Crocheted Jingle Bell Garland

When I think of my grandmother, I think of crocheting, as she taught me how to do it. All grandmas and non-grandmas, whether they’re crocheters or not, would love this bright and twinkly chained garland for their Christmas tree. Now, before you roll your eyes and say, ‘BUT I CAN’T CROCHET’, take note…this is soooo easy, ANYONE can do it. Even non-crocheters. So, let’s get started.    

Supplies:

• one package (50 count) 15mm jingle bells
• 1 ball of red wool, worsted weight (left over from the felted Christmas package ornament)
• one darning needle 
• one size H crochet hook (YES, we’re using a crochet hook, but don’t get all sweaty about it!)

Step 1:

WHILE IT’S STILL IN A BALL/ON THE SKEIN, thread your yarn onto the darning needle and thread ALL of the jingle bells onto it.

You’ll want to unravel several yards of the yarn and slip the jingle bells along it, spacing them out about a foot from each other. As you work, you’ll be unraveling more yarn and therefore scooting the bells still on the working yarn further along and still keeping them about a foot apart. (If this sounds confusing, it isn’t. All will become apparent as you work. You’ll figure out what I mean.)

Step 2:

Crochet time! When you’re done threading on all the bells, take out the darning needle and form a slip knot at the beginning of your yarn. Place the knot on the crochet hook and snug it up–but not too tight!

Bring the closest jingle ball on the yarn up to the slip knot and, using the hook to grab the yarn (pictured below), bring the yarn through the loop that’s on your hook.

Congrats! You’ve just made one crochet chain! 

*Now grab the yarn again with the hook and bring it through the loop on the hook.* Repeat this another 13 times for a total of 15 chains. 

Then, bring the NEXT ball down to the hook (pictured above) and repeat from * to * 15 times. You’ll repeat this until all the jingle bells are used up. 

Again, as you use chain and use up yarn, coax the  bells along so they don’t get hung up–or hang you up. 

When you finish with the last jingle ball, cut the yarn from the skein, leaving a 6″ tail (pictured above). Bring the tail through the loop on your hook and pull the tail through it.

Knot the chain and tail around the jingle ball hole to secure it. You can put a drop of hot glue at both the starting and ending knots for a little added security.