The Gifts of Christmas

In the December 2003 First Presidency Message, The Gifts of Christmas, President Thomas S. Monson said:

There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all. Let this be a description of our Christmas gifts.

What will you give this Christmas?

Crocheted Mitten Instructions

Each year compassionate women take their crochet hooks out and dive into the creation of mittens. These tender offerings are then sent to children and adults in need, where their soft touch will help warm hands and gladden hearts.

Crocheted Mitten Instructions

Basic Crocheted Mittens

Abbreviations:

ch = chain                                         sl st = slip stitch                    st(s) = stitch (stitches)

sc = single crochet                           tbl = through back loop

 

sc2tog = single crochet 2 stitches together. This is a decrease stitch (Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull loop through to the front of work, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull loop through to the front, yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook.)

 

The Pattern for small (medium, large) mittens

Row 1: Using size G hook ch 7(9, 11) sts. Turn, skip first stitch, 1 tbl sc into the remaining

6(8, 10) sts.

Row 2: Turn, ch 1 (this is a turning chain, do not count as a stitch), 1 sc tbl into each st across. 6(8, 10)

Row. 3: Repeat row 2 20(26, 30) more times. 21(27, 31) rows worked, not including the foundation chain.)

 

Fold the ribbing in half and line up the short edges. Your crochet hook will be to the right, and in the row behind the beginning yarn tail. Slip stitch these rows together by inserting your hook into the back loop of the foundation chain and then through the back loop of the stitch directly behind it, yo and pull loop through to front of work and through loop on hook. Repeat across row.  Do not fasten off. Turn ribbing tube so that the sl st row is to the inside. You will now stitch into the edges of the previous rows.

 

Round 1: Make 23(28, 33) sc sts, equally spaced, around top edge of ribbing.

Round 2: 1 sc into each of the next 10(12, 15) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 9(12, 14) sts. 25(30, 35) sts.

Round 3: 1sc into each st around.

Round 4: 1 sc into each of the next 11(13, 16) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 10 (13, 15) sts. 27 (32, 37) sts.

Round 5: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 6: 1 sc into each of the next 12(14, 17) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 11(14, 16) sts. 29(34, 39) sts.

Round 7: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 8: 1 sc into each of the next 13(15, 18) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 12(15, 17) sts. 31(36, 41) sts.

Round 9: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 10: 1 sc into each of the next 14(16, 19) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 13(16, 18) sts. 33(38, 43).

NOTE: For small size only: skip to round 18 after completing this round.

Round 11: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 12: 1 sc into each of the next (17, 20) sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next (17, 19) sts. (40, 45) sts.

Round 13: 1 sc into each st around.

NOTE: For medium size only: skip to round 18 after completing this round.

Round 14: 1 sc into each of the next 21 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 20 sts. (47)sts.

Round 15: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 16: I sc into each of the next 22 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 21 sts. (49)sts.

Round 17: 1 sc into each st around.

Round 18: 1 sc into each of the next 12(14, 17)sts, skip the next 10(12, 15)sts (for thumb), 1 sc into each of the next 11(14, 17) sts, around hand, not including thumb.

Round 19: 1 sc into each st around. 23 (28, 33)

Round 20: Repeat round 19:  9(13, 17) more rounds.

Alterations (for different sizes)

For Small Size Only:

Next round: [1 sc into each of the next 6 sts, sctog] 2 times, 1 sc into each of the next 5 sts, sc 2tog (20 sts).

Next round: [1 sc into each of the next 3 sts, sc2tog] 4 times (16 sts).

Next round: 1 sc into each st around

Next round: sc2tog 8 times (8 sts).

Fasten off with a 10” tail. Thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 8 sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.

 

For Medium Size Only:

Next round: [1 sc into each of the next 5 sts, sc2tog] 4 times (24 sts).

Next round: 1 sc into each st around (24 sts).

Next round: sc2tog 12 times (12 sts).

Next round: 1 sc into each st around (12sts).

Next round: [1 sc into the next st, sc2tog] 4 times (8 sts).

Fasten off with a 10” tail. Thread yarn through the front loop of the remaining 8 sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.

 

For Large Size Only:

Next round: sc2tog [ 1 sc into each of the next 9sts, sc2tog]3 times (30 sts).

Next round: 1 sc in each st around.

Next round: [1 sc into each of the next 3 sts, sc2tog] 6 times (24 sts).

Next round: 1 sc into each st around.

Next round: sc2tog 12 times (12 sts).

Next round: 1 sc into each st around.

Next round [ 1 sc into in next st sc2tog] 4 times (8sts),

Fasten off with a 10” tail. Thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 8 sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.

Thumb

Join yarn to any thumb stitch and make 10(12, 15) sc around.

1 sc into each st around 5(7, 9) more rows. Next row: sc2tog 5(6, 8) sts left.

Fasten off with a 10” tail. Thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining  5(6, 8) sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.

For printable instructions, click here.

Autism Caterpillar Instructions

Autism Caterpillars are used by schools and other agencies who teach children with Autism.  These simple, soft, and darling caterpillars are weighted down with beans and have a sweet, soothing effect on an autistic child.  This new project will involve a little pouring, a little stitching, a little assembly and lots of love.

Autism Caterpillar Instructions

1.  Cut out caterpillar body from your choice of fabric 42" long by 12" wide. Sew edges together and leave an opening. (See diagram below for suggested layout when workin gwith an entire bolt of fabric.) 

2. Put plastic cup funnel into the opening of the Caterpillar

3.    Have neighbor help hold the caterpillar while you pour the beans. Hold Caterpillar vertically to the floor and pour the pitcher of beans into the cup inserted in the Caterpillar. 

4.    Lay Caterpillar flat on the table and wrap a small ribbon from the kit twice around the Caterpillar, approx. 2 inches from the bottom and tie a knot as tight as possible.  Check and make sure the beans will not fall out of the bottom of the Caterpillar.  Place a dab of glue on the knot, and tie another tight knot.

CAUTION: glue is stringy – be careful to not drip glue on the fabric. 

5. Stretch Caterpillar on the table and distribute the beans evenly.

 

6.    Take the large ribbon and slide it under the Caterpillar approx. 5 to 6 inches from the top; do not tie yet. 

 

7.    Take the other 6 small ribbons and slide them under the Caterpillar and distribute all of the ribbons evenly between the neck ribbon and the tail ribbon.

 

8.    Tie the big ribbon tight around the neck into a knot.  Put a dab of glue on the knot and tie a nice bow.

 

9.    Tie off the other 6 sections by wrapping the ribbon once and tie a tight knot.  Put a dab of glue on top of the knot and tie one more time.

 

 

10.    Clip the bottom 7 ribbons so it has 1½ inches on each side of the knot.

 

11.    Cut two sets of small circles from grey and white pieces of felt. The white circles are the base of the eyes and the grey circles are the pupils for the Caterpillar.  Put glue around the edge of the white circles and place them towards the front part of the Caterpillar’s face (see photo).

 12.    Put glue around the edges of the grey circles and glue them onto the middle of the white circles.

 13.    Take a needle and thread and while holding the eye in place stitch a knot in the middle of each gray felt to secure the eyes into place.

For printable instructions, click here.  

Yarn Ball Instructions

What child wouldn’t love learning with a fun and fluffy educational toy?  Imagine the joy and laughter of a young child as they catch one of these delightful balls.  Yarn balls make a great sensory toy and can be donated to children enrolled in early intervention programs throughout your community.

Yarn Ball Instructions


Step 1: While pulling yarn from center of skein, wrap one skein or yarn around frame.

Step 2: Take elastic and tie around center of yarn TIGHT!!

Step 3: Cut outside edges of yarn. Completed ball will fall through opening of frame.

For printable instructions, click here.

Beanie Bunny Instructions

These cuddly handmade stuffed animals will bring comfort and joy to children who are taken from their homes or are in other crisis circumstances.

Helpful Hints

-Please try to hide knots between the layers of felt so the knot does not show on the outside.

-If any pieces of felt have ink tracing marks on them, please turn them over so they don’t show.

-Use a single strand of thread for the entire project.

-Make stitches small and ¼ inch apart.

Whip Stitch 

Put pieces of fabric together. Insert the needle between the two fabrics and poke your needle through the top fabric. Angle the needle so that it comes out the top layer next to the first stitch and pull tight. Repeat so that the stitches on the outside look straight. 

Directions 

Place funnel into sock. Pour one heaping 1/3 cup of split peas into sock.  Remove funnel.  Keep stuffing fluffy by gently pulling on stuffing. Insert stuffing into sock, kneading the outside of the sock after each addition.  This helps produce a smoother surface.  Use all of the stuffing. 

Gather the top of the sock, above the stuffing.  Stretch and loop the elastic band twice over the top of the sock, securing it right above the stuffed head. The heel of the sock will be the bunny’s face.  The smallest felt heart is the nose.  Place the bottom of the nose over the top edge of the teeth. Poke the needle up through the teeth and the nose, keeping the knot on the underside.  

Place into middle of the heel and, with a whip stitch, attach nose and upper part of teeth to the sock.  The bottom of the teeth won’t be tacked down. Place eyes over the tip of the nose.  Float needle under nose, coming out at the top of the nose and through the edge of the eyes. Whip stitch around the eyes, being careful to keep stitches small and spaced ¼ inch apart.  Float needle under the eye, coming up through one of the eye centers.  Push needle and thread up through small, black pom-pom then back down through pom-pom securing it to eye center.  Float needle under felt to other eye and repeat.   Knot off thread and clip close to knot.

Float needle under the eye, coming up through one of the eye centers.  Push needle and thread up through small, black pom-pom then back down through pom-pom securing it to eye center.  Float needle under felt to other eye and repeat.   Knot off thread and clip close to knot.

To make whiskers: (Note: If using a black sock, please use white thread for the whiskers.) Knot the thread ¾ inch from the thread end. Insert needle ¾ inch off the side of the nose towards the top. Without pulling needle through, bring needle up through sock ¼ inch from knotted end.  Reinsert needle next to nose edge coming up underneath felt and floating the needle under nose, coming out on the opposite side of nose. Pull needle and thread through.

Repeat in reverse on opposite side of nose, knotting thread and clipping ¾ inch from knot, leaving another whisker. Repeat at the middle and the bottom of the nose.

Ribbon:

Girl:  Tie ribbon in a double knot, snugly around neck. Next, tie a bow. Cut ends of the ribbon at a slant.

Boy: Tie ribbon in a double knot, snugly around neck. Next, tie ribbon like a neck tie.

1. Make certain that one side of ribbon is twice as long as the other.

2. Cross long end over short end and back underneath.

3. Continue around passing long end across front of short once more.

4. Pass side end up through loop

5. Holding front of knot loose with index finger, pass long end down loop in front.

6. Remove finger and tighten knot carefully. Draw up tight to neck by holding shorter end and sliding knot snug.

Heart/Basketball:

Place heart/basketball on bunny’s chest, about ½ inch down from neck. Whip stitch to the sock.

For basketball: Stitch basketball lines onto orange circle (refer to photo). Keep stitches loose.

Lay bunny down on its back. Flatten excess sock/ears. Cut down the center through both layers, leaving ½ inch uncut above elastic band. Next, take each ear and shape the top of the ear by clipping a small, rounded triangle from each side of the ear.

Attach the pom-pom tail to the back of the bunny with four stitches, one on each side of the pom-pom.  The black thread will not show when the stitches are firmly pulled through the pom-pom.  Take one final stitch through just the sock, under the tail, before knotting it off. Clip thread.

For printable instructions, click here.

Happy Pillow Instructions

Scatter sunshine by making a Happy Pillow kit for a child in the hospital or in a crisis situation. You can spread joy and love with this soft and smiling pillow friend.

Happy Pillow Kit Assembly Instructions

PHASE ONE–CIRCLE CUT

1. Take one Happy Pillow packet from the center of the table. Remove the two large folded squares. Open one square and set the other on your lap.
2. Fold square in half with center edges touching.
3. Place PINK HALF-CIRCLE PATTERN ON TOP WITH STRAIGHT EDGE ON FOLD. Tug or gently pull if pattern is not on fleece.

4. Before cutting, be sure the straight edge is even on the fold and the round top edge is all on the fleece.
5. Trace shape with marking pencil. Then cut along the outside edge of the pattern. Set circle aside.
6. Repeat Phase 1 with second square from your lap. You should have two 23” circles.

PHASE TWO-CUT FRINGE

1. Place the two circles on top of each other. Lay flat on the table.
2. Match the outside edges. Tug or gently pull if necessary to match evenly.
3. With edges even, place PIE PATTERN on top of circles with the center point in the middle. Rounded edge of pie pattern should be 1” shy of outside edge of circle.
4. Following 1” markings on pie pattern, snip small cuts at each 1” mark, always keeping pie pattern 1” from the edge.
5. Shift pie pattern around the entire circle continuing to snip at 1” markings.
6. Remove pie pattern from circle.
7. With circle edges even and snip markings made, place scissors at each 1” marking and cut in 3” deep to make the fringe. Be careful to keep both circles together!  (HINT: Scissors should wide open (completely extended) to get your 3” cut!)
8. When finished, fold circles in half and place back in bag. 
   
   
   

PHASE THREE-CUT FACE PIECES

Each Happy Pillow needs to have the following face pieces:
1 Tooth                             White            
1 Mouth                           Black
1 Small Eye                     White
2 Pupils                            Black
1 Medium Eye               White
2 Eyebrows                     Black
1 Large Layered Eye    White
1 Nose                              Yellow
1 Large Single Eye        White
7 Warts                             Blue
1 Heart                              Red (not shown, goes inside the pillow)                                

1.   On the center of the table, take a pattern. 

2.   Trace and cut out each of the face pieces.  

3.   After all the face pieces are cut, place in the small ziploc bag. Double check to make sure you haven’t missed any pieces! There should be 19 pieces.

4.   Place the small Ziploc bag with the felt face pieces inside the bag with the fleece circles along with a copy of the “Make a Happy Pillow” instructions (below) for the child to complete the pillow.

Instructions to include in each Happy Pillow kit for children to assemble their own Happy Pillow

Make a Happy Pillow!

Your kit should include:

2 large fleece circles for pillow         

4 white felt circles for eyes

2 pupils for eyes         
2 eyebrows

1 nose                         
1 mouth

7 blue felt circles      
1 red heart

What you need:

1 bag of batting and fabric glue

To Assemble: 

1. Take the 2 large fringed fleece circles and put one on top of the other, matching up cut fringe as best you can. 

2. Take a piece of fringe from the bottom layer and a piece of fringe from the top.

Note: Don’t take the one directly below it, choose the one just to the left and tie them into a knot (this will help you avoid having big holes for your batting to escape.  Continue tying knots 1/2–3/4 around the circle.

3. Now take the fluffy white stuff (batting) and stuff the pillow.

4. Take a red heart and hold it in your hand, close your eyes, make a wish, and then put it inside your pillow with the batting.

5. Once all the batting is in the pillow, finish tying all the knots.

6. Use the glue to stick on your happy silly face.

7. Use your creativity and make some silly eyeballs.  There are 4 white round circles and some black pupils.  It’s fun to layer 3 circles on top of each other. Glue down the large white circle, then the medium one on top, then the smaller one!  You can look at the picture for ideas.   

8.  Use the other face pieces to glue and complete your happy pillow.

9. Laugh and smile with your new happy pillow!

For printable instructions, click here.