This ornament is a single crocheted icicle. It has a six-petaled flower crown at the top, a long spiraling openwork body, and a solid pointed cone at the bottom. Wooden beads finish the hanging loop, the flower center, and the tip.
It uses two colors: a dusty mauve-rose and a soft cream. A mauve band and a cream band twist around the body, separated by a narrow strip of open mesh. The result is a soft, variegated, vintage-style look that suits a frosty window or a tree branch.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The crocheted length is about 6 in (15.2 cm). With the bottom beads, the finished ornament is about 7 in (17.8 cm) long, not counting the hanging loop.
The ornament is worked top-down in one continuous piece. You start at the flower center and work the petals into the front loops. Then you work the body downward from the back loops of the same round. The body tapers into the cone, and a cream outline round on the petals finishes the piece.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 7 in (17.8 cm) long including bottom beads; crochet only about 6 in (15.2 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate (tapestry color changes, working in spirals)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 2.5 mm
- Number of pieces: 1 (single continuous piece)
- Layout: flower crown at the top, spiral body below it, cone at the bottom
- Piece size: flower 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across; body 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide at the top, tapering to 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
- Size before border: flower about 2 in (5.1 cm) across
- Border depth: 1 round of sc on the petals, about 0.125 in (0.3 cm)
Materials
Yarn advice: Use a smooth, mercerized sport-weight cotton. It shows the mesh clearly and holds the twist after blocking. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns, because the openwork will blur and the cone may lose its point.
- Color A, Dusty Mauve-Rose: 7 g, about 22 m
- Color B, Cream: 10 g, about 31 m (includes the hanging cord)
These quantities include a margin of roughly 20% for swatching and weaving in ends.
Tools and notions:
- 2.5 mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 1 stitch marker
- Small pinch of fiberfill (for the cone)
- 5 wooden beads, 6 mm (flower center)
- 2 wooden beads for the top: 12 mm and 10 mm
- 3 wooden beads for the tip: 10 mm, 8 mm, and 6 mm
- Scissors
- Spray starch or diluted fabric stiffener (optional)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- dc2tog – double crochet 2 together
- FLO / BLO – front loop only / back loop only
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
Special technique – Tapestry color change: Work the last yarn over of the stitch before the change with the new color. Lay the idle color along the top of the round below and work over it so it is hidden inside the stitches. In the mesh section, work each dc over the carried strand and let it pass behind the ch-1 spaces.
Special technique – Spiral rule: Work in continuous rounds without joining. Mark the first mauve stitch of each round. On every new round, start mauve one stitch before the marked stitch, then move the marker up. Each section shifts one stitch per round, so the bands twist around the body.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge:
– sc: 6 sts and 7 rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm)
– dc: 6 sts and 3 rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm)
Test first: Work Rounds 1–7 as your test piece. They include the flower disk, the petals, and the first body rounds, so you check both sc and petal tension before committing to the spiral.
Checkpoints:
– After Round 3: the disk measures about 7/8 in (2.2 cm) across.
– After Round 4: the flower measures about 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
– After Round 7: the body circumference is 4 in (10.2 cm).
– After Round 13: the length from the flower base measures about 2.3 in (5.8 cm).
– After Round 19: the length from the flower base measures about 4.3 in (10.9 cm).
– After Round 29: the length from the flower base measures about 5.7 in (14.5 cm).
If your piece is too big, go down to a 2.25 mm hook. If it is too small, go up to a 2.75 mm hook. Recheck the Round 7 circumference before you continue.
Flower Crown (Rounds 1–4)
Round 1 (Color B): Make a magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in the ring. Join with sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (12 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat 6 times. Join. (18 sts)
Leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail at the center for sewing the beads later. Do not fasten off Color B; drop it to the back.
Round 4 (Color A), petals in FLO of Round 3: Join Color A in the front loop of any st.
Sl st in next st, (hdc, dc, tr, ch 2, tr, dc, hdc) in next st, sl st in next st, repeat 6 times. Fasten off Color A.
This makes 6 petals, each worked over 3 sts (6 × 3 = 18 sts). The back loops of Round 3 stay free for the body.
Body Top (Rounds 5–6)
Turn the flower face down. Pick up the dropped Color B.
Round 5: Working in the BLO of Round 3, sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Continue in a spiral from here. Do not join rounds.
Round 6: Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
The body circumference is now 4 in (10.2 cm). The petals fold up and outward to form the crown.
Spiral Openwork Body (Rounds 7–18)
Join Color A with a tapestry change. Carry both colors throughout. Each round has three sections:
- Mauve band: dc in Color A
- Cream band: dc in Color B
- Mesh: in Color B, (ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st) 3 times = 6 sts
Each ch-1 sp counts as 1 st. In later rounds, work the mesh over whatever lies below, whether a st or a ch-1 sp. Follow the spiral rule on every round.
Round 7: 9 dc mauve, 9 dc cream, mesh. (24 sts)
Round 8: Repeat Round 7. (24 sts)
Round 9 (decrease): In each band, dc 3, dc2tog, dc 4 (8 sts per band); mesh. (8 + 8 + 6 = 22 sts)
Round 10: 8 mauve, 8 cream, mesh. (22 sts)
Round 11 (decrease): In each band, dc 3, dc2tog, dc 3 (7 sts per band); mesh. (20 sts)
Round 12: 7 mauve, 7 cream, mesh. (20 sts)
Checkpoint: The length from the flower base measures about 2.3 in (5.8 cm).
Round 13 (decrease): In each band, dc 2, dc2tog, dc 3 (6 sts per band); mesh. (18 sts)
Round 14: 6 mauve, 6 cream, mesh. (18 sts)
Round 15 (decrease): In each band, dc 2, dc2tog, dc 2 (5 sts per band); mesh. (16 sts)
Round 16: 5 mauve, 5 cream, mesh. (16 sts)
Round 17 (decrease): In each band, dc 1, dc2tog, dc 2 (4 sts per band); mesh. (14 sts)
Round 18: 4 mauve, 4 cream, mesh. (14 sts)
Checkpoint: The length from the flower base measures about 4.3 in (10.9 cm). The narrow end is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide.
The 12 dc rounds measure 4 in (10.2 cm) at 3 rounds per inch. The mesh stays at 6 sts the whole way, so the open strip runs evenly from top to bottom.
Solid Cone (Rounds 19–28)
Switch to sc and keep following the spiral rule.
Round 19 (conversion): Work 1 sc in each st and each ch-1 sp: 7 sc mauve, 7 sc cream.
Count: 14 sts worked 1-per-existing-st + 0 added = 14 sts.
Round 20: In each color, sc 5, sc2tog. (12 sts)
Round 21: Sc around, 6 per color. (12 sts)
Round 22: In each color, sc 4, sc2tog. (10 sts)
Round 23: Sc around. (10 sts)
Round 24: In each color, sc 3, sc2tog. (8 sts)
Round 25: Sc around. (8 sts)
Stuff the cone lightly with a small pinch of fiberfill. Keep the stuffing below Round 19 so the mesh stays open.
Round 26: In each color, sc 2, sc2tog. (6 sts)
Round 27: Sc around. (6 sts)
Fasten off Color A.
Round 28 (Color B): Sc2tog 3 times. (3 sts)
Fasten off. Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for the tip beads.
The 10 sc rounds measure about 1.4 in (3.6 cm). The total length from the flower base is now about 5.7 in (14.5 cm).
Border: Petal Outline
Border gauge: 6 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm), the same as the body. This round adds about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) around each petal.
Border round (Color B): Join Color B in the first sl st of any petal from Round 4. For each petal (“side”):
- sl st in the first sl st
- sc in hdc
- sc in dc
- 2 sc in tr
- (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp
- 2 sc in tr
- sc in dc
- sc in hdc
- sl st in the last sl st
Per petal: 10 sc, 2 sl st, 1 ch-2 tip.
Total: 6 × 10 = 60 sc, 12 sl st, 6 tips.
Join and fasten off.
Why the math works: Each petal has 6 stitches plus a ch-2 tip. The tr edges curve the most, so they get 2 sc each, which lets the outline lie flat without cupping. The (sc, ch 2, sc) keeps a sharp point. The sl sts anchor between petals, so all 6 petals stay separate and identical. The flower grows from 2 in (5.1 cm) to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across.
Beads and Hanging Loop
- Using the center tail, sew five 6 mm beads in a tight cluster over Rounds 1–2.
- Cut 12 in (30.5 cm) of Color B and fold it in half. Thread both ends through the magic ring from the underside, up between the beads.
- Slide the 10 mm bead and then the 12 mm bead onto the doubled strand.
- Knot the strand to form a 3 in (7.6 cm) hanging loop.
- At the tip, thread the cone tail through the 10 mm, 8 mm, and 6 mm beads. Knot it securely below the last bead and trim.
The bottom beads add about 1 in (2.5 cm), for a total of about 7 in (17.8 cm).
Final Blocking
- Mist the whole ornament until it is damp, not dripping.
- Roll a strip of paper into a tapered cone and slide it into the body to fill out the spiral. Twist gently in the direction of the bands.
- Lay the flower petals flat and open. Pin each tip with one pin.
- Spray starch on the petals and body if you want extra crispness.
- Hang or lay flat to dry completely, about 6–8 hours.
- Remove the paper and pins. Check the flower measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Flower has 6 even petals with sharp, outlined tips.
- Flower measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across.
- Body is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide at the top, tapering smoothly.
- Mauve band, cream band, and mesh twist continuously, with no vertical sections.
- Carried strands are hidden in the solid bands and lie flat behind the mesh.
- Cone is firm, closed, and pointed.
- Crochet length is about 6 in (15.2 cm); total length with tip beads is about 7 in (17.8 cm).
- Beads are tight, and all knots are secure.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
Bands run straight instead of twisting: The spiral rule was skipped. Start mauve one stitch before the marker on every round.
Carried strand shows through the mesh: It is too tight or too loose. Keep it relaxed and flat against the round below.
Petals cup or ruffle: Petal tension is off. Check the outline uses exactly 2 sc in each tr. Block with pins.
Body flares at the top: Your dc is loose. Go down 0.25 mm (0.6 mm is too much; use the next hook size) and recheck the 4 in (10.2 cm) circumference.
Holes at the cone tip: Work the sc2tog decreases snugly and close the last round firmly with the tail.
Color jogs at the round change: This is normal in spirals. The bead strand and the twist hide it.
Care
Spot clean with cool water and mild soap. Reshape and air dry, adding a light spray starch if the twist softens.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. The flower disk measures 7/8 in (2.2 cm), and the petals bring the flower to 2 in (5.1 cm). The outline finishes it at 2.25 in (5.7 cm). The body starts at a 4 in (10.2 cm) circumference and runs 4 in (10.2 cm) of spiral dc. The cone adds 1.4 in (3.6 cm), for 6 in (15.2 cm) of crochet. The beads bring the total to about 7 in (17.8 cm). Check each stage as you go, and the twist and taper will fall into place.
Optional: Make several in different colorways for a matching set of tree ornaments.
Happy crocheting!