Highland Cow Christmas Ornament Crochet Pattern Story
This little highland cow Christmas Ornament has origins that are much like many other Highland coos, in that it originated in Scotland!
Much of my ancestry leads back to scotland. When I graduated my parents took me on a trip there to see my historical family castle and loch.
When we first arrived we bought a bagpipe CD at the airport as any good tourist would do. We were all very excited to get into the spirit and appreciate the beauty of this complex instrument. As we drove to our air bnb and blasted the CD in the car we passed the beautiful rolling hills full of lovely sheep and the unmistakable Highland COO. Yes! In Scotland they refer to them as COO's. After unpacking our bags we set off to visit the sights right away, not wanting to waste any time. We then drove around for about 6 hours blasting our new CD, as it was the only music we had. We visited Castles, ate Haggis, and pretended my apple juice was ale as we had dinner at the pub. Then we headed back to the air bnb. I laid my head down on the pillow, exhausted from jet lag and travel wonders. My sister in the bed next to me did the same. I sat there in the silence of the evening for about 2 minutes with a blaring question on my mind. I couldnt hold onto it any longer, I had to ask her... "Do you hear Bagpipes?" She Immediated replied with "YEP!" and we both had a good long laugh. We had listened to so many bagpipe songs we were both still hearing them as we laid our heads down to sleep!
As silly as that is, I fell in love with that CD and those lands as we visited the beautiful sights in Scotland. So when I was deciding a few years ago what Christmas Ornament I wanted to add to our tree that year, I couldnt help but choose the Highland Coo. As you make this COO, Listen to some pipes! It will undoubtedly bring you a little closer to Scotland. Lets Make a Coo!
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Etsy Premuim Pattern
Materials for Highland Cow Christmas Ornament Crochet Pattern
Medium Weight (4) Red Heart Yarn (Saffron)
Medium Weight (4) Red Heart Yarn (White)
D hook
6mm safety eyes
Polyfil
Abbreviations:
Sc- single Crochet
Slst- slip stitch
Mc- magic circle
Inc- increase (2 sc in a single stitch)
Dec- decrease (sc two stitches together)
Ch- chain
Yo-yarn over
Nose (Saffron)
Rd 1: Mc, 7sc inside, pull tight
Rd 2: 7sc
Rd 3: 7sc
slst tie off and leave long tail for sewing. Set aside to stitch on the head when it’s complete
Legs (Make 4)Saffron
Rd 1: Mc, 6 sc inside (6)
Rd 2: 6 sc (6)
Slst, tie off
Body (Saffon)
Rd 1: Mc, 14 sc inside, pull closed
Rd 2: Now we will attach the legs to this circle. Start next round with 1 sc, then for the next two stitches attach a leg by sc through both the body and the leg (see photo to the right.) After attaching the leg do 2 sc along the body Then attach another leg with 2 scThen do 1 sc along the body. Attach a 3rd leg with 2 scDo 2 more sc along the body. And finally attach the last leg with the last two stitches (see photo below)
Body (Saffron)
Rd 3: Sc around the body and all the legs. There should be 4 around each leg and the stitches between the legs . For a total of (22) , (don’t use the 2 stitches that hook the body to the leg)
Rd 4: 22sc (22)
Rd 5: 22sc (22)
Rd 6: 22sc (22)
Rd 7: 9sc, 2dec, 8sc (20)
Rd 8: 2sc flip body inside out, line up both open edges with the working yarn at the far end (see photo below. sc through both sides to hook them together for 5 sc. (see photo below) you should have 10sc around the open hole. Flip the cow back right side out. We will now crochet around the hole, using continuous rounds to make the head.
Head
Continue in Saffron
Rd 9: 10inc (20)
Rd 10: 20sc (20)
Rd 11: (2sc, Dec)x 5 (15)
Rd 12: (1sc, Dec) x5 (10)
Insert eyes between row 11-12
Stitch on nose just below the eyes
Face the open part of the nose toward the cows head.
Stuff cow with polyfil
Rd 13: Dec x5 (5) Slst tie off Stitch hole on top together
Ears (Make 2) Saffron
Mc, 5 sc inside, pull tight but do not add additional stitches
slst tie off leaving long tail to sew on
sew ears on either side of the head, see photos weave in ends
Horns (Make 2)
White
Chain 4, turn to crochet in closest stitch to hook, 1sc, 2sc in the same stitch, 1 sc. tie off Stitch horns onto the head just behind the ears weave in ends
Hair
Saffron
Heres a cool trick to attach the hair on the top of the head, use a yarn needle to sew down through a stitch just in front of the horns, then back up in the stitch, next to the first. Don’t pull tight, thread both strings down through the loose loop. Pull both strings tight to create a knot. Do this all the way across the front of the horns, between the ears. Then trim hair to the top of the nose.
Tree hanger Saffron
Chain 20 and tie off.
Stitch the two ends to the back of the cows head. Weave in ends
Now to finish the cow we do the tail.
Tail Saffron
Yarn on, Chain 5, turn, 4slst, tie off, fray ends
Sew unfrayed end onto cows bum, see photo
Completed Highland Cow Christmas Ornament Crochet Pattern
You have Finished the Highland Cow Christmas Ornament Crochet Pattern!
Thanky you for making this with me today. I hope it brings joy to your holiday season.
