Angel Toys in King Cole Tinsel Chunky & Big Value DK - 9165PDF - Downloadable PDF

Angel Toys Knitting Pattern – King Cole Tinsel Chunky & Big Value DK (Pattern 9165)

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole guides knitters through creating charming Little Angels – sweet, stuffed toy figures worked in a combination of sparkly tinsel yarn and classic double knit. The finished angels measure approximately 34 cm (12½ inches) tall, making them a delightful handmade gift, festive decoration, or keepsake toy. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques and working with more than one colour at a time.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted angel toy with a fully three-dimensional, stuffed body and head construction. The figure is worked in sections, beginning at the base of the body and working upward, with careful shaping to create a rounded, doll-like silhouette. The use of two distinct yarns – a glittery tinsel yarn and a smooth double knit – gives the angel its characteristic festive sparkle combined with a soft, skin-toned face and body area. Details such as a belt section worked in King Cole Tinsel add decorative definition to the finished figure.

Materials Used

• King Cole Tinsel Chunky – used for the angel's glittering belt and decorative areas, providing festive shimmer and texture
• King Cole Big Value DK 50g – used for the main body, head, and blush-toned facial area, offering a smooth, soft finish suitable for toy making
• 4mm knitting needles – specified for achieving the correct fabric tension and stitch definition throughout the pattern
• Toy stuffing – required to fill the head firmly and the body slightly less so, creating a pleasing, proportionate shape

Colours and Yarn Roles

The pattern works with multiple colours designated by specific roles within the instructions. A Main Colour (MC) forms the foundation of the body, while a CC (contrast colour) – worked in King Cole Tinsel – creates the belt detail. A blush shade is introduced to define the face and skin-toned areas of the angel, with colour changes carefully mapped row by row to create smooth transitions between the tinsel sparkle and the softer DK sections. Knitters are instructed to darn in yarn ends from the hair and face sections carefully, trimming them so they do not stray into the face area once the head is stuffed.

Construction Method

The angel is constructed using a bottom-up, seamless shaping approach for the body and head, which are worked as a single integrated piece. The construction begins by casting on 12 stitches using 4mm needles in the Main Colour. Stitches are then rapidly increased over the first several rows to build out the rounded base of the body:

• Row 2: Increases into every stitch to reach 24 stitches
• Row 4: Further increases bring the stitch count to 36 stitches
• Row 11: A final increase round expands the work to 48 stitches

After the initial shaping rows, the body is worked straight in stocking stitch for a number of rows before the tinsel belt section is introduced. The head section is shaped with additional increases and decreases to create a rounded, stuffed dome. Once knitting is complete, the cast-on stitches at the base are gathered and sewn upward, leaving a gap for stuffing. The piece is then turned right side out, stuffed – the head firmly and the body slightly less so – before the gap is sewn closed. A gathering thread is worked through stitches at the neck row to define the head from the body.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs a range of intermediate knitting techniques that give the finished angel its shape, texture, and character:

• Increasing (Inc 1) – knitting into the front and back of a stitch to add stitches and build the rounded body shape
• SKPO (Slip, Knit, Pass Slipped Stitch Over) – a left-leaning decrease used during head and body shaping
• M1 (Make 1) – picking up the thread between stitches and knitting into the back of