Advent Calendar Day 2

The ornament for Day 2 was a challenge as it involved knitting in the round on double-pointed needles - something that I'm not very good at as I usually end up with gappy stitches. So I decided to design my own bauble, based on Day 2 of the DROPS Christmas Calendar, but using normal knitting needles.

I left the reverse of the bauble blank for the number 2.

I used the same DK yarns for this decoration as I did for the mitten yesterday and I used 3.75mm needles.

P = Purl K=Knit R = Red W = White St/s = Stitch/es Tog = Together

M1 = Make one by picking up loop between stitches and knitting/purling into the back of it.

WRW = 1 stitch each of White, Red, White to form stripe.

Cast on 6 sts leaving a tail long enough to sew up seam.

Row 1 - Purl

Row 2 - (K1, M1)x5, K1 = 11 sts.

Row 3 - Purl

Row 4 - (K1, M1)x10, K1 = 21 sts.

Row 5 - Purl

Row 6 - K1, M1, K1, M1, K2, M1 to last st, K1 = 36 sts.

Row 7 - P18, M1, P18 = 37 sts.

Pattern Rows:-

Row 8 - K 2R, WRW, 5R, 1W, 3R, 1W, 5R, WRW, 14R.

Row 9 - P 14R, WRW, 5R, 2W, 1R, 2W, 5R, WRW, 2R.

Row 10 - K 2R, WRW, 5R, 5W, 5R, WRW, 14R.

Row 11 - P 14R, WRW, 5R, 5W, 5R, WRW, 2R.

Row 12 - K 2R, WRW, 1R, 4W, 1R, 3W, 1R, 4W, 1R, WRW, 14R.

Row 13 - P 14R, WRW, 2R, 4W, 3R, 4W, 2R, WRW, 2R.

Row 14 - K 2R, WRW, 3R, 3W, 1R, 1W, 1R, 3W, 3R, WRW, 14R. (1W = centre)

Row 15 - P Repeat Row 13.

Row 16 - K Repeat Row 12.

Row 17 - P Repeat Row 11.

Row 18 - K Repeat Row 10.

Row 19 - P Repeat Row 9.

Row 20 - Repeat Row 8.

End of Pattern rows, continue in red only for decrease rows.

R0w 21 - P18, P2tog, P17 = 36 sts.

Row 22 - *K2tog, K2tog, K1* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, K2tog = 21 sts.

Row 23 - *K2tog* Repeat *to* to last 1 st, K1 = 11 sts.

Row 24 - Purl

Row 25 - *K2tog* Repeat *to* to last 1 st, K1 = 6 sts.

Cut thread leaving a tail of approx 30 cms and thread tail through remaining 6 stitches and draw up tight. Use casting on tail to draw up cast on stitches and sew up seam. Using a 4mm crochet hook work 16 chains out of top tail and slip stitch to form a loop. Fasten off ends.

I have just viewed Day 3 and it is a pair of socks! I had thought that the calendar would be all decorations, so I will try to adapt tomorrow's design.

Pj x