My Basic Christmas Garland...

So last year around Christmas I bought some cotton yarn with a tinge of silver ribbon, or something, in it. After Christmas I decided I knew what I wanted to do with it: Christmas garland! I got a couple of pictures of it on the tree before we took the tree down.

They aren't the best pictures, but they were the best I could get. We had already started taking the ornaments off. And it was hard to place the garland. My mom had already told me the garland goes on after the lights, but before the ornaments. So, I guess I won't have good pictures of the garland until this Christmas.

I'm still working on it. I worked on it for about one day after Christmas and put it in my closet. Until tonight when I pulled it out and decided I better get working on it. It's basically just an I-cord. I wanted something simple to work on. I wanted to knit, but I didn't want a large project. So, I pulled it out and worked about two feet on it. My mom wants me to make it about 22 feet long. I'm not sure how many I have now. I'm guessing twelve feet, at least.

It's never too soon to start thinking about, and working on, Christmas decorations!

The Basic Christmas Garland

Materials:

• Bernat Handicrafter Holidays "Sparkle" - White - or whatever yarn in whatever color you like
• 2 US #7 (4.5 mm) double pointed needles - or whatever size you like
• measuring tape
• scissors
• darning needle

Gauge:

Not important at all for this project.

Notes:

• I personally wouldn't cast on more than four stitches. That's just my taste.
• After each row, or every couple of rows, it helps to pull or tug on the already knitted I-cord. It makes it easier to see what's already been done and the stitches fall into place better.
• It takes a few rows for the I-cord to start looking like an I-cord.
• Most store bought garlands I've seen have been around 12 feet and 22 or 24 feet.

Instructions:

Cast on 3 (4) stitches. I used the long tail cast on. Do not turn. Push stitches to the right end of the needle. The working yarn tail will now be on the left side of your stitches.

R1: Knit 3 (4). Be sure to pull the first stitch tight (on this row and all rows) to close the gap behind the stitches. Do not turn. Push stitches to the right end of needle.

R2: Knit 3 (4). Do not turn. Push stitches to the right end of the needle.

R3: Knit 3 (4). Do not turn. Push stitches to the right end of the needle.

Continue this way until you have desired length of I-cord.

To bind off pull the yarn through the stitches. Cut yarn and weave in ends. The ends will be easy to hide because the I-cord is a big tube. I like that about I-cords.

If this pattern is screwed up, sorry. It's 3:00 am. I'm half asleep.