Sleigh Bells Ring - Door Hanger

Sleigh Bells Ring – Door Hanger

Project Overview

The Sleigh Bells Ring – Door Hanger is a festive knitted decoration designed by Cheryl Andrews that transforms your entryway into a holiday welcome. This quick-to-knit project features functional jingle bells suspended from a knitted strip that hangs from a doorknob ring, creating a cheerful jingling greeting for visitors. Perfect as either a personal home decoration or a handmade gift, this intermediate-level knitting project combines traditional cable techniques with practical hardware to create a charming seasonal accent piece.

What You'll Create

You'll knit a decorative bell strip measuring 11.25 inches by 3 inches before assembly, which reduces to approximately 10 inches by 3 inches once the three jingle bells are incorporated and the piece is mounted on the doorknob ring. The finished door hanger suspends three ¾-inch to 1-inch diameter jingle bells from a 3-inch diameter ring designed to fit standard doorknobs, creating an interactive decoration that produces pleasant jingling sounds when the door opens and closes.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate project showcases cable knitting as its primary technique. The pattern employs the following stitch instruction:

• Cable Back (CB): Slip 3 stitches to a cable needle, hold in back of work, knit the next three stitches from the left needle, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This classic cable cross creates the textured, twisted appearance characteristic of cable knit designs.

The cable technique is worked using double-pointed needles, which allow for the manipulation required to create the dimensional cable pattern throughout the bell strip. The strategic placement of cables creates spaces between them where the jingle bells are positioned, making gauge less critical than in other projects—as long as the bells fit comfortably between the cable sections, the piece will work successfully.

Materials Required

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in a total of ¾ ounce (20 grams). The sample was created using Red Heart acrylic yarn, a durable and budget-friendly choice ideal for holiday decorations.

Needles and Tools: Two size 7 double-pointed needles for the main knitting, plus one cable needle for executing the cable stitches.

Hardware and Notions: One 3-inch diameter ring designed to fit over a standard doorknob, three jingle bells measuring ¾ inch to 1 inch in diameter (available at craft stores), 1 yard of narrow ribbon in a contrasting color for decorative bows, 6 inches of ½-inch to 1-inch wide ribbon for reinforcement, and thread or embroidery floss for securely sewing the bells to the knitted strip.

Design Notes

The Sleigh Bells Ring – Door Hanger prioritizes ease and speed of completion while maintaining visual appeal. The pattern's flexibility regarding gauge makes it forgiving for knitters of varying experience levels within the intermediate range. The combination of knitted fabric with functional bells and a practical doorknob ring creates a multi-sensory decoration that engages both sight and sound, embodying the festive spirit of the holiday season.