Happy Christmas in July Crocheters! Meet Holly, our 2021 Christmas Angel. Get the free written crochet pattern for Holly, below in my post.
I’m participating in the annual #CIJmakealong2021 (Christmas in July Make Along) hosted by Marie at Underground Crafter. Every day in July there is something new to make – projects for crochet, knitting, sewing and crafts are all included. You can see the Calendar of Events, Prizes (yes did I forget to mention – there are giveaways taking place for this CAL) and join us for our make along by visiting Marie’s post here: Christmas in July Make Along
2021 Christmas Angel Pattern – Holly
Supplies
- Yarn: Bernat Super Value – (7 oz/197 g; 440 yds/402 m), 100% acrylic. Medium [4] Weight Yarn. Machine washable and dryable.
- Color: White (164053)
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G) Furls Streamline Swirl Virgo (pictured) was used for the entire project EXCEPT the halo
- Yardage: 54 g (1.9 oz) and 121 yds (110 m)
- Scissors, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker
- Small amount of Poly-Fil
- HALO: Bowdabra Bow Wire – Color Gold and 2.25 mm (B) crochet hook
Difficulty Level
EASY-INTERMEDIATE
Finished Size
8 inches tall (not including the halo), 4 inches wide when standing and measuring the diameter of the skirt
Gauge
Not imperative but if your stitches have spaces between them that you can see through you need to go down a hook size (or two) until you are crocheting a more solid fabric.
You can substitute any yarn and hook for this stitch pattern – just remember when you substitute if your gauge is different, the finished size, and amount of yarn used for your project will also be different.
Abbreviations
US Terminology used
Our Crochet Translation Project offers translations in many languages.
Check out the Basic Crochet Terms in 10 languages here.
beg – beginning
bl – back loop
BPsc – back post single crochet
ch – chain
ch2sp – chain 2 space
ch4sp – chain 4 space
dc – double crochet
DMR – double magic ring
dtr – double treble
fl – front loop
FPsc – Front Post single crochet
g – grams
hdc – half double crochet
m – meters
oz – ounces
R – round
rem – remaining
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
sk – skip
sl st – slip stitch
st/sts – stitch/stitches
tr – treble
yds – yards
* to **– Repeat the instructions between the asterisks the number of times indicated. This repeat will contain multiple instructions.
[] – at the end of the row – the total number of stitches
() – important notes AND sets of stitches to be worked within one stitch, or space
Tutorials
Stitch Anatomy
Invisible Join
Front Post Single Crochet
Single Crochet Two Together – I recommend you only go under the front loop while doing the sc2tog for this project|
Quick Stitch Guide
Slip Knot and Starting Chain
DMR – double magic ring
Notes
- This project is worked in continuous rounds. You will need to use a stitch marker so you do not lose your place.
- Do not slip stitch to join at the end of rounds unless specified.
- When you work the sc2tog decreases work under the front loop only (it makes the stitch less thick).
- Do not work into slip stitches unless specified.
- Make your Ravelry Project Page here: 2021 Christmas Angel Holly
Holly features a brand-new wing design! If you prefer one of the other wing designs you can access the patterns here:
This Angel is crocheted with Medium Weight Yarn and a 4 mm (G) hook. Like my other crochet Angels, she does not require stiffening to stand and can be crocheted in only a few short hours.
See my other Angel Patterns here: Crochet Angel Patterns by Rhondda Mol
Options
- Easily stitch the hands together to make your angel ‘pray’ or give her something to hold in her hands.
- Add hair to her head if you’d like!
- Stitch a bell under her skirt, or add a ribbon to her back (above her wings) to make her an ornament for your tree.
- Add a handmade paper (or plastic) cone under her skirt to help her stay in shape on the top of your Christmas Tree.
Holly 2021 Christmas Angel Crochet Pattern
PIN now, make later ↓
You are beginning at the top of the Angel’s head and working in continuous rounds to the base of the dress, all in one piece.
Using your 4 mm (G) hook (or size required for gauge):
R1: Work 6 sc in a DMR. [6 sc]
R2: 2 sc in each sc around. [12 sc]
R3: *2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next st**. Work from * to ** around. [18 sc]
R4: *2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [24 sc]
R5-R7: 1 sc in each st around. [24 sc]
R8: *Sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [18 sc]
R9: *Sc2tog, 1 sc in the next st**. Work from * to ** around. [12 sc]
Fill the head with Poly-Fil but do not overstuff.
R10: Sc2tog around. [6 sc]
R11: 1 FPsc in each st around. [6 FPsc]
R12: 2 FPsc in each st around. [12 FPsc]
R13: 1 sc in the first st, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts. [14 sc]
R14: 1 sc in each st around. [14 sc]
R15: 1 sc in the first st, ch 3, sk 2 sts, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, ch 3, sk 2 sts, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts. [10 sc, 2 ch3sp]
R16: 1 sc in the first st, 1 sc in the bl of each of the next 3 chs, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 sc in the bl of each of the next 3 chs, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts [16 sc]
R17: *2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [20 sc]
R18-R22: 1 sc in each st around. [20 sc]
R23: *2 sc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [25 sc]
NOTE: from this point on you will be working in the back loop (bl) of each stitch. This leaves the front loop (fl) unworked – which is necessary for the skirt ruffles to be added.
R24-25: 1 sc in the bl of each st around. [25 sc]
R26: *2 sc in the bl of the next st, 1 sc in the bl of each of the next 4 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [30 sc]
R27-R28: 1 sc in the bl of each st around. [30 sc]
R29: *2 sc in the bl of the next st, 1 sc in the bl of each of the next 5 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [35 sc]
R30-R31: 1 sc in the bl of each st around. [35 sc]
R32: *2 sc in the bl of the next st, 1 sc in the bl of each of the next 6 sts**. Work from * to ** around. [40 sc]
R33-R35: 1 sc in the bl of each st around. [40 sc]
NOTE: The next round is worked in both loops.
R36: 1 sc in each st around. [40 sc]
R37: 1 BPsc in each st around. Finish off with an invisible join to the first BPsc of the round. [40 BPsc]
Skirt Ruffles
Rejoin your yarn in the fl of the last st worked in R35.
2 3
R1: 1 sl st in the fl of the first st. *2 dc in the fl of the next st, 1 sl st in the fl of the next st**. Work from * to ** around (and around) until you have worked every fl in the skirt from R35 to R26. Finish off.
Note: if you are a little bit off and end up finishing with 2 dc, sl st in the same stitch as those last 2 dc to finish off.
Final Ruffle Round
Add the final round of skirt ruffles by joining your yarn with a sl st in fl of the last sc worked in R36.
R1: *2 dc in the fl of the next st, 1 sl st in the fl of the next st**. Work from * to ** around, making the final sl st in the first sl st worked in R1 of the Skirt Ruffles (above). Finish off. [40 dc, 20 sl st (plus joining sl st)]
Arm
Make 1.
The arm is created in one piece; worked flat and then seamed on the long edges with a slip stitch seam. Once the arm is complete you thread it through the openings on either side of the angel’s body, being sure to keep an equal amount of “arm” on each side. You can whipstitch these in place if you wish – I did not. I simply used 2 small stitches to attach the hands together in a “prayer” pose.
R1: Ch 26, beg in 2nd ch from hook and work 1 sc in each across, ch 1, turn [25 sc]
R2: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn [25 sc]
Fold the rectangle in half (along row 2) and seam the long edges using a slip stitch seam, or whipstitch the 2 edges together. Finish off. [25 sl st]
Angel Wings
Make 2.
R1: Work ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in a DMR. Turn. [5 dc, ch2sp]
R2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr) and 2 tr in the first st, 2 dc in the next st, 3 hdc in the ch2sp, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sl st in each of the next 2 sts. Ch 1, turn. [3 tr, 2 dc, 4 hdc, 2 sl st]
R3: Sk the first sl st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 2 tr in the next st and 1 dtr in the next st, (the ch 4 at the beg of R2). Turn. [1 dtr, 2 tr, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 5 sc]
R4: Ch 4, sk the first st, 1 sl st in the next st. *Ch 4, 1 sl st in the next st**. Work from * to ** across making your last sl st in the first sc of R3. Finish off. [10 ch4sp, 10 sl st]
Angel Wings
The halo is the only part of this project to use a different hook and thread. Please use the 2.25 mm (B) hook and the Gold Bowdabra Bow Wire. This is a thin piece of wire wrapped in gold metallic thread. I found mine at Michael’s in the ribbon section. It can stand on it’s own which is why I like it – and it is much thinner than pipe-cleaner (which was what I had been considering).
You may have noticed 3 seed beads in my halo – I wanted to see if these would hold up (or if they would be too heavy) for the halo. If you like the look of the clear glass beads, you can add 15 to your bowdabra wire before you begin crocheting the halo. Then slide one down to your hook, before each ch you make for the first 15 of the 21 chains you make.
I crocheted the halo like this:
Ch 22, finish off leaving a tail of the bow wire. Now take the tail and thread it through the 6th chain from the opposite end. This will create the halo loop with approximately 15 chs.
Now twist (like a twist-tie) the two remaining ends together to make it straight and stiff. Take that one end (since you twisted them together you have one wire now) and thread it through the back of the angel’s head and down to the base of the neck before cutting off any of the excess wire. If you want to dab a bit of fabric glue in there to keep it in place you can.
Angel Finishing Instructions
Wings – You may sew the wings on the back using the yarn tail and your yarn needle, where you’d like them to be. This is how I positioned my Angel Wings:
#bernat #joycreators #yarnspirations #furlsinfl721 #crochetAngel #cijmakealong2021 #ChristmasinJuly #crochetpattern
Rhondda says
Hi Gracie, It would totally depend on what yarn you are using 🙂 You can definitely use a smaller hook – it will make the entire Angel smaller if you are using Medium/Worsted Weight Yarn. The yarn I am using calls for a 5.5 mm to 6 mm crochet hook (usually) so moving to a 4 mm makes the stitches pretty snug. If you are using a lighter Medium Weight though you can easily move down to a smaller hook to make those stitches nice and snug. I’ve made a few of my angels in threads before too and went to do thread hook sizes for them. So long as you use the same hook size for the entire angel (excluding the halo) it is ok to change the hook size 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions – I try to check my messages every few days on here and by email. All the best, Rhondda (and you are most welcome – thank you for enjoying my patterns and website!!)
gracie says
Hi Rhondda,
Thank you so much for your website and sharing your idea.
Wanted to see if I could bother you with my question?
I’m starting to work on Holly Christmas Angel, I want to gift these to people that have lost a loved one or to someone that may be in the hospital.
I have started on the head and immediately I guess cause I saw the picture and seemed like a small head so I immediately started with a small hook (D/ 3.25).
later I was looking at something in the pattern and noticed you are using a G….I’am just wondering in my dense head (Lol) if that would make to big of a head?
I would appreciate very much any input or advise and again Thank you for everything that you do.
Linda says
Thank you Rhondda,
Rhondda says
Hi Linda, When we add the ruffles, we are working from the bottom of the skirt up towards the Angel’s head. We do go left around (if you are right handed), working into that remaining front loop all the way around from the base to the top. When I first started the round I think I folded the skirt to give me something to hold onto (I pinched it if that makes sense). Then once there was a couple rounds of the stitches I was able to hold them as I kept working. I hope this helps a bit. All the best, Rhondda
Linda says
Hi Rhondda, I was wondering if when you make the ruffles do you start by holding the botton and working to the left? I just finished and had a hard time going around by holding the angel to do this. I don’t know if I explained it right or not.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Linda
marie venter says
lovely angel
Rhondda says
Hi Linda, I bought some white from Michaels last month and found it was much softer than normal. I actually substituted a Medium Weight Acrylic from Bernat. The cotton form Lilly should work too – I think the finished angel may turn out a bit larger as the firmness of the cotton will make stitches that are a bit denser. It may need a slightly larger hook size if it hurts your hands to work with the size in the pattern and the cotton. Hope this helps! I’m happy you are enjoying the Angel Patterns 🙂 xo Rhondda
Linda says
This is a beautiful angel as all of your angel patterns are. I just finished this one and came out beautiful. Thank you for all of these patterns. I have a question, I just bought some new redheart white yarn and the quality is very poor the yarn is unraveling. Do you think the sugar and cream cotten from Lilly would be a good alternative? I am going out to look today to find something.
Rhondda says
Thanks Alexandra ♥
Alexandra says
What a beautiful angel!