Don't blink

So, my two year old is a Dr Who fan. Her excitement at the TV adverts for the most recent series was probably way more than my own, and she knows most of the characters and monsters by name. She's my beautiful mini-geek! For one of her gifts for Christmas, I'm making a set of crocheted Dr Who toys to go with a purchased TARDIS toy. This is the first one, a Weeping Angel. While there are a couple of patterns around, none were quite the right scale, so I wrote this one up myself.

These directions are written using UK crochet terms. For conversion to US stitches, this page is very useful.

dc =  double crochet (US single crochet)
trc = treble/triple crochet (US double crochet)
2dctog = 2 double (US single) crochet together: decreases one stitch.
st = stitch/stitches
ch = chain
Rd = round
Where a number of stitches is given, work one stitch in each stitch of the previous row the stated number of times. E.g. 5dc = work one dc in each of the next 5 stitches of the previous row.

Materials:
Grey DK yarn.
3mm crochet hook
Polyfibre toy stuffing
Pipe cleaner or florist/modelling wire
Grey embroidery thread, slightly darker than yarn. 
Large-eyed sewing needle

Head:

I worked the head in rounds joined with a slip stitch, but work in spiral if you prefer.
Work 6 dc in a magic ring,
Rd 1: 2 dc in each dc (12 st)
Rd 2: (dc in dc, 2 dc in next dc ) to end (18 st)
Rd 3: (dc in next 2 dc, 2dc in next dc) to end. (24 st)
Work 5 rounds even, making 1 dc in each dc of the previous round.
Rd 9: (2 dc, 2dctog) to end. (18 st)
Rd 10: (dc, 2dctog) to end (12 st)
Rd 11: (2dctog) to end. (6 st). Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Body:

Chain 7. Dc into second ch from hook, dc to end. Join in a ring. (6 st)
Follow rounds 1-3 as for head, then continue as follows:
Rd 4: (3 dc, 2dc in next dc). (30 st)
Rd 5: 5 dc, 2dc in next dc, 3 dc, 2dc in next, 10 dc, 2dc in next, 3 dc, 2dc in next, 5 dc. (34 st)
Rd 6: (5 dc, 2dc in next) twice. 10 dc. (5dc, 2dc in next) twice. (38 st)
Work 6 rounds even.
Rd 13: (3 dc, 2 dctog) (31st)
Rd 14: Work even.
Rd 15: (3dc, 3dc in next dc) to end. (45 st)
Work even for 10 rounds.
Rd 26: (4dc, 3dc in next) to end.
Work 6 rounds even. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Base:

Make 6dc in a magic ring.
Rd 1: 2dc in each st
Rd 2: (dc, 2dc in next) to end
Rd 3: (2dc, 2dc in next) to end
Rd 4: (3dc, 2dc in next) to end
Rd 5: (4dc, 2dc in next) to end
Work successive rounds in this manner, doing one more dc before the increase in each round, until your circle is large enough to comfortably fit the bottom of the skirt.

Wings (make 2):

The wings are worked flat in rows. For each row, work to the end and then turn, ready to work the next row. The first four rows are worked in double crochet, then work in alternate rows of treble and double crochet.
Ch 7. Dc in second ch from hook, dc to end. (6 st)
Row 1: 2dc in first st, dc to end. (7 st)
Row 2: dc to last st, 2dc in last st. (8 st)
Row 3: 3dc in first st, dc to end. (10 st)
Row 4: dc to last st, 2dc in last st. (11 st)
Row 5: trc to end, then work 4 trc in a foundationless treble crochet chain
Row 6: dc to end.
Repeat last two rows twice. On the last dc row, continue in dc around the top edge of the wing to give a neat edge. Fasten off, leaving a tail.

Arms (make 2):

Work 6 dc in a magic ring.
Dc in each st for 10 rounds. Next, shape the elbows: turn, 3dc, turn, 3dc. Continue working even as before for another 10 rounds. The number of rounds for the arms is approximate: check their size aganst your body piece to choose the best size.

Making Up:

Stuff the head and body. Using the yarn tails, sew the base into the the body. You can add in a circle of card to give a flatter base if you like. Sew the head to the top of the body, and attach the wings to the back of the body. Next, make the hair using the DK yarn. First sew the flat back area of the hair. Take long stitches, starting at the third round from the top down to a central point at the bottom of the head at the back. The stitches should cover about two thirds of the circumference at the top. Next, make loopy stitches to cover the top of the head. For the bun at the back, make a ring of loopy stitches.

Using the embroidery floss, embroider the face. I just did eyes and a toothy mouth (badly, I admit!).

To attach the arms, first pass the wire through the body at the level where the arms will go, like this:

I used a pipe cleaner bent in half and twisted slightly. The overall length should allow for slightly less than the length of both arms plus the width of the body. Thread the arms onto the wire, then stitch to the body all around the arm edge.

Bend the arms into position, and done! The Ravelry page for this pattern is here. I haven't tested this pattern as I wrote it mostly from memory after completing the make, so do let me know if you come across any errors!