The Winter Lily Snowflake is a light, lacy eight-point star ornament. At its center is a ring of eight clustered petals that looks like a small lily seen from above. A chain frame surrounds the petals, and eight open arms grow out from the frame. Each arm holds a solid fan and ends in a tiny round picot.
It is worked in a single cream crochet thread, which gives it a soft vintage look that reads well against green branches and warm lights. The design is classic and symmetrical. It is lacy without being fragile once it has been starched.
The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout. The finished ornament measures about 5 in (12.7 cm) from point to point, and the hanging loop adds about 2 in (5.1 cm).
The snowflake is made in one piece, in 7 joined rounds, without turning. Rounds 1–3 make the petal flower, Round 4 adds the octagon frame, Rounds 5–6 build the spokes and fans, and Round 7 is the pointed edging. A short slip-stitch cord makes the hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5 in (12.7 cm) point to point, after blocking
- Skill level: Intermediate (thread work, clusters, chain spaces)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Size 10 crochet cotton thread (Lace / weight 0)
- Hook: 1.5 mm steel hook (US steel 8)
- Number of pieces: 1 single motif
- Layout: One eight-point star with a hanging loop at one point
- Piece size: 5 in (12.7 cm) point to point
- Size before border (after Round 6): 4 in (10.2 cm) across opposite fan tops
- Border depth (Round 7): 0.5 in (1.3 cm) beyond each fan
Materials
Yarn: Use mercerized size 10 cotton crochet thread. Mercerized cotton has a slight sheen, holds starch well, and shows the cluster petals clearly. Avoid fuzzy or acrylic threads, because they blur the chain lines and don’t hold a crisp point.
- Cream / Ivory: about 5 g, or about 20 m (22 yd)
This quantity includes a margin for a gauge swatch and the hanging loop. One standard ball will make many snowflakes.
Tools:
- 1.5 mm steel crochet hook (US steel 8)
- Fine tapestry needle or beading needle with a large eye
- Small sharp scissors
- Blocking foam board or corkboard
- Rustproof pins (at least 16)
- Fabric stiffener, liquid starch, or a 1:1 mix of white craft glue and water
- Plastic wrap to cover the board
- Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sk – skip
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- lp – loop
- rep – repeat
- MR – magic ring
Special stitches:
- Beginning 5-tr cluster (beg cl): Ch 4 (counts as the first tr). Then yarn over twice, insert hook into the space, pull up a loop, [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] twice. Repeat from * 3 more times. You now have 5 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops.
- 5-tr cluster (cl): Yarn over twice, insert hook into the space, pull up a loop, [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] twice. Repeat from * 4 more times. You now have 6 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops.
- Fan: 9 dc worked into the same space.
- Tip picot: (sc, ch 5, sc) worked into one stitch. The ch-5 forms a small round ring at the point.
Gauge and Checkpoints
With thread lace, exact gauge is less important than steady tension, but your size does decide whether the points block out evenly. Work Rounds 1–3 first as your test piece and measure them before you continue.
- After Round 1: the ring is about 0.4 in (1.0 cm) across.
- After Round 3 (petal flower): about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across, measured from petal tip to the opposite petal tip.
- After Round 4 (octagon): about 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
- After Round 6 (fans): about 4 in (10.2 cm) across, measured from fan top to the opposite fan top.
- After Round 7 and blocking: 5 in (12.7 cm) point to point.
If your piece is too big: change to a 1.25 mm hook (US steel 10), or tighten the chains. Chains that are too loose are the most common cause of oversized snowflakes.
If your piece is too small: change to a 1.75 mm hook (US steel 6), or let each chain stitch sit fully on the hook shaft before you work the next one.
Unblocked lace always looks smaller and ruffled. Measure lightly at each checkpoint without stretching. Blocking will add about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of length to each arm.
Pattern
Round 1 – Center Ring
Make a magic ring.
Ch 1, work 16 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring partway, leaving a small open center about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide. Sl st in the first sc to join.
Stitch count: 16 sc.
Round 2 – Petal Base
Ch 1, sc in the same st as the join, ch 3, sk next st. Sc in next st, ch 3, sk next st. Rep from * 6 more times. Sl st in the first sc to join.
Stitch count: 8 sc and 8 ch-3 sps. That uses all 16 stitches of Round 1 (8 worked + 8 skipped).
Round 3 – Lily Petals
Sl st into the first ch-3 sp. Work a beg cl in the same sp, then ch 3. Work a cl in the next ch-3 sp, ch 3. Rep from * 6 more times. Sl st in the top of the beg cl to join.
Stitch count: 8 clusters and 8 ch-3 sps.
Each cluster becomes one plump, oval petal. The ch-3 between them keeps the petal tops close together, so the petals touch at their bases and fan outward like a flower. Check that the flower measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Round 4 – Octagon Frame
Ch 1, sc in the top of the same cluster. Ch 7, sc in the top of the next cluster. Rep from * 6 more times, then ch 7. Sl st in the first sc to join.
Stitch count: 8 sc and 8 ch-7 sps.
The sc stitches sit at the petal tips, and the ch-7 lines form a straight-sided octagon around the flower. The octagon should lie flat and measure about 2 in (5.1 cm) across. If it cups, your chains are too tight. If it ripples, they are too loose.
Round 5 – Spokes and V-Stitches
Each point of the star sits directly in line with a petal.
Ch 3 (counts as dc), ch 5, dc in the same sc as the join (first V made). Ch 5, sc in the 4th (center) ch of the next ch-7 sp, ch 5. (Dc, ch 5, dc) in the next sc, ch 5, sc in the center ch of the next ch-7 sp, ch 5. Rep from * 6 more times. Sl st in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-3 to join.
Stitch count: 16 dc (including the beginning ch-3), 8 sc, 8 ch-5 V-sps, and 16 ch-5 side sps, for 24 ch-5 sps in total.
The two dc of each V lean apart. They form the pair of straight spokes that carries each arm out from the petal tip.
Round 6 – Fans
Sl st in the first 3 ch of the first V-sp to move into the space.
Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 8 dc in the same V-sp (first fan made). Ch 6, sk the next ch-5 side sp, sc in the next sc, ch 6, sk the next ch-5 side sp. Work 9 dc in the next V-sp, ch 6, sk the side sp, sc in the next sc, ch 6, sk the side sp. Rep from * 6 more times. Sl st in the top of the beginning ch-3 to join.
Stitch count: 72 dc (8 fans of 9 dc), 8 sc, and 16 ch-6 sps.
Each fan opens into a solid half-circle at the end of its V. The ch-6 lines run outside the skipped Round 5 side spaces, which adds a second, slightly longer chain line to each arm. Check that the piece measures 4 in (10.2 cm) from fan top to the opposite fan top.
Border
Round 7 is the edging that turns each fan into a sharp star point. It is worked on one single motif, so it doesn’t involve any seams or joined pieces.
Border gauge: each ch-9 should reach from the valley sc to the fan center without pulling. That is about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) of chain at 1.5 mm. Each arm grows by about 0.5 in (1.3 cm), so the piece goes from 4 in (10.2 cm) to 5 in (12.7 cm) across.
Round 7 – Pointed Edging and Tip Picots
Sl st in each of the next 4 dc to reach the 5th (center) dc of the first fan.
Ch 1. Work (sc, ch 5, sc) in the same dc for the first tip picot. Ch 9, sc in the next valley sc, ch 9. (Sc, ch 5, sc) in the 5th dc of the next fan, ch 9, sc in the next valley sc, ch 9. Rep from * 6 more times. Sl st in the first sc to join. Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Count per arm (one point): 2 tip sc + 1 ch-5 picot + 2 ch-9 sides. Each valley sc is shared between two arms.
Round total: 16 tip sc + 8 valley sc = 24 sc, plus 8 ch-5 picots and 16 ch-9 sps.
Why the math works: Each fan has 9 dc, so the 5th dc is the exact center, with 4 dc on each side. That makes the tip symmetrical. Each ch-9 covers 4 fan dc plus one ch-6 from Round 6, so the chain is long enough to frame the fan without bending it. Every round keeps 8 repeats lined up with the 8 petals, which means all 8 points share one centerline, and the star stays balanced.
Hanging Loop
Join the thread with a sl st into the ch-5 picot at any point. Ch 35, then sl st into the same picot to form the loop. Do not turn. Sl st in each of the 35 ch around the loop to thicken it into a firm cord, then sl st into the picot again. Fasten off.
The loop should hang about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the point. Weave in all the tails along the chain lines, splitting the plies for security, and trim them close.
Final Blocking
- Make a template. Draw a 5 in (12.7 cm) circle on paper. Mark 8 evenly spaced lines through the center, 45° apart, then cover the paper with plastic wrap on your foam board.
- Soak. Dip the snowflake in the stiffener until it is fully saturated. Squeeze it gently, then blot it in a towel so that no film of stiffener is left in the chain spaces.
- Pin the center. Place the center ring over the center of the template and pin each petal tip lightly so the flower lies flat.
- Pin the points. Pin through each ch-5 picot onto the circle line. Pin opposite points in pairs (top and bottom, then left and right, then the diagonals) to keep the star symmetrical.
- Open the valleys. Pin each valley sc about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) from the center, between the lines, so that each arm is a clean diamond.
- Shape the details. Use a pin tip to open each picot into a round ring and to spread each fan evenly.
- Dry. Let the snowflake dry completely, which takes 12–24 hours. Unpin it only when it feels stiff and dry to the touch.
- Check. Measure point to point. It should be 5 in (12.7 cm).
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 8 petals, all similar in size and fully closed at the cluster tops
- The octagon frame has 8 straight, even sides
- 8 V-spokes, each lined up with a petal
- 8 fans, each with exactly 9 dc
- 8 tip picots, round and open
- The ch-9 sides are equal in length and frame each fan smoothly
- Measures 5 in (12.7 cm) point to point, give or take 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
- The hanging loop is about 2 in (5.1 cm) and firmly attached at a point
- No visible tails, and no white stiffener residue
Troubleshooting
Petals look thin or loose: Pull each tr loop to the same height before you close the cluster. If the problem continues, go down one hook size for Round 3 only.
Center ring won’t stay closed: Work Round 1 over a ch-6 ring instead of a magic ring. The counts don’t change.
Octagon cups: The ch-7 sides are too tight. Loosen your chains or add 1 ch per side, making it ch 8 and working the Round 5 sc into the 4th ch.
Fans ruffle: Your dc are too tall for the ch-5 V-sp. Pack the 9 dc closely together, and blocking will flatten them.
Points are blunt: Make sure the tip picot is worked into the 5th dc and not into a space. When blocking, pin through the picot itself.
Star is lopsided: Count the repeats. You need 8 in every round. A missed repeat in Round 5 or 6 shifts every later point.
Loop twists: Work the slip stitches loosely, then steam or starch the loop straight.
Care
Hand wash the ornament gently in cool water if needed, then re-starch it and block it again on the template. Store it flat between tissue paper, away from humidity.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple to follow. The ring is 0.4 in (1.0 cm), the petal flower is 1.5 in (3.8 cm), the octagon is 2 in (5.1 cm), the fans reach 4 in (10.2 cm), and the pointed edging brings the star to 5 in (12.7 cm) after blocking.
Every round uses exactly 8 repeats lined up with the petals. If your counts match at each checkpoint, the finished snowflake will be symmetrical. Make one for the tree, a gift tag, or a window, and adjust the hook size if you want a smaller or larger star.
Happy crocheting!