This lace crown is worked in one golden thread color. It has six pointed peaks, each topped with a small three-lobed trefoil. Below the peaks are radiating double-crochet fans, and a solid band at the bottom gives the crown its structure. Once it is stiffened, it stands up by itself, so you can use it for a birthday, a dress-up box, a photo shoot or a display shelf.
The crown uses a single shade of mustard gold in mercerized cotton thread. That kind of thread shows off the twist of every chain and gives the crown a slight sheen, like metal. The style is classic thread lace: chain arches, shells and fans, with no colorwork.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished crown measures 15 in (38.1 cm) around and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at the peaks. That makes it about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) across when it stands in a circle.
The crown is one piece. You chain a ring, work a solid band in joined rounds, and then build six lace repeats upward, finishing with the spires and the peak outlines. Last, you work a border round into the bottom of the foundation chain, then block and stiffen the crown.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 15 in (38.1 cm) around × 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Size 3 crochet cotton thread (Lace / #0 weight)
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B-1)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: One ring with 6 identical repeats (6 peaks)
- Piece size: 15 in (38.1 cm) around; each repeat is 20 stitches, about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide
- Size before border: 15 in (38.1 cm) × 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Yarn: Use mercerized size 3 cotton crochet thread. Mercerized cotton holds stiffener well and keeps the peaks crisp. Avoid acrylic or soft matte cotton, because the points will droop.
- Color A, mustard gold: 30 g / 120 m
These quantities include a margin of about 20% for your gauge swatch and any ripping back.
Tools:
– 2.25 mm (US B-1) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Fabric stiffener, or a 1:1 mix of white glue and water
– A cylinder about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) across for shaping, such as an oatmeal canister wrapped in plastic wrap
– Rustproof pins
– 6 stitch markers
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- beg – beginning
Special stitches:
- V-st (V-stitch): (dc, ch 3, dc) in the same space.
- Shell: (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same space.
- Trefoil tip: Worked into the last chain you made. [Ch 4, sl st into that same chain] 3 times. This gives three picots radiating from one point.
- Rev sc: Work single crochet from left to right (right to left if you crochet left-handed). It makes a twisted, corded edge.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rounds = 2 in (5.1 cm) in sc, worked with the 2.25 mm hook.
Test first: before you start the full crown, chain 41, work 18 rows of sc (40 sts), and measure the swatch. If it is wider than 5.1 cm, your crown will come out too large. If it is narrower, the crown will be too small.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 3 (band): The ring measures 15 in (38.1 cm) around and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 7: The lowest point of each valley is about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the foundation edge.
– After Rnd 9: The crown is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall to the trefoil tips, before the border.
– After the border: The crown is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
If your crown is too big (over 15.5 in / 39.4 cm around after Rnd 3), switch to a 2 mm hook. If it is too small (under 14.5 in / 36.8 cm), switch to a 2.5 mm hook. To size the crown up for an adult, add 20 foundation chains per extra repeat. Each repeat adds about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) and one more peak.
Crown Pattern
Band
Foundation: Ch 120. Check that the chain is not twisted, then join with a sl st in the first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join with a sl st in the first sc. (120 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), hdc in each st around, join with a sl st in the first hdc. (120 hdc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st in the first sc. (120 sc)
Place a marker in every 20th stitch. This divides the ring into 6 repeats of 20 sts each.
Checkpoint: 15 in (38.1 cm) around, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall.
Lace Base
Rnd 4 (arch round): Ch 1, sc in the first st, ch 5, sk 4 sts, sc in the next st. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 5, sk the last 4 sts, and join with a sl st in the first sc. (24 sc, 24 ch-5 arches)
Each arch covers 5 sts (the sc plus the 4 skipped), so there are 4 arches per repeat. Call them A1, A2, A3 and A4.
Rnd 5 (V and fan base round): Sl st in the next 2 ch to reach the center of the first arch. Ch 6 (counts as dc + ch 3), dc in the same arch. This is the first V-st, worked in A1.
Ch 3, sc in A2, ch 3, 7 dc in A3, ch 3, sc in A4, ch 3, V-st in the next arch (A1), ch 3, sc in the next arch, ch 3, 7 dc in the next arch, ch 3, sc in the next arch, ch 3. Repeat from * 4 more times. Join with a sl st in the 3rd ch of the beg ch-6.
Count: 66 sts in total (12 V-st dc + 42 fan dc + 12 sc), 6 V-st sps and 24 ch-3 sps.
The V-sts mark the valleys, and the 7-dc groups are the bases of the fans.
Rnd 6: Sl st into the first V-st sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same sp to make the first shell.
Ch 4, sk the next ch-3 sp, sc and ch-3 sp. [Dc in the next fan dc, ch 1] 6 times, dc in the last fan dc. Ch 4, sk the next ch-3 sp, sc and ch-3 sp, shell in the next V-st sp. Repeat from * around, ending the last repeat at **. Join with a sl st in the top of the beg ch-3.
Count: 66 dc (24 shell dc + 42 fan dc), 6 shell sps, 36 ch-1 sps and 12 ch-4 sps.
Rnd 7: Sl st in the next dc and into the shell’s ch-3 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the same sp.
Ch 4, sk the ch-4 sp. Dc in the first fan dc, [ch 2, dc in the next fan dc] 6 times. Ch 4, shell in the next shell sp. Repeat from * around, ending at **. Join with a sl st in the top of the beg ch-3.
Count: 66 dc (24 shell dc + 42 fan dc), 6 shell sps, 36 ch-2 sps and 12 ch-4 sps.
The fans are now wide and open, with seven spokes each.
Checkpoint: the valleys sit about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the foundation edge.
Spires and Peaks
Rnd 8 (fan cap and spire round): Sl st in the next dc and into the shell’s ch-3 sp. Ch 1, sc in the same sp. This sc is a valley point.
*Ch 5, sc in the first ch-2 sp of the fan, [ch 3, sc in the next ch-2 sp] 2 times. You are now in the 3rd ch-2 sp. Ch 2.
Spire: Sl st in the center (4th) fan dc, ch 14, then work a trefoil tip in the last ch made. Working back down the chain, sc in each of the next 13 ch, then sl st again in the same center dc.
Ch 2, sc in the 4th ch-2 sp, [ch 3, sc in the next ch-2 sp] 2 times. Ch 5, sc in the next shell sp.* Repeat from * around, ending at . Join with a sl st in the first sc.
Count per repeat: 1 valley sc + 6 fan-cap sc + 1 spire (13 sc and a trefoil tip). Round total: 6 valley sc, 36 fan-cap sc, 6 spires.
Rnd 9 (peak outline): Ch 1, sc in the same valley sc.
Ch 12, sl st under both loops of the 9th spire sc, counted up from the base. That is the 5th sc below the trefoil. Ch 12, sc in the next valley sc. Repeat from * around, ending at **. Join with a sl st in the first sc.
Count: 6 valley sc, 12 ch-12 lines and 6 sl sts joined to the spires.
The long chains rise from each valley to meet near the top of the spires, which creates the triangular lace outline of each peak. Fasten off and weave in the end.
Checkpoint: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall to the trefoil tips.
Border
The border is worked into the underside of the foundation chain and adds the corded bottom edge.
Border gauge: 8 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm), the same as the band.
Border Rnd 1: Hold the crown upside down. Join the thread in any foundation ch at a marker. Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join with a sl st in the first sc. (120 sc, 20 sc per repeat)
Border Rnd 2: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around, join with a sl st in the first rev sc. (120 rev sc, 20 per repeat) Fasten off.
Why the math works: The foundation has exactly 120 chains, and Rnd 3 has exactly 120 sc. The border works 1 st into each chain with no increases, so every repeat keeps its 20 sts on the top edge and the bottom edge. Because the two edges have the same count, the band does not flare or pull in. The border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm), which brings the height from 3.5 in (8.9 cm) to 3.75 in (9.5 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the solid band, where they will not show.
- Soak the crown in fabric stiffener, or in a 1:1 mix of white glue and water, until it is fully saturated.
- Gently squeeze out the excess. Do not wring it. Blot with a towel so the holes do not fill with glue.
- Slide the crown over a cylinder about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) across that has been wrapped in plastic.
- Pull each spire straight up. Pin each trefoil tip open so all three picots spread out.
- Open the oval arches and fan spokes with a toothpick, and clear any glue film.
- Check that the crown is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at every peak and that the peaks are evenly spaced, about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) apart.
- Let it dry completely for 24 hours, then remove it from the form.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 120 stitches in each band round, and 120 in each border round
- 24 even arches in Rnd 4
- 6 V-sts, 6 shells and 6 fans with 7 dc each
- 6 spires with 13 sc each, every one topped with a full three-lobe trefoil
- 12 peak lines, all joined at the 9th spire sc
- Circumference of 15 in (38.1 cm) and height of 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
- No twist in the ring, and all ends hidden in the band
- Stiff, upright peaks with no glue film in the holes
Troubleshooting
The ring twisted on the first round: Frog it and chain again, then lay the chain flat before joining.
The band ruffles: Your chain may be looser than your stitches. Use a hook one size smaller for the foundation only.
The fans cup instead of spreading: Your ch-1 or ch-2 spaces are too tight. Chain a little more loosely, or add half a chain’s worth of slack.
The spires lean sideways: Make sure you sl st into the exact center (4th) fan dc both before and after the spire. Straighten the spires when blocking.
The peak lines sag: Use the same chain tension on both sides. Count 12 ch exactly, and join at the same spire sc on every peak.
The trefoils close up: Pin each picot open while the stiffener is wet.
The crown is too floppy: Apply a second coat of stiffener and let it dry on the form.
Care
Spot clean only with a damp cloth. Store the crown upright or stuffed with tissue so it keeps its shape. If it gets soaked, re-stiffen it on the form.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. A 120-chain foundation at 8 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm) gives a 15 in (38.1 cm) ring. Six 20-stitch repeats become six fans and six peaks. The band is 0.5 in (1.3 cm), the valleys sit at 2 in (5.1 cm), and the spires reach 3.5 in (8.9 cm). The border then brings the height to 3.75 in (9.5 cm). If your gauge matches at the band checkpoint, everything above it will line up.
Happy crocheting!