"Gertie" puppet

I've been toying with the idea of making some Minion hand puppets. The first puppet I made based on my own hand size, and I goofed with my rounds, so it kept getting bigger and bigger as I approached the top. I decided to try again, with the girl minion from Despicable Me 2. I call her "Gertie." I have no idea what her name is in the movie. I was informed last night by a three-year-old that she's not actually a girl, but a boy minion dressed up like a girl.

I decided to try this on top-down and liked the way it turned out. I had traced the hand of a 9-year-old girl for size.

Gertie Hand Puppet
Size G & H crochet hooks
Worsted weight yarn in yellow, black, white, green, silver/gray and orange.
Small sew-on gemstone (or small black button)

With Size H hook and orange yarn
Round 1: Make magic ring. Chain 1, 8 hdc in ring. Pull ring tight and join.
Round 2: Chain 1, 2 hdc in each stitch around. Join. (16 stitches)
Round 3: Chain 1, **2 hdc in stitch. HDC in next three stitches**. Repeat ** around (20 stitches)
Rounds 4 & 5: Chain 1, work even  in hdc (20)
Change to bright yellow yarn
Rounds 6 & 7: Chain 1, work even in hdc (20 stitches)
Change to black yarn
Round 8: Chain 1, work even in hdc, working in back loops only (20 stitches)
Change to bright yellow yarn
Rounds 9, 10, 11 Chain 1, work even in hdc (20 stitches)
Row 12: Slip stitch in first five stitches. Turn, Chain 1, and HDC in 10 stitches.
Row 13-15: Turn, chain 1, HDC across (10 stitches). End off.
Note: It's easier to sew on the eye and mouth now, while it's still easy to get to the back side of your work.
Back side of puppet:
Attach yellow yarn and HDC across 10 unworked stitches. Work back and forth as you did on the front, for four rows.
Connecting row:
Chain 1, HDC in 10 stitches. Chain 2, HDC in ten stitches of front. Chain 2 and join to back.
Change to bright green yarn. Have white yarn ready to attach a few stitches in.

Skirt Row 1: 
Chain 1, *HDC in 3 stitches,  white cluster*, repeat around, randomly increasing 2-3 stitches in the row. Join.
(White Cluster: Do a HDC but don't pull the yarn through to finish the stitch. Do two more HDC without the final pull-through, and then pull through all the loops on your hook at the same time.)
Skirt Row 2 & 3:
Chain 1, hdc in green, white cluster - *hdc in green until you're centered between the white clusters on the previous row, white cluster*, while randomly increasing 2-3 stitches in the row.
I think the puppet could have used one row of SC around the bottom in green to finish it off...

Eye:
With white yarn and Size G hook, 8 hdc in Magic Ring. Pull tight & join.
Change to silver/gray yarn
Chain 1, 2 hdc in each stitch around. Join. End off, leaving long tail to sew on.
Sew small black gemstone to center of eye before sewing it to puppet.

Mouth:
With size G hook and black yarn, chain 18.
Slip stitch in second slip from hook, sc in next 2 stitches, hdc in next two stitches, dc in next two stitches, treble crochet in next 3 stitches, dc in next two stitches, hdc in next two stitches, sc in next 2 stitches, slip stitch in last stitch. End off, leaving tail to sew on. With white yarn, embroider tooth.

Arms:
With H hook and bright yellow yarn, work 13 hdc around thumbhole. Work in HDC around for four rows, decreasing one stitch at the inner thumb during each round. End off, leaving tail to sew top closed. Repeat on other side.

Braids 
Cut 24 strands of orange yarn approximately 18" long. Loop 12 strands through the 3rd row at the side of the puppet as it lays flat. Braid tightly, knot and trim. Repeat on other side.