In this post, you will see how to knit your own tartan Christmas decorations.

There are three sizes of plaid ornaments to make, small, medium, and large.

Scroll down to view the free pattern or you can grab your printer-friendly, ad-free PDF in my shop here.

Tartan Baubles

You all know I love anything tartan, Scottish, or linked to the Outlander TV series and these tartan baubles fit right in!

Knit in a similar way to this Fraser Tartan Scarf and this Fraser Tartan Dog Sweater.

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The tartan effect is created by knitting stripes, then weaving lengths of yarn through the knitted fabric.

Knitted Christmas Baubles

Knit lots and lots of these baubles to decorate your Christmas tree.

They would also look great placed together on a wooden tray with candles and greenery to make a table display.

Mix handmade decorations with fresh greens to create a rustic-looking centerpiece.

Tartan Christmas decorations on the tree

The Yarn I Used

You can easily make these Christmas baubles from leftover yarns in your stash.

I used leftovers from Cascade 220 in red, green, and grey to create the striped knitted rectangles.

Then the same colors were used to weave the tartan into the knitted fabric – up and over into the garter stitch bumps.

Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern

This pattern is great for any beginner knitters.

More Christmas Patterns

You may also like these Christmas knitting patterns…

Tartan Christmas Decorations – Knitting Pattern

Grab your inexpensive ad-free, PDF printable pattern in my shop here.

Notes

Make knitted tartan Christmas decorations to hang on your tree.

There are three sizes to make, small, medium, and large.

Copyright Info

Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern.
If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
You may sell items produced using this pattern.
In all product listings please credit Handy Little Me (Louise Bollanos) as the designer.
Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
For the copyright T&C’s please read my Terms of Use.

Skill Level – Basic

Gauge – 10 x 10 cm/4 x 4 inches = 12 sts/18 rows in garter stitch.

Measurement/Sizes

Knitted samples laying flat will measure…

Large – Length = 14″ / Width = 7″
Medium – Length = 9″ / Width = 5″
Small – Length = 4″ / Width = 6″

The Supplies You Need

Yarn

Yarn – Cascade 220 /100g/219 yds/200m.

Yarn A – Red
Yarn B – Green
Yarn C – Grey

Worsted/Aran/10 PLy yarn
Scraps in various colors.
Around 40/50g of each color for 3 balls.

Needles

5 mm (US 8) knitting needles.

Notions

Other Materials

Toy stuffing/fiberfill – to stuff the baubles.

Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations List

CO = Cast on
Cont = Continue
K = Knit
Patt = Pattern
Rep = Repeat
St(s) = Stitch(es)

Pattern – Large Tartan Bauble

Yarn A – Red

Yarn B – Green

Yarn C – Grey

With Yarn A cast on 46 sts

Knit every row (working in garter stitch) you will create a striped rectangle as follows:

Yarn A – Knit 8 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 8 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 8 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 8 rows.

Cast off in yarn A and leave a long length for seaming – around 12-14 inches.

Pattern – Medium Tartan Bauble

Yarn A – Red

Yarn B – Green

Yarn C – Grey

With Yarn A cast on 36 sts

Knit every row (working in garter stitch) you will create a striped rectangle as follows:

Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.

Cast off in yarn A and leave a long length for seaming – around 12-14 inches.

Pattern – Small Tartan Bauble

Yarn A – Red

Yarn B – Green

Yarn C – Grey

With Yarn A cast on 26 sts

Knit every row (working in garter stitch) you will create a striped rectangle as follows:

Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 2 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 2 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 2 rows.
Yarn C – Knit 4 rows.
Yarn B – Knit 2 rows.
Yarn A – Knit 6 rows.

Cast off in yarn A and leave a long length for seaming – around 12-14 inches.

Time needed: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

How To Make Up The Knitted Christmas Bauble

Weaving The Tartan
Cut lengths of Yarn A and Yarn B around 8 inches long (maybe longer for the large size) and weave through the knitted fabric with a darning needle…
I repeated a pattern of 4 strands of Yarn A and 2 of Yarn B.
You can see a video tutorial here.
The Finished Rectangles
You have your finished rectangles – looking something like this…
You can weave the ends in if you wish or if you are lazy like me, just tuck them in when you cinch the top and bottom to hide them.
Create A Tube
You seam the rectangle to create a tube using the mattress stitch.
Cinch The Bottom
Sew a running stitch around one end of the tube, then cinch it together and secure.
Stuff The Bauble
Stuff the bauble with polyfill/toy stuffing to make it nice and round.
Cinch The Top
Then sew a running stitch through the top and cinch together to close and secure.
(Tucking in any stray ends from the weaving)
Create A Hanging Loop
With the length of yarn that is left, secure and create a hanging loop, by securing the other end of the yarn close to the cinched top – so you can hang the bauble onto your tree.