Make basic socks festive with a crocheted Christmas ball garland
Decorate socks with crocheted balls on a gold chain! Wrap the chain around the sock and secure it with a few stitches, and you’ll have a new holiday favorite. Knit a basic pair or use an existing pair and jump straight to the embellishment.
Size: 37–39.
Christmas ball socks—supplies:
- a pair of wool socks
- 1 ball of Lammy Yarns gold Lurex yarn (100% polyester, 25 g = 160 m or 0.9 oz = 525’)
- scrap yarn in various colors
- crochet hook 2.5–3 mm (about 0.10–0.12”)
- blunt tapestry needle
- (small jingle bells)
Abbreviations:
- dc: double crochet
Christmas ball socks—instructions:
1. First, knit a pair of plain wool socks or use a ready-made pair. This tutorial uses socks from Helsingin Villasukkatehdas in size 37–39.
2. Crochet a long chain with the gold yarn. In our sample, the chain is worked with doubled yarn and measures about 110 cm (43”). You can also make a couple of shorter chains and join them in a discreet spot, for example at the back of the sock or under a ball.
3. Crochet a Christmas ball with a popcorn stitch: insert the hook into any chain stitch.
In the same stitch, work 3–4 chain stitches (counts as one dc) and 4–5 dc. You can adjust the number of chains and double crochets depending on yarn thickness. Drop the loop off the hook after the last dc.
Insert the hook (front to back) into the top of the first dc—that is, the top of the starting chain—then into the last dc; yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.
Tighten the yarn so the popcorn puffs up in the middle. Close the bump with a chain stitch.
Cut the yarn and weave in the end on the back of the popcorn stitch.
4. Make more balls in different colors.
5. Attach the finished chain to the sock, starting at the front of the ankle. Use a length of gold yarn to tack the chain to the sock with a few small stitches here and there. Wrap the chain around the sock however you like: you can embellish just the ankle or go all the way down to the toes.
6. If you like, add a few tiny bells to the top end of the chain.
Tip!
If you decorate the whole sock, keep the sole in mind when placing the popcorn stitches. The balls can create a fun, massaging feel, but if that’s not what you’re after, leave the sole free of bumps. To plan the placement, wrap the chain around the sock and mark the sections that will sit under the foot—pins work nicely.
