Celebrate Lunar New Year by creating this festive firecracker ornament!

Firecrackers are traditionally used to scare away the “Nian” beast (年獸, mandarin pronounciation: nián shòu), a beast that shows up to wreak havoc and cause mayhem during Lunar New Year. People quickly learned that the beast was afraid of loud noises, the colour red, and bright lights. To ward off the beast, every year on the first day of Lunar New Year, people will set off firecrackers.

This firecracker ornament makes a great door decoration. Hang it on your door or on your doorknob to ward off bad luck for the year!

TERMINOLOGY

st(s): stitch(es)
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
inc: two single crochet in one stitch
BLO: crochet only in the back loops (loop away from you) of each stitch
(…) x #: repeat anything in the parenthesis however many times the number indicates

sc#: sc # of times indicated in the same stitch – note that sc3 (3 sc in one st, similar to an increase but just with 3 sts) and 3sc (one sc into each of the next 3 sts) are not the same.
(x, y) in the next st: work everything in the parenthesis into the same st

THINGS YOU NEED

Scheepjes Catona or other Fingering weight yarn (#1, or 4-ply) yarn – I used 28g of Scarlet (192) and 15g Yellow Gold (208)

2.25mm Crochet Hook – Adjust the hook size according to your own tension

Scissors

Darning Needle

Locking Stitch Markers

DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss – 725 (Medium Old Gold)

Embroidery Needle

Cardboard – 3.5” x 3.5”

Chopstick (optional)

Red Marker (optional)