Granny Square Christmas Wreath with Bow and Jingle Bells

A big, squishy granny square wreath for the front door: a forest-green tube cover patterned with red-and-cream flower grannies, sprigs of crocheted holly with red berry clusters, five brass jingle bells and a generous textured bow with pointed tails. The granny squares are not just glued on – they are the cover. Shaping a flat granny strip so it wraps a curved ring without bagging on the inside or straining on the outside is the real lesson in this pattern, and it is why we call it advanced.

About this design

A wreath form is a torus – its outer circumference is much longer than its inner one. A straight strip of grannies will bunch around the inner edge. To fix this, we work wedge-shaped connector panels between the granny squares: short-row sections in green that are taller on the outer edge (tr) and shorter on the inner edge (sc). Six flower grannies alternate with six cream-and-green striped connectors, and the whole strip is then wrapped around the form and seamed on the back. The result is a smooth, fitted cover that keeps its shape for years.

What you will learn

• Graded-height short rows (sc → hdc → dc → tr across a single row) to create curve.
• Fitting a crochet cover to a 3D form and seaming it invisibly with mattress stitch.
• Shaped holly leaves with picot points.
• A firm, structured bow with shaped, pointed tails that hang straight.

Yarn and the form

Use a smooth worsted or aran yarn – acrylic is ideal for an outdoor door wreath because it shrugs off damp. Wool blends look richer indoors. You need approximately green 150 g, cream 60 g, red 120 g. The form is a 30 cm (12″) foam or straw wreath ring, about 5 cm thick. Measure your form before you start: wrap a tape measure around the tube (the “girth”) – ours is 18 cm. Your granny square plus connectors must stretch to exactly that girth, minus 1 cm for negative ease.

The maths of a curved cover

Outer circumference of a 30 cm ring with a 5 cm tube: about 110 cm. Inner circumference: about 63 cm. That is a ratio of roughly 1.75 : 1. Our 6 grannies (9 cm each) give 54 cm on both edges, so the 6 connectors must add 56 cm on the outer edge but only 9 cm on the inner edge – about 9.5 cm outside and 1.5 cm inside each. That is exactly what the graded short rows below do. If your form is a different size, recalculate with these figures and add or remove short rows.

Short rows, explained

In each connector row you work sc for the first few stitches (the inner edge), then hdc, dc and finally tr on the outer edge. Over 4–5 rows, the outer side grows far faster than the inner side, so the strip curves into an arc. Lay the strip flat as you work: after all 12 pieces are joined, it should form an almost-closed ring the size of your form.

Holly and berries

The holly leaves are made from a foundation chain, worked up one side and down the other with picot points at each lobe, then given a slight twist when sewn on so they look natural. Berries are tiny stuffed balls worked in red and sewn on in clusters of three. Group them in odd numbers – it always looks more natural.

The bow

The bow is worked in rows of hdc in the third loop (behind the top loops), which gives that tight, ribbed texture. The loops are one long rectangle pinched in the middle; the tails are separate strips that taper to a point and are edged with a small picot. A little spray starch on the tails keeps them hanging straight.

Finishing touches

Five 25 mm brass jingle bells are sewn on with doubled red yarn between the holly sprigs. The hanging loop is a twisted chain cord sewn deep into the back seam so it bears the weight properly. If the wreath is for an exterior door, add a few stitches of clear fishing line around the form through the back seam to stop it rotating.

Ready to make it?

The full written pattern is right here and free: grannies, curved connectors, assembly, holly, berries, bow and hanging loop, plus abbreviations, FAQ and troubleshooting. One weekend, one ring, and your door is ready for Christmas.

It is a classic granny wreath done properly – a fitted, curved cover that hugs the ring – topped with holly, jingle bells and a showpiece bow.

Make it in cream, sage and blush for a Scandinavian winter look, or orange, mustard and brown with a plaid bow for autumn.

Amigurumi (Japanese: ami = knitted/crocheted + nuigurumi = stuffed toy) is the craft of making small crocheted characters. You start with a magic ring, work in continuous spiral rounds of single crochet, and shape the piece through increases and decreases — no seams, no joins, no turning.

The magic ring creates a closable centre with no hole. Wrap yarn around two fingers, insert the hook, yarn over and pull through. Work your first round into this ring, then pull the tail to close tight. Practise a few times — it becomes effortless quickly.

The invisible decrease — insert your hook through the front loop only of the first stitch, then the front loop only of the second stitch. Yarn over, pull through both loops, then yarn over again and pull through the remaining two. Working through front loops only makes the decrease blend into the fabric instead of leaving a bump.

Tension matters most. Amigurumi needs tight, firm tension so stuffing can't show through. If you can see white fiberfill peeking between your stitches, go down one hook size. The fabric should feel dense and firm — like a tightly woven canvas, not a loose net.