Seven cream cords hang from a wooden rod, and each one carries a mix of layered poinsettias, small gold balls and soft cream stars. The colors are classic holiday colors: deep cranberry red, sage-olive green, mustard gold and warm cream. Hung in a doorway, it frames the room behind it without blocking it.
Each poinsettia has pointed red petals with a crisp single-crochet edge, green leaves tucked behind them, and a gold center of six bobbles. The stars are flat with five points. The gold balls are small stuffed spheres that sit on the cords like beads.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The hanging measures 28 in (71.1 cm) wide and 35 in (88.9 cm) long, measured from the underside of the rod to the end of the longest cord.
You make every piece separately. You give each petal and leaf a border round, build the poinsettias on small base discs, sew all pieces to the cords at set positions, and then fold the cords over the rod.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 28 in (71.1 cm) wide × 35 in (88.9 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hooks: 4.5 mm (US 7) for flowers and stars, 3.75 mm (US F-5) for balls, 5.0 mm (US H-8) for cords
- Number of pieces: 9 poinsettias (1 large, 8 small), 15 stars, 21 balls, 7 cords
- Layout: 7 cords spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart, with items at 7 levels
- Piece sizes: small poinsettia 5.25 in (13.3 cm), large poinsettia 7.5 in (19.1 cm), star 2.25 in (5.7 cm), ball 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
- Size before border: small petal 2 in × 1 in (5.1 × 2.5 cm), large petal 3 in × 1 in (7.6 × 2.5 cm)
- Border depth: 1/8 in (0.3 cm) along the sides and 1/4 in (0.6 cm) at the tip
Materials
Use a smooth worsted yarn in acrylic or a wool blend so the stitches show clearly. Fuzzy yarn will blur the petal edges.
- Cranberry red: 60 g / 120 m
- Sage-olive green: 55 g / 110 m
- Mustard gold: 55 g / 110 m
- Cream: 75 g / 150 m
Tools:
– 4.5 mm, 3.75 mm and 5.0 mm hooks
– Polyester fiberfill (a small handful)
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Rust-proof pins
– Blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Measuring tape
– Wooden dowel, 28 in (71.1 cm) long and 3/4 in (1.9 cm) thick
– Two cup hooks for hanging
These quantities include a margin of about 25% for swatching, tails and sewing.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec – sc2tog
- MR – magic ring
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Bobble (3-dc bobble): *Yo, insert hook in the stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops. Repeat from * 2 more times in the same stitch (4 loops on hook). Yo and pull through all 4 loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc × 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) with the 4.5 mm hook.
Make one small petal with its border before you start production.
Checkpoints:
– Small petal after Rnd 1: 2 in (5.1 cm) long
– Small petal after border: 2.25 in × 1.25 in (5.7 × 3.2 cm)
– Small disc: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
– Star: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) from tip to tip
– Ball: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
– Cord: 12 sl st = 4 in (10.2 cm)
If a piece comes out too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If it’s too small, go up 0.5 mm. Always change the hook, not the stitch counts, because the flower assembly depends on exact counts.
Small Petal (Red) and Small Leaf (Green)
Use the 4.5 mm hook. The petal and the leaf follow the same pattern.
Ch 9.
Rnd 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch. Rotate and work along the opposite side of the chain: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, sc in last ch (the same ch as the first sl st), ch 2, sl st in first sl st. (17 sts: 7 per side + 3 at the base, plus a ch-2 tip)
The stitches go up to dc in the middle and back down to sc at each end, which gives the pointed leaf shape. The two halves meet along the chain, which forms the faint center line. Don’t fasten off. Continue with the Border round below.
Large Petal (Red) and Large Leaf (Green)
Use the 4.5 mm hook.
Ch 13.
Rnd 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 6 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the opposite side: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 6 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, sc in last ch, ch 2, sl st in first sl st. (25 sts: 11 per side + 3 at the base, plus a ch-2 tip)
Continue with the Border round.
Base Discs (Green)
Small disc
– Rnd 1: MR, 5 sc, join. (5)
– Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (10)
– Rnd 3: (sc, inc) 5 times. (15)
Fasten off. The disc measures 1.25 in (3.2 cm) and has 5 sections of 3 stitches.
Large disc: Work Rnds 1–3 as for the small disc, then:
– Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 sts, inc) 5 times. (20)
Fasten off. The disc measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm) and has 5 sections of 4 stitches.
Bobble Center (Gold)
- Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc, join. (6)
- Rnd 2: (Ch 2, bobble, ch 2, sl st) all in next sc. Repeat from * 5 more times. (6 bobbles)*
Pull the ring closed tightly. Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. The center measures about 1 in (2.5 cm).
Star (Cream)
- Rnd 1: MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 9 dc in ring, join to top of ch-3. (10 dc)
- Rnd 2: Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, skip next dc, sl st in next dc. Repeat from * 4 more times. (5 points)*
Each point uses 2 dc (5 × 2 = 10). The last sl st lands on the join. Fasten off and leave a tail. The star measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Ball (Gold)
Use the 3.75 mm hook and work in continuous rounds.
- Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
- Rnd 2: Inc 6 times. (12)
- Rnd 3: (Sc, inc) 6 times. (18)
- Rnds 4–5: Sc around. (18)
- Rnd 6: (Sc, dec) 6 times. (12) Stuff firmly.
- Rnd 7: Dec 6 times. (6)
Close the opening and keep the tail. The ball measures 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
Cords (Cream)
Use the 5.0 mm hook with 2 strands held together.
Make the chain listed below, then work Row 1: sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and of each ch across.
| Cord | Chain | Sl st | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, G | 106 | 105 | 35 in (88.9 cm) |
| B, F | 112 | 111 | 37 in (94.0 cm) |
| C, E | 118 | 117 | 39 in (99.1 cm) |
| D | 124 | 123 | 41 in (104.1 cm) |
Each length includes 6 in (15.2 cm) at the top for the rod loop.
Make All Pieces
Red:
– 45 small petals (40 for the small flowers + 5 inner petals for the large flower)
– 5 large petals
Green:
– 40 small leaves
– 5 large leaves
– 8 small discs
– 1 large disc
Gold:
– 9 centers
– 21 balls
Cream:
– 15 stars
– 7 cords
Work the Border round on every petal and leaf before you assemble anything.
Layout grid (ST = star, BA = ball, P = small poinsettia, LP = large poinsettia, — = empty):
Level (depth) A B C D E F G
L1 5 in ST BA ST LP ST BA ST
L2 9.5 in BA P BA BA BA P BA
L3 14 in ST BA ST ST ST BA ST
L4 18.5 in BA ST P BA P ST BA
L5 23 in ST BA BA P BA BA ST
L6 27.5 in BA P ST BA ST P BA
L7 32 in — — BA P BA — —
Level depths in cm: 12.7, 24.1, 35.6, 47.0, 58.4, 69.9 and 81.3 cm.
Depths are measured from the underside of the rod to the center of each item.
Totals: 15 stars, 21 balls, 8 small poinsettias, 1 large poinsettia.
Joining
Small poinsettia:
1. Use whipstitch through both loops, one stitch into one stitch.
2. On the front of a small disc, sew the 3 base sc of each red petal onto one 3-stitch section of Rnd 3. That’s 5 petals × 3 = 15 stitches, so the disc is used up with no gaps.
3. On the back, sew each green leaf across 3 stitches that straddle the seam between two petals, so the leaf tips show between the red petals.
4. Sew the gold center over the middle of the front.
Large poinsettia:
1. Sew the 4 base sc of each large red petal onto one 4-stitch section of Rnd 4 (5 × 4 = 20).
2. Sew the 5 inner small petals onto the front of Rnd 3, 3 stitches each and centered between the outer petals.
3. Sew the large leaves onto the back of Rnd 4, 4 stitches each, straddling the seams.
4. Add the center.
Tension: Pull each sewing stitch just snug. If you pull too hard, the disc puckers and the petals cup forward.
Cords:
1. Lay the cords flat and mark the levels with pins.
2. Center each item on its cord. The cord runs behind the poinsettias and stars.
3. Tack each poinsettia through the back of the disc across 1 in (2.5 cm) of cord.
4. Tack each star through the center ring and the top point.
5. Tack each ball at its top and bottom.
Rod:
1. Drape the top 6 in (15.2 cm) of each cord over the rod from front to back.
2. Bind the tail to the cord just below the rod with a 1/2 in (1.3 cm) wrap of cream yarn.
3. Space the cords 4 in (10.2 cm) apart, starting 2 in (5.1 cm) from each end of the rod. The cords then span 24 in (61.0 cm).
Size checkpoint: The hanging lengths below the rod should be:
– A and G: 29 in (73.7 cm)
– B and F: 31 in (78.7 cm)
– C and E: 33 in (83.8 cm)
– D: 35 in (88.9 cm)
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc per inch, the same as the main gauge.
Small petal and leaf border (Rnd 2): Ch 1, sc in the same st as the join and in the next 6 sts (7 sc on side 1), sc in each of the next 3 base sts (3), sc in the next 7 sts (7 on side 2), (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip sp, then join. (19 sc)
- 8 per side (7 side sts + 1 tip sc)
- 3 at the base
- 8 + 8 + 3 = 19
Large petal and leaf border (Rnd 2): Ch 1, sc in the same st and the next 10 sts (11), sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st (4 at the base), sc in the next 11 sts (11), (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip sp, then join. (28 sc)
- 12 per side
- 4 at the base
- 12 + 12 + 4 = 28
Why the math works:
– A small side is 2 in (5.1 cm) long, and 2 in × 4 sc per inch = 8 sc. A large side is 3 in (7.6 cm), and 3 in × 4 sc per inch = 12 sc. One sc per stitch keeps the edges flat.
– The extra sc on each side of the ch-2 sharpens the tip without ruffling.
– The extra base stitch on the large petal makes its base 4 stitches wide, matching the 4-stitch sections on the large disc.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist all the petals, leaves and stars.
- Pin each petal flat with one pin at the tip. Pin each star at its 5 points.
- Press the bobble centers gently into a dome with your fingers.
- Let everything dry completely, for about 12 hours.
- After assembly, hang the piece and let the cords straighten for 24 hours.
- Steam any cord that twists, holding the iron above it without touching.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Small petals measure 2.25 in (5.7 cm). Large petals measure 3.25 in (8.3 cm).
- Small poinsettias measure 5.25 in (13.3 cm). The large one measures 7.5 in (19.1 cm).
- Green leaf tips show evenly between the red petals.
- Every item sits at its correct level on the grid.
- The cords are 4 in (10.2 cm) apart and the rod is level.
- All tails are woven in and no stuffing shows through the balls.
Troubleshooting
- Petals cup forward: The sewing is too tight, or the border is too tight. Re-sew, or redo the border with a hook 0.5 mm larger.
- Petal tips are blunt: Check that you worked (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip space.
- Gaps on the disc: You’re off by one stitch in a section. Count 3 (or 4) stitches per section.
- Star points curl: Block them, or use a looser chain for the points.
- Cord is too long: Unravel stitches from the bottom end, 3 per inch.
- Hanging tilts: Even out the spacing of the cords on the rod.
Care
Spot clean only. Store the hanging flat or rolled loosely in a box with tissue between the cords.
Final Notes
The measurement chain:
1. A gauge of 4 sc per inch gives 2 in (5.1 cm) and 3 in (7.6 cm) petals.
2. The border brings them to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) and 3.25 in (8.3 cm).
3. Petals sewn stitch-for-stitch onto 15- and 20-stitch discs make 5.25 in (13.3 cm) and 7.5 in (19.1 cm) flowers.
4. Cords at 12 sl st per 4 in (10.2 cm) give hanging lengths of 29–35 in (73.7–88.9 cm).
5. Seven cords spaced 4 in (10.2 cm) apart on the 28 in (71.1 cm) rod complete the hanging.
Happy crocheting!