This little lace strip shows four snowmen standing in a row on an airy light blue mesh. Each snowman has a cream round body with soft bobble texture, a navy knit-look hat with a folded cuff, a navy scarf wrapped at the neck, orange French knot eyes, and an orange embroidered nose. A light blue picot-edged shell border frames the whole piece. The top and bottom edges carry the largest scallops.
The palette is light blue, cream, navy, and orange. Light blue is used for the lace background, the border, and the hat accents. The style is cozy and wintry, with enough open space that the strip still reads as lace.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished size is 12 in wide x 5 in tall (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm).
Construction overview: You work one rectangular filet-mesh background in rows, then add a two-round shell border. The snowman parts are small appliqué components that you sew onto the mesh. The strip remains a single piece. There is no joining of motifs.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 lace strip, with 4 snowman appliqués sewn on
- Layout: 4 snowmen in a single horizontal row
- Piece size: 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm)
- Size before border: 11 in x 3.5 in (27.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
- Border depth:
- Top and bottom: 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
- Sides: 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
- Each snowman: about 3.5 in tall x 2 in wide (8.9 cm x 5.1 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or combed DK cotton. It gives crisp mesh, defined bobbles, and clean picots. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they blur the openwork.
| Color | Use | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Light blue | Mesh, border, hat pompoms | 30 g / about 69 m |
| Cream | Bodies and heads | 15 g / about 35 m |
| Navy | Hats and scarves | 10 g / about 23 m |
| Orange | Eyes and noses | 2 g / about 5 m |
Quantities include a margin of about 20% for swatching and weaving in ends.
Tools
– 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
– Tapestry needle
– Sharp embroidery needle
– 4 stitch markers
– Rust-proof pins
– Blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- BLO – back loop only
- MR – magic ring
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sk – skip
- rep – repeat
Special stitches
- Bobble: Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops. Repeat from * 3 more times in the same stitch. You will have 5 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops. A bobble counts as 1 st.
- Picot: Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
- Big shell (top, bottom, corners): (3 dc, picot, 3 dc) in the same st.
- Small shell (sides): (2 hdc, picot, 2 hdc) in the same st.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Mesh gauge: 4 mesh x 4 rows = 2 in x 2 in (5.1 cm x 5.1 cm). Each mesh is 3 sts wide, so this equals 6 sts per inch.
Sc gauge: 6 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Test the background first. Make the first 4 rows, then measure.
- After Row 1: The width is 11 in (27.9 cm).
- After Row 7: The height is 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- After Border Round 1: The piece is about 11.4 in x 3.9 in (29.0 cm x 9.9 cm).
- After Border Round 2: The piece is 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm).
- Each lower body circle: 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
- Each head: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
If your work is too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If it is too small, go up 0.25 mm. Re-swatch before you continue. Rows that are too tall usually mean your dc is loose. Snug the yarn over before you complete each dc.
Lace Background (Light Blue)
Foundation: Ch 71.
Row 1 (RS): Dc in the 8th ch from the hook. The skipped 7 ch count as dc, ch 2, plus 2 skipped base chains. Ch 2, sk 2 ch, dc in next ch. Rep from * across.
(22 mesh, made of 23 dc posts and 22 ch-2 sps, for 67 sts across)
Rows 2–7: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2) and turn. Dc in the next dc. Ch 2, dc in next dc. Rep from * across. Work the last dc in the 3rd ch of the turning chain.
(22 mesh per row)
Do not fasten off. Check that the piece is 11 in x 3.5 in (27.9 cm x 8.9 cm).
Why it works: 22 mesh x 3 sts = 66 sts. Add 1 for the final post to get 67 sts. At 6 sts per inch, that is about 11 in. Seven rows at 0.5 in (1.3 cm) each gives 3.5 in.
Snowman Appliqués (Make 4 of Each Part)
Lower Body (Cream)
This circle is 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR. (6)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)
- Rnd 3: (Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 6 times. (18)
- Rnd 4: (Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) 6 times. (24)
- Rnd 5: (Bobble in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) 6 times. (30, including 6 bobbles)
- Rnd 6: (Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st) 6 times. (36)
Sl st to the first st to join. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
The bobbles pop toward the back of the work. Use that side as the right side.
Head (Cream)
This circle is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
- Rnds 1–3: Work as for the lower body. (18)
- Rnd 4: (Bobble in next st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 6 times. (24, including 6 bobbles)
Join and fasten off. Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. The bobble side is the right side.
Knit-Look Hat (Navy, with Light Blue Pompom)
Foundation: With navy, ch 10.
Cuff:
– Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (9)
– Rows 2–4: Ch 1 and turn. Sc BLO in each st. (9)
The BLO ridges give a knit-rib look.
Crown:
– Row 5: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st through both loops. (9)
– Row 6: Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog. (7)
– Row 7: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st. (7)
– Row 8: Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog. (5)
– Row 9: Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog. (3)
The gradual decreases round off the top into a soft dome.
Fasten off navy. Join light blue in the center st of Row 9. Ch 2 and work a bobble in the same st for the pompom. Fasten off.
Fold the cuff: Fold Rows 1–2 up over the front of Rows 3–4. Tack the side edges with the navy tail. The finished hat is about 1.5 in wide x 1.25 in tall (3.8 cm x 3.2 cm).
Scarf (Navy)
Band:
– Ch 13.
– Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and across. (12)
– Row 2: Ch 1 and turn. Sc across. (12)
Fasten off. The band is 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Tail:
– Ch 7.
– Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and across. (6)
– Row 2: Ch 1 and turn. Sc across. (6)
Fasten off. The tail is 1 in (2.5 cm) long.
Assemble Each Snowman
- Overlap the head onto the top of the lower body by 0.25 in (0.6 cm). Whipstitch them together from the back.
- Lay the scarf band across the seam so it wraps the neck. Tuck the band ends slightly behind the circles and stitch them down.
- Sew the tail under the band on one side so it hangs down over the lower body.
- Sew the hat onto the top of the head, with the folded cuff overlapping the head by about 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
- With orange, work 2 French knots for the eyes. Wrap the yarn twice around the needle for each knot. Place them 0.4 in (1.0 cm) apart.
- Embroider a small carrot nose below the eyes in orange. Use 3 straight stitches fanning from one point, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) long.
Attach the Snowmen to the Mesh
- Measure the gaps first. Four snowmen at 2 in each take up 8 in (20.3 cm) of the 11 in (27.9 cm) background. That leaves 3 in (7.6 cm) for 5 equal gaps of 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
- Pin the snowmen in place. Rest the bottom of each lower body on Row 1. Let each hat sit at the top edge.
- Sew the outer edge of each body and head to the dc posts and ch-2 sps behind it, using cream.
- Sew the hats using navy.
Keep your stitches loose enough that the mesh stays flat.
Border (Light Blue)
Border gauge: The border uses the same density as the background, 6 sts per inch.
Round 1 (Sc Conversion Round)
This round is worked into existing stitches, with 3 sc added at each corner.
Ch 1 and work along the top edge, which is the last row you made.
- First corner: Work 3 sc in the corner dc. Place a marker in the middle sc.
- Top edge: Work 1 sc in each interior dc and 2 sc in each ch-2 sp, ending at the next corner. That is 21 dc + 44 sc = 65 sc.
- Second corner: Work 3 sc in the corner dc.
- Side edge: Work 19 sc evenly along the row ends. Place 2 sc in the first and last row ends and 3 sc in each of the 5 middle row ends: 2 + 15 + 2 = 19.
- Third corner: Work 3 sc in the corner.
- Bottom edge: Work along the foundation chain. Work 1 sc at the base of each interior dc and 2 sc in each ch-2 sp, for 65 sc.
- Fourth corner: Work 3 sc in the corner.
- Second side edge: Work 19 sc as before.
Sl st to the first sc to join.
Counts:
– Each long side: 69 sc, counting both corner center sts. That is 1 + 1 + 65 + 1 + 1.
– Each short side: 23 sc, counting both corner center sts. That is 1 + 1 + 19 + 1 + 1.
– Total: (2 x 69) + (2 x 23) − 4 shared corners = 180 sc.
Round 2 (Picot Shell Round)
Sl st to the first marked corner sc. Work these steps in order around the strip.
- Corner: Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work (2 dc, picot, 3 dc) in the marked corner sc to make the first corner big shell.
- Long side: Work across the 67 sts between corner centers. Sc in the 1st st. Sk 2 sts, big shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st. Rep from * 10 more times. The side has 11 big shells and 12 sc.
- Next corner: Big shell in the corner center st.
- Short side: Work across the 21 sts between corner centers. Sc in the 1st st. Sk 1 st, small shell in next st, sk 1 st, sc in next st. Rep from * 4 more times. The side has 5 small shells and 6 sc.
- Next corner: Big shell in the corner center st.
- Second long side: Repeat Step 2.
- Next corner: Big shell in the corner center st.
- Second short side: Repeat Step 4.
Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3 to join. Fasten off.
Totals: 22 big side shells, 10 small shells, and 4 corner shells, for 36 picots.
Why the math works:
– On each long side, 1 starting sc + (11 repeats x 6 sts) = 67. This exactly fills the 67 sts between corners.
– On each short side, 1 + (5 x 4) = 21. This exactly fills the 21 sts between corners.
– The dc shells add 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of depth at the top and bottom. That covers the sc round plus the shell height.
– The shorter hdc shells add 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of depth on the sides.
– Width: 11 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 12 in (30.5 cm).
– Height: 3.5 + 0.75 + 0.75 = 5 in (12.7 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends, working through matching colors on the back.
- Lay the strip right side up on a blocking mat.
- Pin the four corners to a 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm) rectangle.
- Pin the center point of each top and bottom shell so the scallops sit evenly.
- Pin each picot open.
- Mist with water until damp but not soaked.
- Gently nudge the mesh squares square. Avoid pressing the bobbles flat.
- Let it dry completely, at least 6 hours, before you unpin.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] The finished size is 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm).
- [ ] The mesh has 22 squares across and 7 rows up.
- [ ] Border Round 1 has 69 sc on each long side and 23 sc on each short side, for 180 total.
- [ ] There are 11 big shells on each long side, 5 small shells on each short side, and 4 corner shells.
- [ ] Every shell has an open picot.
- [ ] Each lower body shows 6 bobbles and each head shows 6 bobbles.
- [ ] All 4 hats have folded cuffs and a light blue pompom.
- [ ] All 4 scarves wrap the neck and have a hanging tail.
- [ ] Every snowman has 2 orange French knot eyes and an orange nose.
- [ ] The snowmen are evenly spaced with 0.6 in (1.5 cm) gaps.
Troubleshooting
- Mesh is wider than 11 in (27.9 cm): Your chains are loose. Go down a hook size for the foundation only.
- Mesh squares lean diagonally: Check that each dc goes into the dc below, not into the ch-2 sp. Fix the lean in blocking.
- Circles cup: Your increases are too tight. Go up 0.25 mm in hook size.
- Circles ruffle: Your stitches are too loose. Go down 0.25 mm in hook size.
- Bobbles are on the wrong side: Simply flip the circle. The bobble side is the right side.
- The shell repeat doesn’t end at the corner: Recount Round 1. It needs exactly 67 sts and 21 sts between the corner centers.
- The border waves: Make sure you skipped 2 sts on the long sides, not 1.
- The strip puckers around the snowmen: Your sewing stitches are too tight. Loosen or redo them.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Press out the water in a towel, then reshape and dry flat. Do not wring.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is short and reliable:
- 22 mesh at 6 sts per inch gives 11 in (27.9 cm).
- 7 rows at 0.5 in (1.3 cm) give 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- Border Round 1 converts the edge into 180 sc at the same 6 sts per inch.
- Border Round 2 adds 0.75 in (1.9 cm) at the top and bottom and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the sides.
- The result is a 12 in x 5 in (30.5 cm x 12.7 cm) strip.
Check each stage against these numbers, and the shells will land perfectly at every corner.
Happy crocheting!