Sanquhar style Christmas decorations

Sanquhar Style Christmas Decorations by Frances Powell

What is Being Made

These are hanging Christmas ornaments designed in the traditional Sanquhar knitting style. Each ornament is a small, three-dimensional knitted square that can be stuffed and suspended as a festive decoration. The designs feature classic Sanquhar patterning adapted for holiday color schemes, departing from the traditional black and white palette in favor of more seasonally appropriate Christmas hues.

Knitting Techniques and Methods

The ornaments are constructed using stranded colorwork knitting, a technique central to authentic Sanquhar pattern work. This method involves carrying yarn colors across the back of the fabric while knitting with the active color, creating intricate geometric patterns on the front surface. The patterns are worked from charts, requiring the crafter to read and follow color knitting instructions.

Each ornament features a plain knitted back, simplifying construction while maintaining the decorative patterned front. Crafters who wish to work Sanquhar patterns on both sides should note that additional contrast yarn will be required. After knitting, the pieces are dressed and blocked to achieve finished dimensions and shape.

The ornaments are finished by stuffing with polyester filling and seating with a sewing needle, transforming flat knitted squares into three-dimensional hanging decorations.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches worked in the stranded colorwork method. Crafters must be comfortable reading color charts and managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously while executing basic knit and purl stitches to create the Sanquhar geometric patterns.

Materials and Specifications

Each ornament requires:

• One pair of knitting needles in either size 17 (1.4 mm) or size 19 (1 mm/US 00000)
• Approximately 55 yards/50 metres of 1-ply yarn in the main color
• Approximately 20 yards/18.5 metres of 1-ply yarn in a contrast color
• Small amount of polyester stuffing
• Sewing needle for finishing

The pattern specifies 1-ply yarn, an extremely fine weight that creates delicate, detailed colorwork. This cobweb-weight yarn paired with tiny needles produces ornaments of precise dimensions.

Finished Dimensions and Gauge

Ornament size varies based on needle selection:

• Using size 17 (1.4 mm) needles: 2½ inches/6.5 cm square after blocking
• Using size 19 (1 mm/US 00000) needles: 2 inches/5 cm square after blocking

Gauge for size 17 needles measures 17 rows by 18 stitches per 1 inch/2.5 cm square. Achieving proper gauge is essential for accurate finished dimensions in these small, intricately patterned pieces.

Skill Level

This is an advanced knitting project requiring proficiency in stranded colorwork, chart reading, and precision knitting with extremely fine yarns and needles. The combination of delicate materials and complex patterning makes these ornaments suitable for experienced knitters.