Five little winter angels in raspberry pink, golden orange, bright blue, purple and green, each sitting above a wide two-colour crochet spiral with a star, heart, flower and snowflake hanging through the centre.
All five are the same piece. The angel body is identical, the wings are identical, the spiral is identical and the centre cord is identical. Only the main colour changes. Once you have made one, the other four are mostly repetition.
The thing that makes these hang properly is not the angel at the top. It is the spiral underneath. A band this wide needs support or it slowly relaxes. The centre cord also needs to stay straight so the star, heart and flower sit inside the openings rather than pulling the spiral sideways.
Finished length is about 48 to 52 cm.
What you’ll need
DK cotton in cream plus one main colour for each angel.
The five colours shown here are raspberry pink, warm orange, bright blue, royal purple and deep green.
Small amounts of skin tone, brown, white and pale blush.
A 2.5 mm hook.
You will also need polyester fibrefill, florist wire around 0.8 mm, strong cotton cord, one wooden ring around 25 to 30 mm for each hanging, a tapestry needle and black embroidery thread.
Use embroidered facial details rather than safety eyes if you want the softer handmade expression shown here.
Abbreviations are US terms. ch is chain, sl st is slip stitch, sc is single crochet, hdc is half double crochet, dc is double crochet, inc is two stitches in one, dec is an invisible decrease, MR is magic ring and BLO is back loops only.
Part 1. The two-colour spiral band
The band is worked flat first.
Each version uses cream with one main colour.
For the pink angel use raspberry and cream.
For the orange angel use orange and cream.
For the blue angel use blue and cream.
For the purple angel use purple and cream.
For the green angel use green and cream.
Starting in the main colour, ch 14.
Change to cream and ch 14.
Change back to the main colour and ch 14.
Continue alternating those two colours until you have 84 chains.
Row 1. Sc in the second ch from the hook and in every chain across (83).
Keep each yarn colour above the foundation section underneath.
Rows 2 to 5. Turn, ch 1 and sc across.
Keep the colour blocks lined up.
You now have a flat strip around 2 cm wide.
Do not add edging yet. The band is much easier to wire while the sides are plain.
Part 2. Wiring and coiling
Thread florist wire through the stitches along one long edge.
Weave in and out every few stitches.
Repeat along the opposite edge.
At each end, fold roughly 1 cm of wire back on itself and hide it inside the crochet so there is no sharp point.
Wrap the band around a wine bottle or another straight-sided bottle in an even spiral.
Press it gently against the glass so the wire takes the curve.
Slide it off.
Open the turns until the spaces are roughly 4 to 5 cm apart.
Do this while holding the piece vertically.
The band should look like a relaxed double helix rather than a tight spring.
If the turns sit too close together, the charms will disappear behind the crochet.
If they are too far apart, the spiral loses its shape.
Part 3. The cream edge
Once the spiral shape is set, work a decorative cream edge along the main-colour side.
Join cream yarn to the edge.
Work sl st into the first stitch.
Ch 3, skip one stitch, sl st into the next.
Repeat along the entire edge.
This gives the band the small open scalloped finish visible between the coloured sections.
Do not make the chains too tight.
A tight edge pulls the spiral inward and makes the turns uneven.
Part 4. The centre cord
Cut a length of strong cord around 65 cm.
Knot one end.
Lay it down the middle of the hanging and mark where the openings of the spiral fall.
The three main charms need to hang roughly in the centre of three consecutive openings.
The upper charm is a star.
The middle charm is a heart.
The lower charm is a small flower.
The snowflake hangs below the final turn.
Do not attach the charms directly to the spiral band.
They should hang from the centre cord so they remain vertically aligned when the spiral moves.
The angel topper
All five angels use the same pattern.
Only the dress and hat colour change.
Head
In skin tone.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR (6)
Round 2. Inc around (12)
Round 3. Sc, inc repeated six times (18)
Round 4. Sc twice, inc repeated six times (24)
Round 5. Sc three times, inc repeated six times (30)
Rounds 6 to 11. Sc around (30)
Embroider the eyes between rounds 8 and 9.
Use a tiny black stitch for each eye and add a small white highlight if you want the bright doll-like expression.
Add a short curved mouth and pink cheeks.
Round 12. Sc three times, dec repeated six times (24)
Round 13. Sc twice, dec repeated six times (18)
Round 14. Sc, dec repeated six times (12)
Stuff firmly.
Round 15. Dec around and close.
Hair
In medium brown.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Inc around.
Round 3. Sc, inc repeated.
Round 4. Sc twice, inc repeated.
Round 5. Sc three times, inc repeated.
Work one plain round and fasten off.
Sew the cap over the upper half of the head.
For the curls, ch 12.
Work 3 sc in every chain back to the beginning.
The strip curls automatically.
Make enough curls to frame the face.
Sew them around the sides and back of the hair cap.
Do not put too many curls across the forehead or the hat will sit too high.
Body
In the main colour.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR (6)
Round 2. Inc around (12)
Round 3. Sc, inc repeated around (18)
Round 4. Sc twice, inc repeated around (24)
Rounds 5 to 9. Sc around.
Stuff lightly.
The body should stay compact because the skirt provides most of the shape.
The dress
Continue in the main colour.
Work into the front loops only.
Ch 2.
Work 2 dc in every stitch around.
Next round. Dc, 2 dc in the next stitch repeated around.
Next round. Dc around.
Change to cream.
Work sl st, ch 3, sl st into the next stitch repeated around.
This gives the small white scalloped trim.
Fasten off.
Arms, make two
In skin tone.
5 sc in MR.
Sc around for six rounds.
Change to the main colour.
Sc for two rounds.
Flatten.
Fasten off.
Sew the arms toward the front of the body so the hands meet slightly in front.
The little bow
In cream, ch 16.
Fasten off.
Fold the chain into two small loops and wrap a short strand around the middle.
Sew the bow at the neckline.
The bow is tiny, but it separates the face from the dress and stops the front looking like one block of colour.
Winter hat
In the main colour.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Sc around.
Round 3. Sc, inc repeated (9)
Round 4. Sc around.
Round 5. Sc twice, inc repeated (12)
Continue increasing slowly every second round until the hat fits the head.
Work two plain rounds.
Change to cream.
Work two rounds of sc.
Fasten off.
Make a small white pompom and sew it to one side of the hat.
The hat should sit slightly tilted rather than perfectly upright.
Wings
Make two.
In cream.
Ch 12.
Starting in the second chain, sc, hdc, dc in the next 6, hdc, sc.
Work around the opposite side of the chain with the same stitch sequence.
Next round. Sc around, making two increases near the widest end.
Next round. Ch 3, sl st into the next stitch repeated around.
Fasten off.
Block the wings before attaching them.
Sew one behind each shoulder.
Only stitch down the inner third of the wing.
Leave the rest free so the lace edge remains visible.
The wooden ring and hanging loop
Each ornament hangs from a small natural wooden ring.
Cut a doubled length of strong cord.
Pass it through the ring and knot securely.
Run both ends down to the top of the angel’s hat.
Stitch the cord firmly into the head and body.
Do not attach the weight of the entire ornament to the hat alone.
The cord should pass through the head or body structure so the hat does not stretch.
The star charm
Make two.
In cream.
Round 1. 5 sc in MR.
For each point work sl st, ch 5, sl st into the second chain from the hook, sc, hdc, dc, then sl st into the next stitch of the ring.
Repeat five times.
Make a second star.
Join them with the main colour.
You can leave it flat or add the smallest amount of stuffing.
The coloured outline makes the star easier to see against the cream section of the spiral.
The heart charm
In the main colour.
Make the first cup.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
Round 2. Inc around (12)
Round 3. Sc around.
Fasten off.
Make a second cup the same way but do not fasten off.
Join both cups.
Sc around both pieces.
Work one plain round.
Sc twice, dec repeated around.
Work one plain round.
Sc, dec repeated around.
Stuff lightly.
Continue decreasing and close.
The heart should remain fairly flat.
A heavily stuffed heart twists the centre cord.
The small flower charm
The lower coloured charm changes slightly between the versions, but the same flower pattern works for all five.
In cream, 6 sc in MR.
Change to the main colour.
In every stitch work sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st.
Fasten off.
Add a tiny cream centre.
For the orange and blue versions, you can reverse the colours and make the flower cream with a coloured centre.
The snowflake
In cream.
Round 1. 6 sc in MR.
For each arm work ch 6.
Sl st into the second chain from the hook.
Ch 3, sl st back into the same chain.
Sl st into the next chain.
Ch 3, sl st back.
Sl st down the remaining chains.
Sl st into the next stitch of the ring.
Repeat six times.
Fasten off.
Block the snowflake firmly.
This is the last piece on the cord, so make it slightly wider than the flower above it.
Putting it together
Sew the top of the spiral to the underside of the angel.
Go through the same hidden spot several times.
Drop the centre cord through the middle of the coil.
Attach the star so it hangs in the first large opening.
Attach the heart in the next opening.
Attach the flower below that.
Let the snowflake hang beneath the final turn.
Hold the entire piece up before securing the knots.
The charms should form one straight vertical line.
If one touches the spiral, move the knot on the cord rather than bending the spiral around the charm.
Attach the top of the centre cord inside the underside of the angel.
Check the spiral again.
Once it hangs evenly, secure all knots and weave the ends into the body.
Angel 1. Raspberry pink
Use raspberry for the hat, dress and coloured half of the spiral.
Edge everything in cream.
Make the star cream with a pink outline.
Make the heart raspberry.
Make the flower cream and pink.
Finish with a cream snowflake.
This is the brightest version of the five and works well if you want a less traditional Christmas colour.
Angel 2. Golden orange
Use warm orange with cream.
Keep the hair medium brown so the orange does not disappear into it.
Make the star cream with an orange outline.
Make the heart orange.
Use a cream flower with a yellow or orange centre.
Finish with a cream snowflake.
Orange looks especially warm against Christmas lights and wooden decorations.
Angel 3. Winter blue
Use a strong clear blue with cream.
Do not use a very pale blue for the main band. Once it sits against a snowy window, pale blue almost disappears.
Use cream for the star centre with a blue outline.
Make the heart blue.
Make the lower flower blue and cream.
Finish with the cream snowflake.
Angel 4. Royal purple
Use royal purple with cream.
Purple works particularly well with warm white lights because it stays dark enough to show the shape of the spiral.
Make the star cream with a purple edge.
Make the heart purple.
Use a small purple flower.
Finish with cream.
Angel 5. Christmas green
Use deep green with cream.
Avoid sage here. The stronger green gives enough contrast against both the cream crochet and the outdoor background.
Make the star cream with a green outline.
Make the heart green.
Use a cream and green flower.
Finish with the same cream snowflake as the others.
The pastel version
Same angel, same spiral, softer colours.
Use dusty pink, pale yellow, lavender, mint or powder blue instead of the stronger winter colours.
Replace the white pompom hat with a flower crown if you do not want the design to look specifically Christmas.
The snowflake at the bottom can become a flower, butterfly or cloud.
Keep the cream half of the spiral.
That light stripe is what makes the twist visible.
The Christmas tree version
Use red, forest green and cream.
Make three angels instead of five.
One red, one green and one cream with gold edging.
For the cream angel, work a row of slip stitch in fine gold metallic thread along the coloured side of the spiral.
Keep the tension deliberately loose.
Metallic thread has almost no stretch, and a tight row will pull the band into little waves.
Replace the heart with a small gold star or bauble.
Notes and variations
Make all five and hang them together in one window. They are designed as a colour set and look much stronger together than spread around different rooms.
For a shorter hanging, reduce the foundation chain to 56.
For a longer window ornament, increase it to 112.
Keep the band five rows deep either way.
Swap the angel for a snowman, gnome, gingerbread doll or little Christmas tree and keep the same spiral underneath.
For a nursery version, embroider all facial details and avoid loose beads or detachable charms.
Acrylic yarn works, but cotton holds the wings and the open lace of the spiral more cleanly.
If your snowflake curls, damp block it and pin every arm separately.
Questions I get asked
Why does my spiral twist sideways? The centre cord or angel attachment is slightly off-centre. Hang the piece up, loosen the top attachment and rotate it until the spiral faces forward.
Why do the charms hit the band? Your spiral openings are too narrow. Open the turns slightly before moving any of the charms.
Do I need the wire? Yes. On a band this wide, the wire is what keeps the open spiral shape instead of allowing it to relax into a loose tube.
Why are my wings folding forward? They have either not been blocked firmly enough or too much of the inner edge has been sewn down. Block them flat and attach only the narrow base.
Can I make the five angels in different sizes? Yes, but change the whole piece proportionally. A large angel on the same narrow spiral looks top-heavy.
Which version is quickest? Once the first angel is finished, all five take almost the same amount of time because only the yarn colour changes.
How long does one take? About six hours for the first one, including the angel, spiral and charms. After that, expect around four to five hours for each additional colour.