Knitted Toy Soldier Christmas Ornament
How delightful is a knitted toy soldier Christmas ornament! Picture the charm it brings to your holiday decor - a whimsical touch that evokes nostalgia and warmth. The intricate details of the soldier's uniform, lovingly crafted in festive colors, make it a conversation starter on your tree or mantelpiece. With every stitch, there's a sprinkle of holiday spirit woven into this tiny creation, adding a special touch to your seasonal festivities. It's not just an ornament; it's a unique piece of art that spreads joy and cheer, reminding us of the magic of the holiday season.
Materials
Scraps of 8ply / DK yarn in Black, Red, White, Flesh and a small amount of yellow for his uniform decoration.
Stuffing
Piece of gold thread or whatever you prefer to hang him from.
Pair of 3.25mm knitting needles.
His body is worked in one piece with the seam up the back. The arms are knitted and sewn on separately.
Always leave a a reasonably long thread at the cast on, cast off and colour changes of your work, to use when sewing up.
Body - Make 1
With 3.25mm needles, cast on 16sts.
St st 14 rows Black
Change to Red
St st 9 rows
Next Row - Still with Red, P2 tog to end - 8sts, this makes his neck.
Change to Flesh and K 1 row
Next Row - Increase purlwise in every stitch to end - 16sts.
St st 4 more rows in Flesh
Change to Black and st st 6 rows.
Thread the yarn back through the stitches on the needle, take off, gather tightly and fasten off, leaving enough yarn to sew him up.
Arms - Make 2
With 3.25mm needles and White, cast on 7sts.
St st 2 rows White
Change to Red and st st 10 rows.
Thread back through stitches on needle, gather tightly and fasten off.
Making Up
Sew in any threads you won't be using for sewing up.
With right side facing out, Start at the top of his head and sew down the back seam, using each colour thread, to sew up each colour as you go. Leave bottom of legs open for stuffing.
Stuff him, through the bottom opening. Don't over stuff him, you'll be sewing a line of stitching down the centre to divide his legs.It will be easier if his legs aren't too "fat" :-)
Oversew across the bottom seam, with the body seam running down the back.
Do all his body decorative stitching now before you attach his arms.
With Black yarn, sew a line of backstitching from the bottom, up the middle of his black trousers, pulling the stitches in to define his two legs. Stop about 1cm from the top of his trousers.
With White, sew a backstitch up the outside of each leg.
With Yellow, sew 4 long stitches across his Red coat.
Sew his chin strap on in black, and for his moustache either use a 1ply unravelled from your yarn or some embroidery cotton.
Start in the centre of his face, sew an upside down V to one side, thread back to the centre and do the other side the same.
Arms - they don't need stuffing, with right sides facing out, fold arm in half, sew down seam from the top and across his white gloves.
With the seam at the back, sew his arms to the body at the sides. I started stitching from about halfway up the red on the arm, around the top and back down halfway at the back, and left the rest of his arm loose.
Thread a hanging thread through the top of his hat and he's all done.