This little angel is a classic, heirloom-style ornament: a round, softly stuffed head, a slim bodice, lacy loop wings and a tiered shell skirt that ends in a scalloped hem with a gold edge.
The palette is two colors only. Ivory cotton is used for the whole angel. Gold metallic thread is used for the hem edging and the hanging loop. The result looks vintage and soft on a tree, and it also works as a gift topper.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished angel measures about 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall without the loop and about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across the wings. The skirt hem is about 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide when flattened.
Construction is simple. You crochet the head, neck, bodice and skirt as one continuous piece in joined rounds, working from the top down. Next you add the gold border round to the hem. Finally you make two small wings and sew them to the back, then add the gold hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall × 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide across the wings, not counting the loop
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Fine (#2) cotton, such as 8/4 cotton
- Hook: 2.5 mm
- Number of pieces: 1 ornament: a continuous head-and-body piece plus 2 small wings that are sewn on
- Layout: Single ornament; no motif layout
- Head size: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide
- Hem width before border: 3 in (7.6 cm); height about 3.625 in (9.2 cm)
- Border depth: 1 round of sc, about 1/8 in (0.3 cm)
Materials
Yarn advice: Use a smooth, mercerized cotton. It gives crisp shells and stiff wing loops that keep their shape. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy fibers.
- Ivory (Color A): about 10 g / 34 m of fine cotton (about 170 m per 50 g)
- Gold (Color B): about 3 g / 15 m of gold metallic crochet thread or fine metallic yarn
These quantities include a margin of about 20% for your gauge swatch and tails.
Tools:
– 2.5 mm crochet hook
– Stitch marker
– Tapestry needle
– A small amount of polyester fiberfill
– Rustproof pins and a foam blocking mat
– Spray starch or a fabric stiffener (optional, for the wings and skirt)
– Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- dc = double crochet
- sc2tog = single crochet 2 together
- sk = skip
- sp(s) = space(s)
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- MR = magic ring
- rnd(s) = round(s)
Special stitch: Shell. Work the stated number of dc into one stitch or space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 24 sc and 26 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). That works out to 6 sts and 6.5 rnds per 1 in (2.5 cm).
The ornament itself is your best test piece. Crochet the head first and check it before you go on.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 4 (flat disc): 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
– Finished head: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide; head and neck together about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall
– After Rnd 16 (bodice, flattened): 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide
– After Rnd 17 (flattened): 2 in (5.1 cm) wide
– After Rnd 18 (tier 1): 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide
– After Rnd 20 (tier 2): 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide
– After Rnd 22 (tier 3): 3 in (7.6 cm) wide
– After the border: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide
If your piece is too big, go down to a 2.25 mm hook. If it is too small, go up to a 2.75 mm hook. Fix gauge at the head stage, because every later measurement depends on it.
Head and Neck
With Color A, work in joined rounds. Join each round with a sl st to the first st. The ch-1 at the start of a round does not count as a stitch.
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * 6 times, join. (18 sts)*
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * 6 times, join. (24 sts)*
Checkpoint: the flat disc should measure 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Rnds 5–8: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (24 sts each)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; rep from * 6 times, join. (18 sts)*
Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in next st, sc2tog; rep from * 6 times, join. (12 sts)*
Stuff the head lightly. Press it gently front to back so it sits slightly flattened, like the head in the photo.
Rnds 11–12 (neck): Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (12 sts each)
Checkpoint: the head should be 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide, and the head plus neck about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
Bodice
Continue with Color A.
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * 3 times, join. (15 sts)*
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (15 sts)
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * 3 times, join. (18 sts)*
Rnd 16: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (18 sts)
Do not stuff the bodice. Flatten it so the joins run down the center back.
Checkpoint: the flattened bodice is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and about 5/8 in (1.6 cm) tall.
Skirt
Rnd 17 (base): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * 5 more times, join to top of ch-3. (24 sts)*
Checkpoint: 2 in (5.1 cm) wide when flattened.
Rnd 18 (tier 1 shells): Ch 1, sc in first st, sk 1, 5 dc in next st, sk 1, sc in next st, sk 1, 5 dc in next st, sk 1; rep from * 5 times, join to first sc. (6 shells + 6 sc = 36 sts)*
Each repeat uses 4 sts, so 24 ÷ 4 = 6 repeats exactly.
Checkpoint: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide.
Rnd 19 (loops): Sl st in next 3 dc so you land on the center dc of the first shell. Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 5, sc in center dc of next shell, ch 5; rep from * 5 times, join to first sc. (6 sc + 6 ch-5 sps)*
Rnd 20 (tier 2 shells): Sl st in first ch-5 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 6 dc in same sp, sc in next sc, 7 dc in next ch-5 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * 5 times, join to top of ch-3. (6 shells of 7 dc + 6 sc = 48 sts)*
The last sc of the round goes into the first sc of Rnd 19.
Checkpoint: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide.
Rnd 21 (loops, doubled): Sl st in next 3 dc so you land on the 4th (center) dc of the first shell. Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of next shell, ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * 5 times, join. (12 sc + 12 ch-3 sps)*
Rnd 22 (tier 3 shells): Sl st in first ch-3 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in same sp, sc in next sc, 5 dc in next ch-3 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * 11 times, join to top of ch-3. (12 shells of 5 dc + 12 sc = 72 sts)*
Fasten off Color A.
Checkpoint: the flattened hem is 3 in (7.6 cm) wide, and the full height is about 3.625 in (9.2 cm).
Wings (Make 2)
With Color A, ch 4 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1. In the ring work sc, ch 8 3 times for the upper lobe. Then work sc, ch 6 2 times for the lower lobe. Join to first sc. (5 sc, 3 ch-8 loops, 2 ch-6 loops)
Rnd 2: Work 11 sc in each ch-8 loop and 8 sc in each ch-6 loop. Sl st in each sc from Rnd 1 between the loops; these sl sts are not counted. Join. (3 × 11 + 2 × 8 = 49 sc)
The sc-covered loops make the rope-like outlines, and the center of each loop stays open.
Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Checkpoint: each wing is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide and tall.
Border
Use Color B (gold). Border gauge: the sc round adds about 1/8 in (0.3 cm) all around the hem.
Rnd 23: Join Color B with a standing sc in any sc between two shells of Rnd 22. Sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in next (center) dc, sc in next 2 dc. *Sc in next sc, sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in next dc, sc in next 2 dc; rep from * 11 times. Join and fasten off.
Count: 72 sts worked 1 per existing st + 12 extra sts (1 at each shell tip) = 84 sts. Each shell repeat has 7 sts, and 12 × 7 = 84.
Why the math works: a 5-dc shell curves outward. Working 1 sc in each stitch would pull the curve flat. Adding a single extra sc at the outermost point of each shell keeps the curve round, and since there is only one extra stitch per shell, the hem does not ruffle. The sc between shells is worked without an increase, so the notch between scallops stays sharp.
Checkpoint: the hem is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide and the total height is 3.75 in (9.5 cm).
Assembly and Hanging Loop
- Flatten the angel with the joins centered at the back.
- Place the wings behind the bodice with the rings touching. Point the upper lobes up and out and the lower lobes toward the skirt.
- Let each wing ring overlap the bodice edge by about 0.25 in (0.6 cm). That gives a total width of 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- Whipstitch each wing ring and the base of its loops to the back of the bodice. Keep the stitches hidden from the front.
- Hanging loop: with Color B, ch 36 (about 3 in / 7.6 cm). Fold the chain in half and sew both ends to the top of the head. This gives a loop about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
Final Blocking
- Dampen the angel lightly with a spray bottle.
- Pin it flat on the mat with the head centered above the skirt.
- Pin out each skirt shell and each gold scallop at its tip.
- Open every wing loop. A pin inside each loop helps.
- Spray the wings and skirt with starch or stiffener if you want a firmer shape.
- Check the measurements: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across the wings.
- Let it dry completely before you unpin.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The head is round, evenly stuffed and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide
- The neck is 12 sts and clearly narrower than the head
- The skirt has 6 + 6 + 12 shells
- The gold border has 84 sts and lies flat with no ruffling
- All 5 wing loops are open and evenly covered
- The wings are symmetrical and firmly attached at the back
- The loop is centered on the head
- All tails are woven in and trimmed
Troubleshooting
- The head looks lumpy: use less fiberfill and pull it into small, even tufts.
- The skirt cups inward: your dc are too tight. Go up a hook size from Rnd 17 onward.
- The skirt ruffles: you have too many dc per shell, or you added extra increases in the border. Recount Rnd 22 (72 sts) and the border (84 sts).
- The shells lean to one side: make sure every shell lands in the center st or space, not next to it.
- The wings droop: starch them and work the sc on Rnd 2 tightly.
- The metallic thread splits: use a slightly smaller hook for the border only, and work slowly.
Care
Spot clean with cool water and mild soap, then reshape and dry flat. Store the angel flat in tissue paper so the wings keep their shape.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is:
- Head: 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
- Bodice: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- Skirt: 2 in (5.1 cm), then 2.5 in (6.4 cm), then 2.75 in (7.0 cm), then 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Gold border: brings the hem to 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide and the angel to 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall
- Wings: add the 3.5 in (8.9 cm) width
If you match the head checkpoint, everything after it follows. Happy crocheting!