CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Make Basic Elf, using Denim as suit shade and Grass as Collar shade.

CRACKER

(MAKE 1 PIECE) Cast on 26 sts with Sunflower and work in st st for 6 rows. * Work zigzag pattern: Use a ball of yarn for each colour and strand yarn not in use loosely across purl side of work. Row 1 K1 Sunflower, K1 Signal Red, (K3 Sunflower, K1 Signal Red) to end.

Row 2 P2 Signal Red, (P1 Sunflower, P3 Signal Red) to end. Continue in Signal Red and work in st st for 3 rows. P 3 rows for fold line.

Dec row 1 K1, (k2tog, K1) 8 times, K1. [18 sts] P 1 row. Dec row 2 K1, k2tog 8 times, K1. [10 sts] P 1 row. Inc row 1 K1, inc 1 8 times, K1. [18 sts] P 1 row. Inc row 2 K1, (inc 1, K1) 8 times, K1. [26 sts] Work in st st for 2 rows. P 3 rows for fold line. Work in st st for 2 rows, beg with a K row. Work zigzag pattern:

Row 1 K1 Signal Red, K1 Sunflower, (K3 Signal Red, K1 Sunflower) to end.

Row 2 P2 Sunflower, (P1 Signal Red, P3 Sunflower) to end.** Continue in Sunflower and work in st st for 14 rows. Work from * to ** once more. Continue in Sunflower and work in st st for 7 rows.

Cast off knitwise. STAR STICKER (MAKE 1 PIECE) Cast on 4 sts using White Gold Metallic. * Next row Cast off 2 sts, sl st on right- hand needle onto left- hand needle, then cast on 4 sts.** Repeat from * to ** 3 more times.

Next row Cast off 2 sts, sl st on righthand needle onto left- hand needle. [10 sts] Break yarn, leaving a long end. Thread through sts on needle, draw up tightly and fasten off.

TO MAKE UP

Starting at cast- on edge, join Cracker seam, stopping after second zigzag pattern row. Starting at cast- off edge, join seam from other end, again stopping after second zigzag pattern row, which will leave a space open in centre of Cracker. Using a length of Signal Red yarn, work a gathering thread through every knitted stitch along the row between the 2nd decrease row and the 1st increase row in the centre of each Signal Red section. Draw up tightly and fasten off. Stuff centre of Cracker, then join remainder of seam. Catch side edges of Star piece together with a couple of stitches, then coat with hairspray and pin out into shape on a scrap of card and leave to set. Once stiffened, remove pins and sew Star to centre of Cracker. Coat Cracker with hairspray, form into shape, leave to set. Position Cracker diagonally across front of Elf and sew to Body with a few

stitches, then sew hands to each side of Cracker. Coat entire figure with hairspray, arrange in position and leave to set.