When the festive season rolls around, we often find ourselves wanting to add a personal, handmade touch to our decorations. This year, why not swap out the paper for a cosy twist on a classic? With just a few bits of leftover wool, you can create a charming, knitted paper chain that will become a part of your holiday décor for years to come.
This wool chain isn’t just for aesthetics - it's a fun, easy craft to share with family or friends. It’s simple enough for beginners and can even be a perfect introduction to knitting for little ones! Let’s get started.
What You’ll Need
- Different colours of wool (leftover bits work brilliantly)
- Knitting needles (size depends on the thickness of your wool, but 4mm–5mm is a good average)
- Darning needle for stitching up
- Scissors
Instructions
- Cast on 8 stitches. This will give each chain link a nice width, though you can cast on fewer or more stitches depending on how chunky you’d like each loop.
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Knit 40 rows, alternating between a knit stitch and a purl stitch to create a stockinette pattern. This pattern makes a smooth and polished finish on one side, with the natural curl of stockinette adding a touch of shape to each loop. If you’re working with children, encourage them to try different colours for each link - it’s all about creativity!
- Cast off the stitches, leaving enough length of wool to use to stitch up the ends to form a circle (next step).
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Form the strip into a circle, overlapping the ends slightly, then use the darning needle to stitch them together. This forms your first link.
- Repeat steps 1–4 for each additional link. To connect the links, loop each new strip through the previous one before stitching it into a circle.
Tips for Crafting with Kids
This craft is wonderfully forgiving, so perfection isn’t required. The process is a great opportunity to introduce little hands to knitting, letting them create something they can proudly bring out each Christmas.
Display Ideas
Once your woollen chain is complete, drape it along the mantelpiece, wrap it around the Christmas tree or hang it over a doorway. The lovely, cosy colours of the wool will bring warmth to any room.
If you do decide to make your own, don't forget to take a picture and tag us on Instagram - @artisan_living_co