Design by: Mary Jane Protus. Tree skirt measures approximately 60” across. flowers/leaf motif measure  approximately 6-1/2” across “RED HEART Holiday” Art no. 381 (8.5 oz/ 262 yd metallic solid: 3 oz/ 223 yd metallic. Marl ball): 42 ounces no. 3004 Aran w/gold CA. 5-1/2 ounces no. 3008 wine w/gold CB, and 4-1/2 ounces no. 3009 hunter w/gold cc. Crochet hooks: 6mm [US-J-10] and 5mm [US size H-8] yarn needle: sewing needle and thread: 264 (2 packages) 5mm and/or 6mm gold beads, GAUGE: 12 sts = 4”: 6 rows = 4” in pat with double strand of yarn and larger hook. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. USE ANY SIZE HOOK TO OBTAIN THE GAUGE. SKIRT: with 2 strands of CA held together as one, ch 29. row 1: dc in 5th ch from hook, * ch 1. dc in next ch: rep. from * across: turn, ROW 2: ch 4. skip ch-1 sp,* dc in next dc, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next ch-1 sp: rep. From * to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch-4: turn- 12 groups of 4 dc. ROW 3: ch 4, skip ch-1 sp, * [dc in next 2 dc, ch 1] twice, skip next ch- 1 sp: rep from * to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch-4: turn. ROW4: ch 4, skip ch-1 sp, * dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next sp, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, skip next sp: rep. From * to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch-4: turn – 12 groups of 6 dc. ROW 5: ch 4, skip ch-1 sp, * [dc in next 3 dc, ch 1] twice, skip next sp: rep from * to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch-4. ROW 6: ch 4, skip sp, * dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in sp, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, skip sp: rep. From / to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch-4: turn- 12 groups of 8dc. Continue in the manner of the last 2 rows: adding a ch-1 sp at the center of each of 12 groups on right side rows and working 2 dc in that same sp on wrong side rows, until there are 12 groups of 44 dc on last row. The last ( wrong side) row would be worked as follows: ch 4. skip sp, * dc in next 21 dc, 2 dc in sp, dc in next 21 dc, ch 1, skip sp: rep, from * to last st: dc in 3rd ch of ch- 4 – 12 groups of 44 dc. Fasten off. Lower edging- row 1: with right side facing and larger hook, attach one strand each CB and CC in top of last dc: ch 3, dc in next sp, dc in next dc and in each dc across (skip all other ch- 1 sps), dc in 3rd ch of ch- 4: turn. ROW 2: ch 1, ( sc,ch 3, sc) all in first dc, * skip next dc, ( sc, ch 3. sc) all in next st: rep from * across. Fasten off. Center opening edging: with right side facing and larger hook, attach CB/CC at opening: ch 1, sc evenly up center opening edge, across opposite side of beg ch, and down next edge. Fasten off. TIE: with larger hook and CB/CC, ch 150. fasten off. Weave through the ch-1 sps of row 1. knot each end. Trim. Poinsettia ( make 12): with a smaller hook and a single strand of CB, ch 4: join with a sl st in first ch to form a ring. RND 1: ch 3, dc in ring, ch 1, [2 dc in ring, ch 1] 6 times: join with a sl st to top of ch-3. RND 2: sl st in next dc, ch 1, sc in next sp, * ch 9, sc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next ch. Tr in next ch. dtr in each of next 2 ch, tr in next ch, dc in next ch **, sc in next sp of RND 1: rep from * around, end at **: join with a sl st to first sc- 7 petals. RND 3: ch 1, * skip sc, sc at the base of next 7 sts, (sc, ch 1, sc) all in ch-2 sp at tip of petal, sc in next 7 sts: rep from * around : join. Fasten off. LEAVES ( make 12): with CC, work same as poinsettia through rnd 1. RND 2: sl st in next dc, ch 1. sc in next sp. * ch 11, sc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next ch, tr in next ch, dtr in each of next 2 ch, tr in next ch, dc in next ch, ch 2, skip last 2 ch **, sc in next sp of rnd 1: rep from * around, end at **: join with a sl st to first sc- 7 leaves. Fasten off. FINISHING: arrange poinsettia motif over a leaf motif so that a leaf shows between each of the flower petal and tack together. Sew a group of 22 beads to the center of the poinsettia. Center the assembled motif on one of the 12 sections of the skirt as shown and sew in place. ABBREVIATIONS: beg: beginning: CA,CB,CC = color A color B, color C: ch= chain: dc = double crochet: dtr: double treble crochet: lp (s) = loop (s) mm = millimeters: oz = ounce: rep = repeat: sc = single crochet: sp= space st(s) = stitch(es): tr = treble crochet: yd = yard: * repeat wherever follows the * as indicated: [] – work direction in brackets the number of times specified.