A Bedfordshire Cluny style (with a bit of Muaiga) Christmas tree bauble.
This can be worked from the loop downwards in one piece, or work the outside and work each band in turn. The loop can be plaited, or a narrow (2-3 pairs passives) length of cloth stitch. The single threads are worked through all the bands, continuing through the next band down.35 pairs approx. Size 11.5cm. Thread = DMC 80 at 27/30 wpc. Thick glitter thread 10 wpc for the two colour chevron edge and two pairs colour of choice in the trails.
I chose to include a chevron edging using two thicker threads which create an interlocking 'V' shape. These can be made by alternating the threads on every row, or on alternate rows. I prefer the alternate rows as this gives a longer, more defined change of colour.
To keep the chevrons even, I draw an arrow at the top of the pattern so I remember the direction of work which has the change over of the top coloured pair. There needs to be at least one pair of normal passives on either side, more if there is room.
One of the coloured pairs lies inside the other, blue green green blue. These are not worked as conventional pairs. After working the normal passives to one side of the coloured thread, lift the center coloured pair, green green, and pass the worker underneath in one go. Place the coloured pair back in the same center position, blue green green blue, continue with the normal passives.
On the next row, work the normal passives, lift only the center coloured pair, green green, and place them, one at each outer side of the blue pair. This makes the blue blue pair the center pair. Lift the blue blue center pair, pass the worker underneath them and place them back down in between the green green pair. Continue with the normal passives. The chevron is now green blue blue green. The worker pair passes twice between the two pairs of colours per change of colour.
This can be made by swapping the coloured pairs every row, the chevrons will be shorter but maybe a bit tighter.
The tallies, when worked in the bands, are four pairs which zigzag between the bars. The center is made with a simple half stitch with two twists around the pins.
The thick glitter threads I used can be changed for thinner threads, just add more pairs. Glitter or thick threads need to be carefully tensioned so keep an eye on those.
On the curved trails, I used a pair of thick glitter threads with a normal passive pair on each side. On the wavy trail, I used two different colour thick threads. At each pass of the worker, they were swapped over, right over left. This gave them a stripy look.
See my video on chevron edging on my youtube channel here
https://youtu.be/UhnNNR43b48?si=lDEVRQX4LO7NNRes
See my video on tallies here
https://youtu.be/Thc-6D7Y1ZE?si=4CRvxryIHZOloatf
also more info on my ‘Lesley’s Lace’ blog.
This is A4. If you can't get your printer to print this at the right size, the .pdf is available from my 'Lesley's Lace' facebook page in the 'Files' tab.