CROCHET CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT

INSTRUCTIONS

HEXAGON

Using C1 and 9mm hook, make a magic ring.

1st round - 3ch (counts as 1tr), 11tr in ring, sl st into tr at beg ... 12 sts.

2nd round - 4ch (counts as 1tr, 1ch), miss 1 st, * 1tr in next st, 1ch, miss 1 st, rep from * around, sl st into 3rd of 4ch at beg ... 12tr and 12 x 1ch sps.

3rd round - 1ch, 1dc in same st, 3ch, * miss 1ch sp, 1dc in next st, 3ch, rep from * around, sl st into dc at beg ... 12dc and 12 x 3ch loops.

4th round - Sl st into next 3ch loop, 1ch, 1dc in same sp, miss next dc, 7tr in next 3ch loop, miss next dc, * 1dc in next 3ch loop, miss next dc, 7tr in next 3ch loop, miss next dc, rep from * around, sl st into dc at beg ... 6 x 7tr shells.

Change to C2 - 5th round - 2ch (does not count as a st), 1bptr around same st, 1bptr around next 3 sts, * 3bptr around next st, 1bptr around next 7 sts, rep from * to last 3 sts, 1bptr around next 3 sts, sl st into bptr at beg ... 60 sts.

6th round - 4ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, (1ch, 1tr in next st) twice, * (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) 4 times, (1ch, 1tr in next st) twice, rep from * to last 3 sts, 1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch, sl st into 3rd of 4ch at beg ... 36 sts and 36 x 1ch sps.

Change to C3 - 7th round - 3ch, (1tr in next 1ch sp, 1tr in next st) twice, 1tr in next 1ch sp, 3tr in next st, * (1tr in next sp, 1tr in next st) 5 times, 1tr in next 1ch sp, 3tr in next st, rep from * to last corner, (1tr in next 1ch sp, 1tr in next st) twice, 1tr in next 1ch sp, sl st into 3rd of 3ch at beg ... 84 sts.

8th round - 4ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) twice, (1ch, 1tr in next st) twice, * (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) 6 times, (1ch, 1tr in next st) twice, rep from * to last 5 sts, (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) twice, 1ch, sl st into 3rd of 4ch at beg ... 48 sts and 48 x 1ch sps. Fasten off.

Make 3 in the same colour combination as above, and 3 in the reverse order, ie, 1st - 4th rounds in C3, 5th - 6th rounds in C2 and 7th - 8th rounds in C1.

TRIANGLES

Using C1 and 9mm hook, make a magic ring.

1st round - 3ch (counts as tr), 11tr in ring, sl st into tr at beg ... 12 sts.

2nd round - 4ch (counts as 1tr, 1ch), * miss 1 st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch 1tr) in next st, 1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, rep from * once more, miss 1 st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in next st, 1ch, miss 1 st, sl st into 3rd of 4ch at beg ... 12 sts and 12 x 1ch sps. Change to C3 - 3rd round - 1ch, 1dc in same st, 1dc in next 1ch sp, 1dc in next st, * 1htr in next 1ch sp, (2htr, 1tr, 2htr) in next st, 1htr in next 1ch sp, (1dc in next st, 1dc in next 1ch sp) twice, 1dc in next st, rep from * once more, 1htr in next 1ch sp, (2htr, 1tr, 2htr) in next st, 1htr in next 1ch sp, 1dc in next st, 1dc in next 1ch sp, sl st into dc at beg ... 36 sts.

4th round - 4ch, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) twice, miss 1 st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch) in next st, * (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 5 times, miss 1 st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch) in next st, rep from * once more, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) twice, miss last st, sl st into 3rd of 4ch at beg ... 24 sts and 24 x 1ch sps. Fasten off.

Make 3 in the above colour combination, and 3 in the reverse combination.

Sew each triangle to a matching hexagon using mattress st. Sew the hexagons to each other, alternating colours, but do not stitch the last hexagon to the first.

INNER BORDER

Join C2 to corner tr of 1st hexagon, on inside edge.

Using 9mm hook - 1st row - 2ch, 1tr in next 1ch sp (counts as tr dec throughout), * 1tr in each st and 1ch sp to last st before seam, make tr dec over next 2 x 1ch sps, rep from * to last hexagon, 1tr in each st and 1ch sp to last 1ch sp, tr dec in 1ch sp and last st, turn ... 85 sts.

2nd row - 2ch, 1tr in next st, (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) 6 times, * (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) twice, (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) 5 times, rep from * to last internal corner, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) twice, (1ch, miss 1 st, 1tr in next st) 4 times, 1ch, miss 1 st, tr dec in last 2 sts, turn.

Continue in C3 - 3rd row - 1ch, 1dc in same st, 1dc in each st and 1ch sp to end. Fasten off.

OUTER BORDER

Join C2 to corner tr of 1st hexagon, on outside edge.

Using 9mm hook - 1st row - 2ch, 1tr in next 1ch sp, 1tr in each st, sp and seam to corner tr of triangle, 5tr in corner tr, *1tr in each st and sp and seam to last 1ch sp before hexagon seam, tr dec in this and next 1ch sp, 1tr in each st, sp and seam to corner tr of triangle, 5tr in corner tr, rep from * to last point, 1tr in each st and sp and seam to last 1ch sp before corner tr of last hexagon, tr dec in 1ch sp and last st, turn ... 396 sts.

2nd row - 2ch, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to 3rd of 5tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in 3rd of 5tr, * (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 15 times, miss 2 sts, 1tr in next st, 1ch, miss 2 sts, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to 3rd of 5tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in 3rd of 5tr, rep from * to last point, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 15 times, miss 1 st, tr dec in last 2 sts.

Change to C3 - 3rd row - 2ch, 1tr in next 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, * 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 15 times, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st) 3 times, 1ch, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, rep from * to last point, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 16 times, tr dec in last 2 sts.

Change to C2 - 4th row - 2ch, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, * 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 16 times, miss 1ch sp and 1st, 1tr in next st, miss 1 st and 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, rep from * to last point, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 16 times, 1ch, miss 1ch sp, tr dec in last 2 sts.

Change to C1 - 5th row - 2ch, 1tr in next 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, * 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, The

1ch) 16 times, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st) 3 times, 1ch, (miss 1 st, 1tr in next st, 1ch) to tr at point, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in tr at point, rep from * to last point, 1ch, (miss 1ch sp, 1tr in next st, 1ch) 17 times, tr dec in last 2 sts. Fasten off.

OPENING EDGES

Using C2 and 9mm hook, work 35 dc evenly down edge of one side opening. Turn and work another row of dc. Fasten off.

Complete other edge in same manner, working 3 x 3ch buttonholes spaced evenly along the 2nd row. Fasten off.

FINISHING

DO NOT PRESS. Sew in ends. Stitch on buttons to correspond with buttonholes on opening edge. Block if desired.