Free Pattern! Angel Mini Tree Topper!

To go along with our advent project, yesterday I started working on an angel to top Aiden's mini tree. I didn't see a pattern I liked that opened up on the bottom to allow you to slide it atop the tree. So instead, I worked it up as I went along and it is now free for you to enjoy yourself! :)

If you would much rather have this for an ornament for your large tree, you could always just slip stitch to the top, chain 12 stitches, and join for a loop to hang on a branch.

Angel Mini Tree Topper

Materials:

Worsted weight yarn in white, yellow, grey, and any skin colored yarn

I-9 hook (5.5 mm)

Yarn needle

Notes:

-Can be made larger or smaller by substituting yarn and hook

-If written with the number AFTER the stitch (HDC 8), it means to work one of that stitch in the next designated amount of stitches. If written with the number BEFORE the stitch (2HDC), it means to work the designated amount of stitches in the next stitch ONLY (2 HDC are together in one stitch).

Abbreviations:

HDC: half double crochet

SC: single crochet

CH: chain

DC: double crochet

ST(S): stitch(es)

Body/Dress:

Round 1: With white, HDC 8 in magic circle. Join to beginning HDC and tighten circle. (8 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 1. *HDC 3, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (10 sts)

Rnd 3: Ch 1. *HDC 4, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (12 sts)

Rnd 4: Ch 1. *HDC 5, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (14 sts)

Rnd 5: Ch 1. *HDC 6, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (16 sts)

Rnd 6: Ch 1. *HDC 7, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (18 sts)

Rnd 7: Ch 1. *HDC 8, 2 HDC in next st* Repeat from * to * once. Join to beginning HDC. (20 sts)

Head:

Round 1: With flesh color, 6 SC in magic circle. Join to beginning SC and tighten circle. (6 sts)

Round 2: CH 1. 2 SC in each st around. Join to beginning SC. Fasten off, leaving tail. (12 sts)

Sew onto top of dress.

Halo:

With yellow or gold, CH 6 and join to beginning CH. Fasten off, leaving tail. Sew atop head.

Wings (Make 2):

With grey or silver, CH 6, leaving a tail to sew onto the body.

Row 1: SC in 2^nd CH from hook and in each ST across. (5 sts)

Row 2: CH 1. 2 SC in 1^st st, SC in next 3 sts, 2 SC in last st. (7 sts)

Row 3: CH 1. HDC and DC in 1^st st. DC and HDC in 2^nd st. SC in next st. HDC, DC, DC, HDC all in the next st. SC in next st. HDC and DC in next st. DC and HDC in last st. Fasten off. (14 sts)

Sew onto sides of body.

This pattern was written by me (Brittany Snook) and is my property. I ask that you do not share or sell as your own whether this is a free or paid pattern, but refer someone to my blog or ravelry/craftsy store. This pattern is registered with myfreecopyright.com. You may sell, share, and use the finished product however you like, because it is your creation and something you can be proud of! If you would like to share pictures of your finished product, I would LOVE to see them. Feel free to post them to my facebook page (www.facebook.com/ajbcrochet) or email them to me. Any pictures or questions about this pattern should be sent to ajbcrochet@yahoo.com.

If you would like to download the pdf files for this pattern, you can get the fancy font version here and the easy to read version here. I like to make my patterns fun by adding different fonts, but sometimes they can be hard to read, so I provide a version in the default Microsoft Word font. :)

Here is a picture of Aiden's tree with the ornaments for December 1st and 2nd:

And here's some fun pictures just for the heck of it:

Have a wonderful night! I'll see you again tomorrow for more advent fun and to write about The Magic! :)

Do You Believe in Magic?

Wow! It's been a while! Life has been distracting.

Aiden is now seven months old. He's pulling himself up, testing the limits, and has actually stood by himself a few times. He's eating solid foods and oatmeal twice a day. His personality is constantly growing, and is a challenge and a joy. We're starting sign language with him...right now teaching him mommy, daddy, milk, more, and all done. He can clap and wave and high five.

My AJB Crochet business is taking off. I get an average of 3 orders a week and I have a Christmas craft fair coming up in two weeks. I spent most of today making a clutch for a gift and lining it (with my new found sewing machine skills! :) ).

I learned how to make button holes in fabric with my sewing machine. :)

See my FABULOUS labels from LuckyLu Creations.

James and I are doing an advent thing this Christmas. We have a little tree with Aiden's name train placed in front of it to place an ornament made by me on it every day. I made these mittens for yesterday, and tonight I have to make the angel to go on top of the tree. Then on Christmas day, we'll put Aiden's 1st Christmas ornament on the little tree.:)

Now to explain this post's title. I'm reading The Magic from The Secret series with some of my "associates" and thought I would share some of my own gratitude thoughts here.

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies within yourself." -Tecumseh

""Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings counting your troubles." -Maltbie D. Babcock

Here are a few of my ten blessings:
-I am truly blessed to have Aiden because he gives me a reason to wake up in the morning.
-I am so happy and grateful for James because he provides for us in both abundance and love.
-I am truly blessed to have found crochet because it allows me stress relief and the ability to take pride in my work.

:)

Return From My Long Hiatus

Soooo....it has been a crazy couple of months.

We just got done moving into my parents' house to save money while we look for a new place, my grandpa had surgery on his lungs to remove cancer and we almost lost him (very unexpected complications during surgery but now he's doing GREAT after only a few weeks! :) ), and after some issues that have been resolved, James and I are starting to plan our wedding with hopes that we can move it up to early next year instead of the end of next summer. Life has been completely turned around in any way possible multiple times, but today is a good day, and today is a start. All I can say is thank God that I started crocheting since it seems like my craft and the love for my son are the only things that have stayed constant during this amount of time. And it's an awesome stress reliever. If you haven't started some sort of craft or hobby...now is the time to do so, especially if you find yourself constantly wanting to pull out your hair.

I have been pulling things off my hook left and right recently to prepare for a sale that I was going to be a part of, but James got sick, so we had to cancel at the last minute. :(  I have a large inventory of hats, winter, and baby items now though so hopefully when I enter a sale at the beginning of this fall, I don't have to work so frantically to get everything ready. But that also meant a lot of unfinished personal projects that I started and didn't get a chance to finish.

Right now I'm in progress of:

1. A diaper soaker for Aiden

2. A Swiffer sock

3. Ripple blanket

4. Granny blanket for Aiden

5. A hat for myself (Callie Hat. Not free but it was included in the September edition of Inspired Crochet Magazine)

6. A hat for James (I forgot how stinkin long it takes to make an adult hat now that I make so many baby/kids hats)

7. Aiden's cowboy booties

8. About 3 orders that I have to work on.

Once I finish all this in progress "stuff", I'm resolving to only have 2 personal projects and 2 orders in progress at one time. Otherwise, I would never finish anything before I start something else.

Make it a great day! :)