Crochet Ornament Pattern

Rounds

1. With Color 1: Make an adjustable ring, pull up a loop, chain 1 stitch to secure ring, make 8hdc into ring. Pull on yarn tail to close ring, join with slip stitch into first stitch in round. You will have 8 unused stitches around. (8hdc sts) NOTE: If you prefer to finish each round with an invisible join to create precises stitches, you will love the results.
2. With Color 1: Chain 1, 2hdc into next stitch and in the seven remaining stitches. Join with slip stitch to first stitch in round, cut yarn and finish off. (16hdc sts)
3. With Color 2: Join new color in any stitch (or join at the end of the previous round with the method of your choice), chain 2 (counts as sc + ch1), (sc + ch1) in each stitch around. Join to first stitch in round, finish off. (16sc + ch1)
4. With Color 3: Join new color in chain 1 space, ch1 (counts as hdc), hdc in same st space, 2hdc in each stitch space around. Join to first stitch, finish off. (32hdc sts)
5. Details with Color 4: There are two finishing touches for these ornaments that really make them special. One is the overlay stitch circle in the center and the other is the candy cane striping stitches around the outside.
   1. Overlay circle: Using the smaller hook and placing your new yarn on the under/back side of your work, insert the hook from front side into the top of any stitch from the first round, pick up a loop from the yarn you are holding from the other side, pull through, repeat until you have done this 7 times. Cut yarn, leaving a tail of at least 4 inches to work with, and pull tail up through your last stitch. Using your tapestry needle, thread the tail (which is not on the front side of your work) and insert completely under both loops of the first overlay stitch you made, insert needle into center of the 7th overlay stitch you made (this is where the tail was pulled up). Now both ends of the overlay strand are on the back side, weave in ends and finish off.
   2. Whip stitch stripes: Cut a 24 inch piece of yarn and thread on tapestry needle, insert needle (from back to front of work) under the top of any stitch from Round 4, pull yarn through leaving a 4 inch tail, skip one stitch, and insert needle (from back to front) into the next stitch. Keep going, whip stitching into every other stitch around the work, cut yarn leaving a 4 inch tail. On the last whip stitch, bring the needle to the back and weave in tail to finish off.

Finish work: Weave in all ends. To make the ornament sturdy use spray starch or iron on facing on the back. Add a yarn loop or hook to hang it on the tree!