Whimsical Tabletop Trees

Materials:

• RED HEART® Celebration™: 1 ball each (235 yd), 9240 Lime/Silver A, 9340 Aqua/Silver B, 9840 Blue/Silver C, 9540 Purple/Silver D, 9740 Pink/Silver E, 9640 Gold/Silver F
• Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 4.5mm [US 7]
• Yarn needle
• stitch markers
• fiberfill

GAUGE: 20 sts = 4”(10 cm); 28 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch.
CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

ABBREVIATIONS:
K= knit
mm = millimeter
P = purl
st(s) = stitch(es)
tog = together
[ ] = follow instructions in brackets as indicated.

Finished Sizes
Big Tree measures 4” wide (at base) x 6” tall (10 cm wide x 15 cm tall).
Tall Tree measures 3” wide (at base) x 8” tall (8 cm wide x 20 cm tall).
Small Tree measures 3” wide (at base) x 4” tall (8 cm wide x 10 cm tall).

Special Stitches
M1 = Make 1 (Increase) – Lift strand between needles to left-hand needle and knit strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole.
SSK = Slip next 2 stitches as if to knit, insert point of left needle through front of stitches, knit these stitches together through back loop.

 

Notes
1. Trees are worked in one piece, beginning with the triangular base.
2. Baubles are worked separately and sewn to top of trees.
3. If desired, trees can be worked in rounds on double-pointed needles, to reduce the amount of seaming.

 

INSTRUCTIONS
 

BIG TREE

Base

With C, cast on 2 sts.
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2 (Right side): K1, M1, K1: 3 sts.
Row 3: Purl across.
Row 4: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1: 5 sts.
Row 5: Purl across.
Row 6: K1, M1, knit across to last st, M1, K1: 7 sts.
Row 7: Purl across.
Row 8: Knit across.
Row 9: Purl across.
Row 10: Repeat Row 6: 9 sts.
Rows 11–28: Repeat Rows 5–10, 3 times: 21 sts.

 

Sides

Row 29: Cast on 21 sts, purl across: 42 sts.
Row 30: Cast on 21 sts, knit across: 63 sts.
Row 31: P 21, [place marker, P 21] across.
Row 32: [K2tog, knit to last 2 sts before marker, SSK, slip marker] twice, K2tog, knit across to last 2 sts, SSK: 57 sts.
Row 33: Purl across.
Row 34: Knit across.
Row 35: Purl across.
Rows 36–67: Repeat Rows 32–35, 8 times: 9 sts.
Row 68: Knit across.
Row 69: Purl across.
Row 70: Knit across.
Row 71: [K2tog, K1] 3 times—6 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a long end. Thread yarn needle with the end and weave through remaining stitches, draw up firmly; fasten securely.

 

TALL TREE

Base

With A, cast on 2 sts.
Row 1: Purl across.
Row 2 (Right side): K1, M1, K1: 3 sts.
Row 3: Purl across.
Row 4: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1: 5 sts.
Row 5: Purl across.
Row 6: K1, M1, knit across to last st, M1, K1: 7 sts.
Row 7: Purl across.
Row 8: Knit across.
Row 9: Purl across.
Row 10: Repeat Row 6: 9 sts.
Rows 11–16: Repeat Rows 5–10: 13 sts.
Rows 17 and 18: Repeat Rows 5 and 6: 15 sts.

 

Sides

Row 19: Cast on 15 sts, purl across: 30 sts.
Row 20: Cast on 15 sts, knit across: 45 sts.
Row 21: P 15, [place marker, P 15] across.
Row 22: [K2tog, knit to 2 sts before marker, SSK, slip marker] twice, K2tog, knit across to last 2 sts, SSK: 39 sts.
Row 23: Purl across.
Row 24: Knit across.
Rows 25–29: Repeat Rows 23 and 24 twice, then repeat Row 23 once more.
Rows 30–69: Repeat Rows 22–29, 5 times: 9 sts.
Row 70: [K2tog, K1] across: 6 sts.
Rows 71–77: Repeat Rows 23-29.
Cut yarn, leaving a long end. Thread yarn needle with the end and weave through remaining stitches, draw up firmly; fasten securely.

 

SMALL TREE

Base

With B, cast on 2 sts.
Row 1: Purl across.
Row 2 (Right side): K1, M1, K1: 3 sts.
Row 3: Purl across.
Row 4: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1: 5 sts.
Row 5: Purl across.
Row 6: K1, M1, knit across to last st, M1, K1: 7 sts.
Row 7: Purl across.
Row 8: Knit across.
Row 9: Purl across.
Row 10: Repeat Row 6: 9 sts.
Rows 11–16: Repeat Rows 5–10: 13 sts.
Rows 17 and 18: Repeat Rows 5 and 6: 15 sts.

 

Sides

Row 19: Cast on 15 sts, purl across: 30 sts.
Row 20: Cast on 15 sts, knit across: 45 sts.
Row 21: P 15, [place marker, P 15] across.
Row 22: [K2tog, knit to 2 sts before marker,
SSK, slip marker] twice, K2tog, knit across to last 2 sts, SSK: 39 sts.
Row 23: Purl across.
Row 24: Knit across.
Row 25: Purl across.
Rows 26–45: Repeat Rows 22–25, 5 times: 9 sts.
Rows 46–48: Repeat Rows 23-25.
Row 49: [K2tog, K1] across: 6 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a long end. Thread yarn needle with the end and weave through remaining stitches, draw up firmly; fasten securely.

 

FINISHING

Thread yarn needle with long end. Sew edges of Base to cast-on edges of Sides. Sew back seam, stuffing piece firmly with fiberfill as piece is sewn together.

 

BAUBLES (Make 5 for each Tree)

Make one Bauble with each color not used in body of tree.
Cast on 2 sts.
Row 1: Knit across.
Row 2: K1, M1, K1: 3 sts.
Row 3: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1: 5 sts.
Row 4: Knit across.
Row 5: K5tog.

Fasten off, leaving a long end. Thread yarn needle with end and weave it through outer edges of Bauble. Pull gently to gather.
Using photo as a guide and remaining end, sew 5 Baubles together in a column, and sew to top of Tree.

 

EMBROIDERY

Using photo as a guide, thread yarn needle with a length of F and embroider stars on all 3 sides of Big Tree.
Using photo as a guide, thread yarn needle with a length of E, embroider zig-zag pattern in spirals around Tall Tree.
Using photo as a guide, thread yarn needle with a length of D, embroider spirals on all 3 sides of Small Tree.