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Knitted Christmas Bells

by Jane Lake

The two Christmas jingle bells shown here can be made up quite quickly, but look lovely as a homemade ornament on the tree. The lower bell, with the rolled brim, is the knitted version, but we also have instructions to make Crocheted Christmas Bells as well.

The samples shown were done in a worsted weight sparkling metallic yarn, but you could use finer yarn and smaller needles to make smaller bells. You may also adjust the length or circumference of the knitted bells, as discussed below.

These looked so pretty that I thought they would make lovely wedding bells, done in white.

Materials:

Knitting needles - mine were inherited from my Grandmother, made in England, and stamped as Size 9, or 3½ m/m
Patons Brilliant Crystal Cream yarn
brass jingle bells
bodkin or yarn needle

Note: Photo at right is shown actual size.

Pattern:

1. Cast on 15 stitches (to make the bell longer, increase this by 5 stitches).

2. Knit across first row.

3. Purl 5 stitches, and knit across remaining stitches.

4. Knit across row.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until you have at least 28 rows. (You can increase the number of rows if you'd like the bell to be rounder.) Cast off.

Thread a bodkin with a length of yarn and sew up the short sides (with right sides together). Turn right side out.

Thread bodkin with another length of yarn and sew a gathering stitch around top edge of bell. Pull yarn tight and tie off. Use end of yarn to form a looped hanger at the top of the bell.

With your fingers, roll the purl stitches up into a brim. They will tend to curl out and up anyway; just encourage the process with a little rolling motion of your fingers.

Tie a piece of yarn to the top of a brass jingle bell. Secure this to the top inside of the knitted bell, so that the brass bell hangs just below the rolled brim.