A number of small female figurines have been found in Europe made by people during the height of the last glaciation. Most of them are quite crude (all senses of the word!) but the one from Kostenki, Russia, is a beautifully observed portrayal of a woman with braided and beaded hair, wearing a band around her chest with shoulder straps. Here she is with her arms re-positioned to make her more graceful - a powerful study in the beauty of motherhood. She stands about 5 inches high.

Materials
25g DK yarn (Stylecraft Special DK Mocha in the picture)
Stuffing material
Pair of 3mm dpns
Cabling needle
Stitch holder
Needle for sewing up

Skills required
• Cabling
• Provisional cast on
• Wrapping stitches
• Lateral braiding (Vikkel or Estonian braiding)
• Picking up and working stitches
• I-cording
• Swiss darning