Free Pattern: Angel Decoration

  I needed a quick holiday gift for someone, and that's how these angels got their wings. With an inexpensive pack of ornament hooks and a very small amount of yarn per piece, they will quickly become a new addition to holiday decorations around the house.

  Welcome to another one of my variable designs. First, you may want to use your project for something other than ornaments. Using your own imagination, who knows what you could create? This design could even be worked as a motif for something like a doily or table runner. In addition, there are notes and options given throughout the pattern to show you how to change your own project to suit your needs.


Skill Level:
Easy

Materials:
Worsted weight acrylic yarn, color of your choice
  +/- 5 yards per piece: I will update this as soon as possible. Sorry, but after making all of them and the examples, I never counted the length of material.
Crochet hook size F/5 (3.75mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
Tapestry needle or smaller hook for weaving in ends
Starch, optional
Ornament hangers, pliers, and a large crochet hook or knitting needle (for halo)

Gauge:
1" x 1" (2.5cm x 2.5 cm) = 1 row, 5 triple crochet
 or 3 rows, 5 single crochet

Finished Size:
White: 4 1/4" (10.8 cm) wide, 4 1/2" (11.5 cm) tall

Yellow: 4 1/2" (11.5 cm) wide, 4 1/2" (11.5 cm) tall

Blue: 3 3/4" (9.5 cm) wide, 4" (10.2 cm) tall

Stitches:
Slip stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)
Double crochet (dc)
Triple crochet (tr)
Triple crochet cluster (tr-cl): *Yarn over twice, insert hook, pull up a loop. {Yarn over, pull through 2 loops} twice.* Repeat from * to * two more times. (5 loops on hook) Yarn over, pull through all 5 loops.

Note:
There's more than one way to make this pattern, but the stitches stay the same. Stitches are worked into the front or back loops for a different appearance.

Directions:
To begin, ch 9, join to beg-ch with a sl st.

Round 1:
Ch 3, sk 1, sl st. {Sl st into next st, ch 3, sk 1, sl st} twice.

Round 2:
( blue: back loops only )
*Sl st into next sl st, ch 3. 1 dc in first available ch. (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc) in next ch, 1 dc in following ch. Ch 3, sl st into first available sl st. * Sl st into following sl st. Ch 4, 1 tr in first ch, 2 tr in next, 1 tr in following ch. Ch 4, sl st into first available sl st. Repeat from * to *.

Round 3:
( blue: back loops only)
Sl st into first available sl st and into following 3 chs. Ch 1, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, ch 1, 1 sc in ch, ch 1, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc. Ch 1, sl st in each of next 3 chs, sl st in each of next 2 sl sts, sl st in each of next 3 chs. Ch 1, 1 sc in last available ch. Ch 2, (1 tr, ch 1) in each of next 3 tr, 1 tr in last available tr. Ch 2, 1 sc in first available ch. Ch 1, sl st in each of next 2 chs, next 2 sl sts, and following 3 chs (7 sl sts). Ch 1, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc. Ch 1, 1 sc in ch-sp, ch 1, 1 sc in each of following 2 dc. Ch 1, sl st into each of next 3 chs and into following sl st.

Round 4:
( blue: back loops only)
( yellow: back loops only)
Sl st into first available sl st, (ch 4, tr-cl, ch 4, sl st) in same st. Sl st in each of next 3 sl sts and into ch-sp. Ch 1, 1 sc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 tr, ch 3, {1 sc, ch 1} twice. Sl st in each of next 10 sts. Ch 1, sl st, ch 1, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts. (1 sc, ch 2) in each of next 7 sts. 1 sc in each of next 4 sts. Ch 1, sl st, ch 1. Sl st in each of next 11 sts. {Ch 1, 1 sc} twice, ch 3, 1 tr, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 sc, ch 1, sl st in each of next 3 sts. Join with a sl st to beg sl st, bind off, weave in ends.

Belt: (optional)
Sl st around top 2 beg chs on right side. Ch 8, turn your work, sl st around bottom beg ch, ch 8, turn, sl st to beg sl st. Bind off, weave in ends.

Halo: (optional)
Insert an ornament hanger into the top of project, bend loop closed. Make a right angle bend close to the loop. I used a size N/9.00mm crochet hook to make the circle for the halo. A pen, marker, or anything with a small diameter would work.

To make the bend, a pair of pliers may help. Here's a view of the finished loop from the top:

Bend the rest of the hook at a right angle again so that the hook is in line with the original piece.

With crochet hook size F/5-3.75mm, Join with a sl st around loop for halo, ch 1.

Sl st, ch 1 until loop is completely covered. Mine only took 7 repeats to be finished, yours may vary depending on the size of the loop you make. When halo is covered, join with a sl st to beg sl st, bind off, weave in ends.

Bend the remaining hook closed and twist so it is parallel to the body of your work. If you don't make this bend, you ornament will hang sideways when you insert the final hook.

The original pattern (white) is designed to have a ruffled effect. By placing the stitches of Round 4 in the back loops only (yellow), it allows for some extra space and results in a slightly less ruffled project. Working into the back loops only for all rounds (blue) actually tightens the material and creates the most flat design with tighter stitches.

Maybe you might chose to try working one in the front loops only to see the results. I think it would produce an even lacier effect, maybe without the ruffles. You could even work a few with different hook sizes for varying sized angels. I'm interested to know what everyone else creates. The choice is up to you, so have fun!