This little snowflake is light and lacy, with an open center and six crisp points. Each outer tip ends in a three-picot trefoil, which makes the edge look like frost crystals. Worked in soft periwinkle-blue cotton thread, it looks lovely on a tree, in a window, or tied onto a gift.
The design is one flat motif made in five rounds. There’s no joining and no separate pieces to sew. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
The finished snowflake is about 4 in (10.2 cm) from tip to tip once it’s blocked, plus a chain hanging loop.
Here’s how it’s built. A small double-crochet ring forms the center. A round of 12 chain loops makes the spokes. Small double-crochet points then form an inner star, long chain arms push out to the large star outline, and a single-crochet edging round adds the trefoil tips. After that you add a hanging loop and block the piece flat.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4 in (10.2 cm) tip to tip, after blocking
- Skill level: Easy+ (basic stitches plus picots)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Fingering (#1 super fine) mercerized cotton, or size 3 crochet thread
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B-1)
- Number of pieces: 1 motif
- Layout: Single standalone ornament (no grid)
- Piece size: 4 in (10.2 cm) tip to tip
- Size before edging (end of Round 4): 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tip to tip
- Edging depth (Round 5): about 0.375 in (1.0 cm) added at each tip
- Hanging loop: about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long when folded
Materials
Yarn advice: Use a smooth, mercerized cotton thread. Mercerized cotton shows the stitches clearly, holds its shape after stiffening, and won’t fuzz on the tree. Avoid acrylic, which won’t hold a crisp point when blocked.
- Light periwinkle blue: 5 g, about 17 m (18.6 yd) per snowflake
The quantity includes a margin for a test swatch, the hanging loop, and weaving in ends. If you plan a set of six ornaments, one 50 g ball is more than enough.
Tools:
– 2.25 mm (US B-1) crochet hook
– Fine tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Blocking board or foam mat
– Rust-proof pins
– Fabric stiffener, spray starch, or a 1:1 mix of white glue and water
– Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- *…* – repeat the section between asterisks as directed
Special stitch – Trefoil Tip (TT): Ch 6. Sl st in the 4th ch from the hook (first picot made, with 2 ch left below it as a stem). Then [ch 3, sl st in the same ch as the first picot] twice. You now have 3 picots sharing one base. Sl st in each of the next 2 stem ch to return to the base. The TT does not count as a stitch in the stitch counts.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Exact gauge isn’t critical for an ornament, but it controls the final size and how flat the piece lies. Make one snowflake first and measure it at each checkpoint before you make a set.
- After Round 1: the ring measures 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- After Round 2: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across, measured loop tip to loop tip.
- After Round 3: 2 in (5.1 cm) from point to opposite point.
- After Round 4: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) from tip to opposite tip.
- After Round 5 and blocking: 4 in (10.2 cm) from trefoil to opposite trefoil.
If your piece is too big: go down to a 2.0 mm hook, or tighten your chains. Loose long chains in Round 4 are the most common cause.
If your piece is too small, or it cups: go up to a 2.5 mm hook. If only Round 4 cups, add 1 chain to each arm (ch 9 instead of ch 8), and then work 8 sc in each loop in Round 5 instead of 7.
If it ruffles: your chains are too long for the stitch count. Go down a hook size, or shorten each arm to ch 7 and work 6 sc in each loop in Round 5.
Snowflake Pattern
Center Ring
Ch 6, sl st in the first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc in the ring. Sl st in the top of the beginning ch-3. (12 dc)
This is a growth round that builds the open center. Pull the starting tail gently to close the ring a little, but keep the small center hole you can see in the finished piece. Checkpoint: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Spokes
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in the same st as the join, ch 4. *Sc in the next dc, ch 4*, rep from * to * 10 more times. Sl st in the first sc. (12 sc, 12 ch-4 loops)
Each sc sits on one dc from Round 1, and each ch-4 loop becomes a spoke. Checkpoint: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Inner Star
Round 3: Sl st in the first ch-4 loop. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same loop for the first point. Ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 loop, ch 3. *In the next ch-4 loop work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), ch 3, sc in the next ch-4 loop, ch 3*, rep from * to * 4 more times. Sl st in the top of the beginning ch-3.
Count: 24 dc (4 per point × 6 points), 6 ch-2 point sps, 6 sc, 12 ch-3 sps.
The 12 loops alternate between points and sc valleys, so you get exactly 6 points and 6 valleys. That’s the inner six-pointed star. Checkpoint: 2 in (5.1 cm) point to point.
Star Arms
Round 4: Sl st in the next dc, then sl st in the ch-2 sp. Ch 1, sc in the same ch-2 sp, ch 8, sc in the next sc (valley), ch 8. *Sc in the next ch-2 sp, ch 8, sc in the next sc, ch 8*, rep from * to * 4 more times. Sl st in the first sc.
Count: 12 sc (6 at the tips, 6 at the valleys) and 12 ch-8 loops.
Each tip sc sits over an inner-star point, and each valley sc sits over an inner-star valley. The ch-8 arms stretch outward to make the large star outline. Lay the piece flat: the arms should lie straight without pulling the center into a cup. Checkpoint: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tip to tip.
Border: Trefoil Edging (Round 5)
This final round is the snowflake’s edge. It wraps every ch-8 arm in single crochet so the outline is firm, and it adds a Trefoil Tip at each of the six outer points.
Border gauge: 7 sc fit snugly in each ch-8 loop. That’s about 1 sc per chain, minus one so the edge doesn’t flare. Each arm of the star (tip to valley) measures about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) along the edge once it’s worked.
Round 5: Ch 1. In the first sc (a tip) work: sc, TT, sc. Work 7 sc in the next ch-8 loop, sc in the next sc (valley), and 7 sc in the next ch-8 loop. *In the next tip sc work (sc, TT, sc), 7 sc in the next ch-8 loop, sc in the next valley sc, 7 sc in the next ch-8 loop*, rep from * to * 4 more times. Sl st in the first sc. Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Counts per star segment (one tip to the next tip):
– Tip: 2 sc + 1 TT
– First arm loop: 7 sc
– Valley: 1 sc
– Second arm loop: 7 sc
– Segment total: 17 sc + 1 TT
Round total: (12 sc worked 1 per existing sc: 6 at tips + 6 at valleys) + (6 extra sc, one more at each tip) + (84 sc worked into the 12 ch-8 loops, 7 each) = 102 sc, plus 6 TT.
Why the math works: 6 segments × 17 sc = 102 sc, which matches the round total above. The tips get 2 sc so they turn sharply. The valleys get only 1 sc so they stay tucked in and the star keeps its deep, pointed outline. Because each loop has 7 sc instead of 8, the edge stays flat and slightly taut, which is what you want before stiffening. Each TT adds about 0.375 in (1.0 cm) beyond its tip, so the size grows from 3.25 in (8.3 cm) to 4 in (10.2 cm). The math: 3.25 + 0.375 + 0.375 = 4.0 in.
Hanging Loop
Choose any tip as the top. Join the thread with a sl st in the middle picot of that TT. Ch 30 and sl st in the same picot. Fasten off. The loop is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long when folded. Weave both tails into the stem of the trefoil.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends before blocking. Hide them along the sc edge or back through the dc of Round 1, never across the open chain spaces.
- Wet the snowflake in cool water. Squeeze it out gently in a towel (don’t wring it).
- Soak it in stiffener, or spray it well with starch. Blot off the excess so the openings don’t fill with film.
- Pin the center flat on the foam board, then pin the 6 tips out evenly. Put each pin through the middle picot of a TT, spacing the tips 4 in (10.2 cm) apart across the opposite pairs.
- Pin each valley inward slightly so it forms a sharp V.
- Open up the picots by placing a pin in each side picot of each trefoil, or by easing them into shape with your fingertip.
- Shape the inner star by pulling each Round 3 point gently toward its outer tip.
- Let it dry completely, at least 12 hours. Then remove the pins and check the size.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Exactly 6 inner-star points and 6 outer trefoil tips
- 12 ch-8 arms, each holding 7 sc
- 102 sc and 6 TT in Round 5
- Each trefoil has 3 open, evenly sized picots
- The center hole is open but neat, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
- Tip-to-tip size is 4 in (10.2 cm), within 0.25 in (0.6 cm), on all three axes
- The piece lies completely flat with no cupping or ruffling
- No visible ends or stiffener residue
- The hanging loop is secure and centered on one tip
Troubleshooting
The center cups after Round 2. Your ch-4 loops are too short for your tension. Work ch 5 loops instead.
The inner star points lean to one side. Make sure you work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into the loop itself, not into the sc of Round 2.
Round 4 arms bow or twist. Your chains are twisted. Keep the chain flat and check it before each sc join.
The valleys are shallow and round. You may have worked 2 sc into a valley sc. Valleys get only 1 sc.
The trefoil picots are uneven. Always sl st back into the same base ch for picots 2 and 3, and keep your ch-3 tension consistent.
The size is off by more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm). Re-block with firmer pinning, or remake the piece with a hook one size up or down.
It goes limp in humid weather. Re-spray it with starch and dry it flat again.
Care
Store the snowflake flat between sheets of tissue paper so the points don’t bend. If it gets dusty, dab it gently with cool water and then re-stiffen it and re-block it flat.
Final Notes
The measurement chain for this snowflake is simple to follow:
- 0.75 in (1.9 cm) after Round 1
- 1.25 in (3.2 cm) after the spokes
- 2 in (5.1 cm) after the inner star
- 3.25 in (8.3 cm) after the star arms
- 4 in (10.2 cm) after the trefoil edging and blocking
If each checkpoint matches, the finished ornament will too. Once your first snowflake is right, the rest of a matching set will go quickly, and they make wonderful handmade gifts.
Happy crocheting!