Neva and Siria

Trim your tree with Neva and Siria, Amanda Walker's pretty beaded decorations

Bring a touch a glamour to your festivities with these brilliant decorations. The lime and pink are a great modern take on traditional Christmas colours and the beads will reflect the sparkle of the lights your tree. Neva is a lovely dangly tassel decoration whilst our Siria star is a more traditional motif but is pretty and feminine, and would make a lovely stocking filler.

NEVA PATTERN

Using 4mm needles and yarn A, cast on five sts
? Row 1: kfb four times, k1.
Nine sts
? Row 2: p
? Row 3: k1, (m1, k1) eight times. 17 sts
? Row 4: p
? Row 5: k1, (m1, k2) eight times. 25 sts
? Row 6: p
? Row 7: work four rows in st st
? Row 11: k1, (k2tog, k1) eight times. 17 sts
? Row 12: p
? Row 13: k2tog, (k1, k2tog) five times. 11 sts
? Row 14: p
? Row 15: k2tog, (k1, k2tog) three times. Seven sts
? Row 16: p
? Row 17: (k1, k2tog) twice, k1. Five sts
Thread yarn through rem five sts and fasten off

Tassel

Wrap yarn A around your hand approx 35 times.
Tie a length of yarn through the loops and knot to secure. Cut through the loops at the opposite end to create tassel

To make up

Stitch the edges of bobble together, leaving a small gap for stuffing. Stuff and close gap. Stitch tassel to rounded end of bobble. Thread a length of yarn through top of bobble, through a pink woven bead and through a smaller faceted bead; knot at the top of this bead and then make a loop in the remaining yarn. Stitch a row of faceted beads around top and base of bobble and complete with a ribbon bow at the base of hanging loop

ALTERNATIVE VERSION

Make bobble as for Neva but hold yarns A and B together as you work
Using yarn B, make a tassel
Stitch tassel to a covered bead, then attach to rounded end of bobble. Embellish with small green faceted beads. Make a loop at the top, sewing larger pale pink beads to base of loop.
Tie a ribbon bow at base of bobble

SIRIA

Diamond (make ten)
Using 4mm needles and yarn A, make a slip knot
? Row 1: (k1, p1, k1) into slip knot. Three sts
? Row 2 and all even rows : p
? Row 3: k1, * m1, k1, rep from *. Five sts
? Row 5: k1, m1, k3, m1, k1. Seven sts
? Row 7: k1, m1, k5, m1, k1. Nine sts
? Row 9: k1, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k1. Seven sts
? Row 11: k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1. Five sts
? Row 13: k1, s2kpo, k1.
Three sts
? Row 15: s2kpo. One st
? Fasten off

To make up

Place slip knots in centre and sew five diamonds together to make a star, joining them from first to eighth row. Make another star from five remaining diamonds. Place WS of stars together and join edges together, leaving an opening on each for stuffing. Stuff and close gap. Sew a large crystal bead in the centre surrounded by pink beads. Stitch a faceted pink bead to each tip and decorate each segment with small green faceted beads. Make a loop and bow from ribbon and stitch to tip of star.

“We’ve opted for a more modern Christmas colour scheme but these decorations would look equally stunning in traditional tones”

Siria – height (excluding ribbon): 10cm
Neva – height (excluding ribbon): 16cm