Snowdrift Star Cutlery Holder Crochet Pattern

The Snowdrift Star is a five-pointed cutlery pocket for a holiday table. A fork and spoon slide in behind the top point, and the handles rest inside the star. Five raised ridges run from the center out to the tips.

The sample uses one color, a soft cream. The fabric is dense double crochet with front-post ridges, and a smooth single crochet rim keeps the outline neat. It looks warm and simple next to white plates, red napkins, and greenery.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder measures about 6½ in (16.5 cm) wide from tip to tip and 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall.

The construction is simple. You make two identical star layers. Each layer starts as a pentagon worked in the round. Then you work five short points in rows and add an edge round. Finally, you stack the layers and work a joining border through both of them around the four lower points. The top point stays open to form the pocket.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: about 6½ in (16.5 cm) wide x 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall
• Skill level: Easy-Intermediate (post stitches and decreases)
• Terminology: US
• Yarn weight: worsted (#4)
• Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
• Number of pieces: 2 identical star layers (front and back), joined into one holder
• Layout: front layer stacked directly on the back layer, with the points lined up
• Piece size before edge round: about 5½ in (14.0 cm) wide x 5¼ in (13.3 cm) tall
• Size before border (after edge round): about 6 in (15.2 cm) wide x 5¾ in (14.6 cm) tall
• Border depth: about ¼ in (0.6 cm), one round of single crochet

Materials

Choose a smooth worsted-weight yarn so the post-stitch ridges show clearly. Cotton or a cotton blend is best for table use because it washes well and holds the star shape. Soft acrylic also works.

• Cream: 30 g, about 55 m (60 yd) for one holder

This amount includes a margin of about 20 percent. One holder uses roughly 24 g (45 m).

Tools:

• 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• 2 locking stitch markers
• Ruler or tape measure
• Pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
• Spray bottle with water

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• dc – double crochet
• FPdc – front post double crochet
• BPdc – back post double crochet
• dc2tog – double crochet 2 together
• dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
• sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
• sp – space
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Special stitch – FPdc: Yarn over. Insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch indicated, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Then (yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice.

Special stitch – sc3tog: (Insert hook in next st, yarn over, and pull up a loop) 3 times. Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops.

Post stitches count as stitches in every count below. The beginning ch-3 counts as a dc. The ch-2 at the start of each point row does not count.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 13 dc and 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). Single crochet: 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).

Gauge matters less here than in a garment, but it decides whether a fork and spoon will fit. Make one full layer and measure it before you start the second.

Checkpoints:

• After Round 2: each pentagon side measures about 1½ in (3.8 cm) from corner to corner.
• After Round 3: each pentagon side measures about 2¼ in (5.7 cm).
• After each point: the point stands about 1½ in (3.8 cm) from the pentagon edge to the tip. Center to tip is about 3 in (7.6 cm).
• After the edge round: the layer measures about 6 in (15.2 cm) wide x 5¾ in (14.6 cm) tall.

If your layer is more than ¼ in (0.6 cm) too big, go down half a hook size. If it is too small, go up half a hook size. If the pentagon cups, your tension is too tight. If it ripples, your tension is too loose.

Star Layer (Make 2)

Each layer has 5 sides. Each side has a center stitch that becomes the ridge, and that ridge later runs up the middle of its point.

Center Pentagon

Round 1 (RS): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, *3 dc in ring, ch 2; repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (15 dc, 5 ch-2 sps; 3 dc per side)

Pull the ring tightly closed.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), FPdc around next dc, dc in next dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp, *dc in next dc, FPdc around next dc, dc in next dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp; repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (25 sts, 5 ch-2 sps)

Each side now has 5 sts between ch-2 sps: 2 dc, 1 FPdc, 2 dc.

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next dc, FPdc around next FPdc, dc in next 2 dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp, *dc in next 2 dc, FPdc around next FPdc, dc in next 2 dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp; repeat from * 3 more times. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (35 sts, 5 ch-2 sps)

Each side now has 7 sts between ch-2 sps: 3 dc, 1 FPdc, 3 dc. The FPdc sits exactly in the middle. Do not fasten off.

Check: lay the pentagon flat. Each side should measure about 2¼ in (5.7 cm).

Points

Each point is worked in rows over the 7 sts of one side. Skip the ch-2 sps. They stay at the inner valleys between the points.

Point 1, Row 1 (RS): Ch 2 (does not count), dc2tog over the first 2 sts of the side, dc in next dc, FPdc around the FPdc, dc in next dc, dc2tog over the last 2 sts of the side. Turn. (5 sts)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 2, dc2tog over the first 2 sts, BPdc around the FPdc, dc2tog over the last 2 sts. Turn. (3 sts)

A BPdc worked from the WS pushes the post toward the RS, so the ridge stays raised on the front.

Row 3 (RS): Ch 2, dc3tog over all 3 sts. (1 st, the tip)

Fasten off, leaving a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail.

Points 2-5: With RS facing, join yarn in the first dc after the next ch-2 sp. Repeat Rows 1-3. Fasten off after each point.

Check: the layer should measure about 5½ in (14.0 cm) wide x 5¼ in (13.3 cm) tall. Weave in all the point tails on the WS now.

Edge Round

With RS facing, join yarn in any valley ch-2 sp.

Edge Round: Ch 1, *sc in ch-2 sp, 2 sc in the end of each of the next 3 rows up the edge of the point (6 sc), 3 sc in the top of the dc3tog tip, 2 sc in the end of each of the next 3 rows down the other edge (6 sc); repeat from * 4 more times. Sl st to first sc. (80 sc; 16 per point)

Each point repeat has 1 valley sc, 6 edge sc, 3 tip sc, and 6 edge sc.

Fasten off. Check the size against the checkpoint, then make the second layer the same way.

Make Both Layers

You need:

• Cream: 2 star layers. Each has Rounds 1-3, 5 points, and the Edge Round (80 sc each).

Layout (stacked, seen from the front):

          [ TOP POINT ]   <- open pocket
   [LEFT]  FRONT on BACK  [RIGHT]
     [LOWER L]      [LOWER R]

The front layer faces RS up. The back layer sits underneath with its WS against the front layer’s WS, so both RS face outward.

Joining

You join the layers with one round of sc that also serves as the border. Work it through both layers on the four lower points. On the top point, work through the front layer only.

Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each layer has exactly 80 sc in its edge round, 16 per point. When the points are lined up, every front sc sits directly over a matching back sc. Insert the hook under both loops of the front sc, then under both loops of the back sc behind it, and work 1 stitch. You don’t add or skip any stitches to make the layers fit.

Placement: Stack the layers WS together and choose the top point. Place marker A in the valley sc on one side of it and marker B in the valley sc on the other side. Pin the four lower tips together.

Tension: Keep the joining stitches the same size as your edge round. If you join too tightly, the valleys pull in and the points curl. If you join too loosely, gaps open up.

Checkpoint: After joining, lay the holder flat. The lower points should lie flat without pulling. The pocket opening should be about 2½ in (6.4 cm) wide between the valleys.

Border

The border is one round of sc, about ¼ in (0.6 cm) deep. At 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), one sc round adds this much on every edge.

Border Round (joining round): With the front layer facing you, join yarn through both layers at marker A.

1. Through both layers, sc3tog over the last edge sc before the valley, the valley sc, and the first edge sc after it. (1 st)
2. *Sc in the next 5 sc, sc in the next sc, 3 sc in the middle tip sc, sc in the next sc, sc in the next 5 sc (15 sts per point), sc3tog over the next 3 sc at the valley (1 st); repeat from * 3 more times. Work every stitch through both layers. The last sc3tog lands at marker B. (65 sts so far)
3. For the top point, work in the front layer only: sc in the next 5 sc, sc in the next sc, 3 sc in the middle tip sc, sc in the next sc, sc in the next 5 sc. (15 sts)
4. Sl st to the first sc3tog. Fasten off. (80 sts on the front)

Back layer top point: Turn the holder over. With the back layer’s RS facing, join yarn in the back layer only with a sc in the sc right after the sc3tog at marker B. This sc counts as the first st. Sc in the next 4 sc, sc in the next sc, 3 sc in the middle tip sc, sc in the next sc, sc in the next 5 sc. (15 sts) Sl st into the sc3tog at marker A and fasten off.

Why the math works: Each point has 16 sc in the edge round. In the border, the 3 sts around each valley become 1 sc3tog, which removes 2 sts. The middle tip sc gets 3 sc, which adds 2 sts. So each point keeps 16 sts: 15 along the point plus 1 at the valley. The joined section has 4 points x 15 sts + 5 valleys = 65 sts. The front top point adds 15 sts (65 + 15 = 80), and so does the back top point (65 + 15 = 80). Both layers end with the same count.

The tip increase keeps the points sharp. The valley decrease keeps the inner corners crisp.

Final Blocking

1. Weave all remaining tails in between the layers so they are hidden.
2. Mist both sides lightly with water until the holder is damp but not soaked.
3. Lay it front side up on a blocking mat.
4. Pin each tip outward so that center to tip measures about 3¼ in (8.3 cm).
5. Pin each valley so the inner corners stay sharp.
6. Check the size: about 6½ in (16.5 cm) wide and 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall.
7. Run a finger along each ridge to straighten it from the center to the tip.
8. Slide a piece of card into the pocket so the layers don’t stick together. Let the holder dry completely before you unpin it.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• Both layers have 35 sts and 5 ch-2 sps after Round 3.
• Every point goes from 5 sts to 3 sts to 1 st.
• Each edge round has 80 sc.
• Five raised ridges run straight from the center to the tips on the front.
• The four lower points are joined through both layers.
• The top point is open and has a border on both layers.
• The holder measures about 6½ in (16.5 cm) x 6¼ in (15.9 cm).
• A fork and spoon slide in easily.
• All tails are woven in and hidden.

Troubleshooting

The pentagon cups: Your stitches are too tight. Go up half a hook size.

The pentagon ruffles: Your stitches are too loose. Go down half a hook size.

The ridge drifts off center: Count 3 dc on each side of the FPdc in Round 3. If the count is off, you missed a corner stitch.

The ridge sinks on Row 2: Make sure you worked a BPdc on the WS, not an FPdc.

The points look blunt: Check that Row 3 is a single dc3tog, and pin the tips firmly when blocking.

The layers don’t line up: Recount both edge rounds. Each must have 80 sc, 16 per point.

Gaps at the valleys: Work the sc3tog snugly and pin the valleys during blocking.

The cutlery doesn’t fit: Your gauge is too tight. Go up half a hook size and make new layers.

Care

Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat. Reshape the points while the holder is damp.

Final Notes

Here is how the measurements build up. Round 3 makes a pentagon with 2¼ in (5.7 cm) sides. The three point rows add about 1½ in (3.8 cm), so center to tip is 3 in (7.6 cm). The edge round brings each layer to about 6 in (15.2 cm) x 5¾ in (14.6 cm). The border round adds ¼ in (0.6 cm) on every edge, so the finished holder is about 6½ in (16.5 cm) x 6¼ in (15.9 cm). Check each step along the way and the holder will come together cleanly.

Happy crocheting!