Ten years ago this summer, this little blog of mine turned 10 years old. Way back when I first started blogging about my life (which at that time was mainly spent in Gibraltar) under the name of ‘Postcard from Gibraltar’ and as I shared a few of my own crafty makes, the idea that anyone would actually find my posts and read them was a bit mid boggling. I also never imagined I would one day be brave enough to begin designing my own crochet patterns.
Way back in those early days, the main advice I came across for newbie bloggers was to read other people’s blogs and interact with the blogging community. When I did that, I discovered a blog which really appealed to me. It was called Coastal Crochet, and, like mine featured posts about family life (by the sea) and crochet makes. Over time, Coastal Crochet’s creator Eleonora and I would regularly correspond with each other through comments on each other’s posts and through social media.
When Eleonora began her first crochet along ‘The Seaside Stashbusting Blanket’ I jumped straight in and joined along with many, many other crocheters around the world and I loved sharing my own progress through my blog and social media with the backdrop of Gibraltar or nearby Spain in my pictures. You can read the story of my Seaside Stashbusting Blanket here if you would like to find out about the inspiration behind my colour choices.
Fast forward a few years and, after a relocation back to the UK in 2020, a couple of years later, I met Eleonora in real life for the first time at Yarndale, it was so lovely to actually chat in person after so many years of ‘chatting’ online. Two years later, at Yarndale 2024, we met again and decided we would do something together to mark a decade of both of our blogs. This is it… the ‘Let’s Celebrate Wreath’.
We thought it would be nice to mark our joint celebration with a project which would help others celebrate too.
In our house, we have ‘birthday bunting’ which we bring out every time a birthday is celebrated in the household. Without fail, the bunting goes up in the front window on the morning of the birthday and it remains there along with the birthday cards which have been received for a week. I used our family’s birthday bunting in this photo for my Making Stitches 2025 CAL Bonus Birthday square.
When we chatted our idea through, Eleonora and I thought, perhaps this Let’s Celebrate Wreath could become something like our birthday bunting and be put up whenever a birthday is celebrated – it certainly will be in our house!
As this is a true collaboration between Eleonora and myself, it’s been designed in partnership drawing from things we are both known for; the gingham effect of the Tunisian crochet comes from one of Eleonora’s blanket designs, the ‘Picnic on the Beach blanket’, the tiny string of bunting has also featured in a similar way on one of Eleonora’s previous designs for a Life Ring Wreath.
From my side of things, I have designed a number of amigurumi dolls and other things which I have shared both on this blog and in my Etsy pattern shop so I have created the pattern for the balloons and the birthday cake following the amigurmi technique of crocheting in the round.
In order to create your own Let’s Celebrate Wreath, you will need to visit Eleanora’s blog in order to find the pattern for the gingham wreath cover and the little string of bunting, you can find my pattern for the balloons and the birthday cake below.
Pattern to make the ‘Let’s Celebrate’ balloons Part of the Let’s Celebrate Wreath
By Eleonora Tully & Lindsay Weston
Materials
We used 4-ply yarn, ‘Scheepjes Catona’, as detailed below, but any 4-ply or DK weight yarns, especially cottons, can be used to achieve similar results.
Scheepjes Catona (100% cotton, 50g / 125m), Royal Orange (189), Lemon (280), Emerald Green (515), Powder Blue (384)
- 2.5mm (US C/2) hook
- A small amount of soft toy filling
- A stitch marker is useful to mark the first stitch of each round
Tension
Tension is not critical for this project.
Measurements
The finished balloons are approximately 75mm long and 45mm wide.
Pattern notes
The balloons are worked in the round using the amigurumi technique of crochet. It is useful to mark the first stitch of every round with a stitch marker and move it as each round is completed. Once they are all finished, they can be sewn onto the wreath base (the pattern for which can be found at coastalcrochet.com). Please use the photos as a guide for where to position and sew the decorations onto the wreath base.
Abbreviations in UK terms:
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
dc2tog: double crochet 2 stitches together
mc: Magic Circle/Magic Ring
mm: millimetres
rep: repeat
st(s): stitch(es)
To work:
Using a 2.5mm hook and yarn make a MC
Round 1 Work 6dc into the MC. Pull ring tight. (6dc)
Round 2 2dc in every st around. (12dc)
Round 3 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next st) rep around. (18dc)
Round 4 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (20dc)
Round 5 (1dc in next st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (22dc)
Round 6 (1dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (24dc)
Round 7 (1dc into next 3 sts, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (26dc)
Rounds 8 & 9 1dc in every st around. (26dc)
Round 10 (1dc in next 4 sts, 2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (28dc)
Rounds 11 & 12 1dc in every st around. (28dc)
Round 13 (1dc in next 4 sts, dc2tog, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (26dc)
Round 14 1dc in every st around. (26dc)
Round 15 (1dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep. (24dc)
Round 16 (1dc in next 4 sts, dc2tog) rep around. (20dc)
Round 17 (1dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog) rep around. (16dc)
Round 18 (1dc in next 2 sts, dc2tog) rep around. (12dc)
At this point, stuff the balloon. Don’t stuff it too firmly though as you want it to be oval rather than round when viewed from the top, so it lies nicely against the wreath when it’s attached.
Round 19 dc2tog around. (6dc)
Round 20 1dc into every st around. (6dc)
Round 21 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next st) rep around. (9dc).
Fasten off with a slst and break yarn. Sew in the end.
Make 4 balloons for the wreath, one in each colour.
Pattern to make the ‘Let’s Celebrate’ birthday cake
Materials
We used 4-ply yarn, ‘Scheepjes Catona’, as detailed below, but any 4-ply or DK weight yarns, especially cottons, can be used to achieve similar results.
Scheepjes Catona (100% cotton, 50g / 125m), Snow White (106), Hot Red (115), Lemon (280), Powder Blue (384), Camel (502)
- 2.5mm (US C/2) hook
- A small amount of soft toy filling
- A stitch marker is useful to mark the first stitch of each round
Pattern notes
The cake is worked in the round using the amigurumi technique of crochet. It is useful to mark the first stitch of every round with a stitch marker and move it as each round is completed. You will need to make all the components of the cake (the top, the base, the candle and the flame before joining the cake top to the cake base).
Once it’s complete, it can be sewn onto the wreath base (the pattern for which can be found at coastalcrochet.com). Please use the photos as a guide for where to position and sew the decorations onto the wreath base.
Abbreviations in UK terms:
BBL: This is a 4tr bobble stitch [yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook] 4 times (you will then have 5 loops on your hook) yo and draw through all the loops on the hook]
blo: blo
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
dc2tog: double crochet 2 stitches together
flo: front loop only
fyo: final yarn over
mc: Magic Circle/Magic Ring
mm: millimetres
rep: repeat
st(s): stitch(es)
yo: yarn over
To make the cake base:
Using 2.5mm hook and Camel yarn, make a MC
Round 1 Work 6dc into the MC. Pull ring tight. (6dc)
Round 2 2dc in every st around. (12dc)
Round 3 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next st) rep around. (18dc)
Round 4 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 2 sts) rep around. (24dc)
Round 5 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 3 sts) rep around. (30dc)
Round 6 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 4 sts) rep around. (36dc)
Round 7 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 5 sts) rep around. (42dc)
Round 8 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 6 sts) rep around. (48dc)
Round 9 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 7 sts) rep around. (54dc)
Round 10 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep around. (60dc)
Round 11 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 9 sts) rep around. (66dc)
Round 12 Working in blo, 1dc in every st around. (66dc)
(From now on the st count for the rounds will remain at 66dc.)
Round 13 1dc in every st around.
Rounds 14 & 15 Rep Round 13 but change to Hot Red in fyo of Round 15
Round 16 Working in blo, 1dc in every st around, changing to Snow White in fyo of Round 16.
Round 17 Working in the blo, (1BBL in 1st st, 1ch, miss the next st) rep around (on this occasion slst into the top of the 1st BBL). Change to Camel in fyo of Round 17. (33BBL)
Round 18 1dc into the top of every BBL & into every 1ch space between the BBLs. (66dc)
Rounds 19 – 24 Rep Rounds 13 to 18.
Rounds 25 – 27 1dc in every st around. Fasten off and break yarn.
To make the cake top:
Using Snow White yarn make a MC
Round 1 Work 6dc into the MC. Pull ring tight. (6dc)
Round 2 2dc in every st around. (12dc)
Round 3 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next st) rep around. (18dc)
Round 4A Working in the flo, (BBL in first st, slst into next st) rep around. (9 BBL)
Round 4B Working in the blo, (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 2 sts) rep around. (24dc)
Round 5 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 3 sts) rep around. (30dc)
Round 6 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 4 sts) rep around. (36dc)
Round 7 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 5 sts) rep around. (42dc)
Rounds 8 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 6 sts) rep around. (48dc)
Round 9 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 7 sts) rep around. (54dc)
Round 10 (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 8 sts) rep around. (60dc)
Round 11A Working in the flo, (BBL in first st, slst into next st) rep around. Fasten off and break yarn. (30 BBL)
Round 11B Join Camel yarn and working into the blo, (2dc in 1st st, 1dc in next 9 sts) rep around. (66dc)
Do not break yarn as you will be using it to crochet the top to the base once the candle has been added to the centre of the cake top.
To make the candle:
Using Powder Blue yarn, make a MC
Round 1 Work 6dc into the MC. Pull ring tight. (6dc)
Round 2 Working in the blo, (2dc in next st, 1dc in next 2 sts) rep. (8dc)
Rounds 3 – 12 1dc into every st around. Fasten off and break yarn leaving a tail to sew it to the cake top.
To make the candle flame:
Using Lemon yarn, make a MC
Round 1 Work 3dc and 1tr into the MC, then 2ch & slst into the 1st ch to form a picot, work 1tr and 3dc into the MC. Pull the ring tight. Fasten off and break yarn leaving a tail to sew the flame to the top of the candle. (6dc, 2tr & 1 picot).
To assemble the cake:
First of all, sew the flame onto the top of the candle and attach it firmly, weave in the ends of the Lemon yarn. Then stuff the candle firmly with toy filling. This is a bit fiddly but if you have a long thin implement to help force the stuffing in that is helpful (a chopstick is great for this purpose!).
Once the candle is stuffed firmly, sew it securely to the centre of the cake top. Once it is securely in place, it’s time to attach the cake top to the cake base. This can be done by sewing it together, but I prefer to crochet it on working through both the edge of the cake top and top the last round of the cake base, as it’s really neat.
Take the cake base and the cake top wrong sides together and put the hook through the first st of Round 11B on the cake top and then one of the sts of the final round on the cake base and work 1dc into it. Then proceed to make 1dc into every st around working through both the cake top and the cake base. Once you are two thirds of the way round, this is a good time to stop and fill the cake with toy filling. You don’t want to over stuff it as that will result in a rounded bottom to your cake, but you need enough stuffing for it to hold its shape. You can always add a bit more just before you close the hole, so if you are usure, carry on crocheting the top onto the base and stop when you still have a few stitches to go and you can still decide to add a bit more filling.
When you are happy with the shape and size of the cake and you have completed the join, fasten off and break your yarn, weaving in the end. Your cake is now complete and ready to be sewn onto your ‘Let’s Celebrate Wreath’!
Once you have completed your cake, balloons and bunting, pin them onto your wreath base. When you are happy with the position of the different elements, sew them firmly in place.
And there you have it, complete with the bunting & the wreath base pattern as detailed on Eleonora’s Coastal Crochet blog, you have your very own ‘Let’s Celebrate’ wreath!
We really hope you enjoy making it and that it brings many years of enjoyment to your home!
The latest episode of the Making Stitches Podcast features a chat between myself and Eleonora about this project and how we have become friends over the past 10 years thanks to our blogs. You can find a link to the episode show notes here.
Isn’t this photo Eleonora has taken beside the sea of our Let’s Celebrate wreath stunning?
If you make a Let’s Celebrate wreath and share it on social media, please tag myself @making_stitches_blog and Eleonora @coastalcrochet in your posts so we can both see yours!
Thank you so much for your interest in our crochet collaboration, I really hope you enjoy making a Let’s Celebrate wreath that you and your loved ones can enjoy for many years to come!
Happy hooking!
Lindsay x
