CARD GIFT BOXES

Use crochet to turn holiday cards into reusable keepsake boxes with this inventive design by Natalie Beard

■ Yarn and Colors Must-Have (100% mercerised cotton, 50g/125m) 1 ball of each: Green Beryl (077), Pepper (032) and Mustard (015)

■ A 3mm (US C/2 or D/3) hook

■ 6 square Christmas cards, 15x15cm

■ A hole punch

■ 70cm length ribbon per gift box

TENSION

Tension is not critical for this project, but it may affect the yarn quantities required

MEASUREMENTS

Box measures 16x16x16cm (6¼x 6¼x 6¼in)

ABBREVIATIONS standing dc

Place a slip knot onto the hook, work a dc in stitch indicated

For a full list, see page 88

CARD GIFT BOXES TO PREPARE

You will need to repeat the following for each side of the gift box (6 times in total).

With your first card, mark out where the holes will be punched. Leaving a 1cm gap between each hole, mark 14 holes down each side of the card (56 holes for each card). This number can be adjusted to suit. Punch each hole and when you have punched all of the holes into the first card, use this one as a template for the remaining 5 cards.

PATTERN Round 1

Starting with a standing dc, *3dc in each hole across to corner, ch2; rep from * around, ss to beg dc.

[56 3-dc clusters, 4 ch-2 sps]

leaving a long tail to sew the sides

Fasten off

together.

TO MAKE UP

Once all 6 cards have been crocheted around, whipstitch four into a strip, then whipstitch the ends together. Whipstitch a card to one opening for the base.

Attach the lid in the same way along one edge only. Using the image as a guide, punch a hole at the open edge of the lid and to the corresponding edge of the box.

Thread the ribbon through to tie in a bow to close.