CHRISTMAS TREE CENTERPIECE Tp prse 1] Mis cvcsasting ] symbol of the sea~ | son will lend a i note of cheer to your holiday fes- tivities—year af ter year. Simply topped by a star or bedecked with garlands and beads, this handcrafted treasure is destined to become the focal point of your holiday table. SIZE Diameter: 11 in; height: 13 in, MATERIALS ‘© Wintuk worsted-weight 4ply acry- ic yar (314-02. skein): 4 skeins No. 942 dark green «Size G aluminum crochet hook or size to reach gauge given far right 1 16-02. bag of polyester filling, °J-& P Coats Metallic Knit-Cro Sheen (100-yd. ball): I ball No. 61G Nu-Beru «Size 1 steel crochet hook STITCHES USED Chain slip stitch, single erochet, dou- bile crochet, treble crochet, plus the following variations: ‘Tr dee: Yo twice, draw up Ip in next st, (Yo and draw through 2 Ips) twice, yo twice, draw up Ip in next st, (Yo and draw through 2Ips) twice, yo and draw through all 3 Ips on hook. Hae dee: Yo, draw up Ip in next st, yo, draw up Ip in next st, yo, draw ‘through al Ips on hook. GAUGE Over tr worked in back Ip only: 19 tr = Sins 8 rows = 6 in, DIRECTIONS Cone: Note: When working cone, all sts are worked in back Ip only unless otherwise stated. “Branches” are worked in rem Ip later. Chat beg of rnd counts ast. Beg at bottom of cone with dark green, ch 130; join with sl t to first ch, being careful not to twist CU Rnd 4: Ch 4, trin each ch around; join with sl st to top of beg.ch-4—130 sts C1 Rnd 2: Ch 4, trin each st around; ‘in with sl tin top of beg ch-4. (1 Rad 3: Ch 4, tr in next 10 ss, te deo rin next 11st, tr dee; rep from * around, ss in top of beg ch-4—120 sts. CO Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 2. CORnd 5: Ch 4, tr in next 12 sts, tr dec, tein next 13 te, te dec; rep fromCHRISTMAS TREE CENTERPIECE * around; join with sl st in top of beg cht —112 sts CO Rnd 6 Ch 4, tr in next 11 sts, tr ec, *trin next 12 ts, tr dec; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-4—104 sts, Rnd 7-15: Continue to dec as above, having | fewer st bet des than on previous md—32 sts at end of Rnd 15. Rnd 16: Ch 4, tr in next st, tr dec, Yer in next 2 tr, tr dec; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch4—24 sts, CO Rnd 17: Ch4, tr dec, *tr in next st, tr dec; rep from * around, join with s st to top of beg ch-4—16 sts, Rnd 48: Ch 4, tr in next st, 4 doc; rep from * around; join with sl st in top of beg ch-4—9 sts. Ci Rnd 19: Ch 2, thee dec; rep from * around; join with sl st to top of beg ch-2, Fasten off Branches: ‘Note: Branches are worked on the cone in tiers in remaining unworked loops of altemate rads beginning with Rnd 2. Tier 1 Gowest tien: With botiom of cone toward you, join yarn in unworked Ip of lst st in Rnd 2 of cone. CU Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as de), de in ‘each unworked Ip around, join with I st to top of ch-3. ( Rnd 2: Ch 1, sein same st, *ch 1, se in next st rep from * around, ch 1, sl st in top of first se, (Rnd 3: SI stn first ch-l sp, ch 1, se in same sp, *ch 1, sc in next che! 5p, ch 2, **5c in next ch-l sp, rep from * around ending at **, sl st in top of First se Rnd 4: 1st in fist ch-I sp, ch 1, se in same sp, ch 2, sein next ch:2p, ch 5, sein same sp *ch 2, sc in next che! sp, ch 2, sein next che? sp, ch 5, sein same sp, rep from * around, end ch 2, s1 st into top of first se. Fasten off Ci Tiers 28: Skipping every other md of unworked Ips, work 7 more tiers of “branches” as for lowest tier. CO Tier 9 (uppermost tier): Working in Rad 18 of cone, join as for previous ss. Ci Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as de), de in next 3 Ips, 2de in next ip, de in next 4 Ips, join with sl st to top of eh-3—10 ats, C1 Rnds 2-4: work as for Rads 2-4 of Tier 1 Base: C1 Ch 4, join with sl st to form ring. Rnd 1:Ch 1, work 8 sein ring, join with lst o fist se. (1 Rnd2:Ch 1, se into same st, 2c in cach staround-—15 sts Join with sl st to firs se CORnd 3: Ch 1, se in same st, se around, ine 5 sts evenly spaced, jin with sl 5 to frst so—20 ss Ci Rnds 4-6: Rep Rnd 3—35 sts at end of Rnd 6. C1 Rad 7: Ch 1, se in same st, se around, inc 6 sts evenly spaced, join with sl tt frst so—A1 sts C1 Rnds 8-12: Rep Rnd 7—71 sts at end of Rnd 12. CORnd 13: Ch 1, se in same st, se around, ine 7 sts evenly spaced, join with sl sto first so—78 sts C)Rnds 14-24: Rep Rnd 13134 sts atend of Rnd 21. Base diameter mea- sures approximately 11 in; fasten off Jeaving tail long enough tosew base to bottom of tree. Finishing: C1 Sew Base halfvay around Bottom of tree. Stuif tree lightly and finish sewing Base to Bottom. Decorations Star (make 2) C With metalic thread and ste ero- chet hook, ch 8; join with sl st to form ring C1 Rad 1; Ch 2 (counts as hde), work 14 ade ining, join with St to top of beg ch2—15 ss, (Rnd 2: Ch 1, sein same st as s st, ch 3, sk I st, scin next 2st, ch 3; rep from * ending sk 1st, sc in next st, sl st in frst se CO Rnd 3 Si st in ch-3 tp, ob 1, in same Ip work sc, de, tr, de and se-shell ‘made; *ch 1, shell in next ch-3 Ip; rep from * ending ch 1, sl stn first sc. Rnd 4: Ch 1, sein same stas sl st and in next dc, ch 1, i next tr work de, ch I, tr, ch I and de—open shell ‘made; ch 1, se in next 2 sts, *sl st in hel sp, se in next 2 sts, ch 1, open shell in next tr, ch 1, sein next 2st; rep from * around, ending tin ch-1 sp. Fasten off Joining Stars: Beg with one star ony, join in any ct-1 sp after tr. Sein samesp, se in de, sein hel sp, se in next 2s, seins st, sc in next 20, se in chel sp, sein dc, sein chel sp. With wrong sides of 2 stars tog, ‘work through both stars at once as follows: de in next tr, ch I, de in same tr, *8¢ in che] sp, sc in de, sin che sp, sein next 26, sc in lt, sein next 2 se, se in chel sp, sein de, se in che sp, de in next tr, ch 1, de in same tr; rep from * until Sth point has been joined, Oi Working on second star only, sein next ch-I sp, se in de, sein ch-I sp, se in next 2 se, Sein sls, sein next 2 se, sc in ch-l sp, se in de, sein ch-1 sp. Fasten off; sew opening to top of tree. HELPING HAND _ HOW TO PERSONALIZE YOUR TREE Afler you've stitched your center- piece, invite the family to decorate it with special items. Choose from such things as miniatures collected from your travels, tiny candy ccanes and gingerbread men, small ‘ornaments made by your children ‘or grandchildren or beads and jew. cls of significance to your family.