The pattern for this one is here pattern link

I could hardly make all these without making Father Christmas.

 I've tried a different design idea for the beard here and I think it looks more realistic than ones I've used in the past. This pattern also uses loop stitch for the hair. With all of these patterns I've tried to think how they will hang on a Christmas tree so the are completely decorated back and front.

 You can find the Santa pattern here link

So thats the final five for this year. Next year I'll use up the rest of the balls and add another five patterns to this set. I know I want a reindeer and a polar bear but I'm not sure what else yet. I think we'll just get this Christmas enjoyed first.

Now I need to get a tree and get these and last years free advents calendar patterns decs, decorating it.