The Royal Frost Snowflake is a lacy, six-pointed motif worked in one bold shade of royal blue. It starts with a crisp open center. The center grows into a ring of tall spokes, and the spokes open into six pointed arms. A small rounded lobe sits between each pair of arms, so the outline looks starry instead of plain.
The style is classic lace in a modern color. A mercerized cotton with a soft sheen keeps every stitch crisp and helps the points hold their shape after blocking. You only need one color.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished motif measures 6 in (15.2 cm) from tip to opposite tip and about 5.25 in (13.3 cm) from valley to opposite valley.
You make the motif as one piece in six rounds. Rounds 1–2 make the center and spokes. Rounds 3–5 build the arms and valley lobes. Round 6 is a single crochet edging with picots that sharpens every point. One motif works as an ornament, appliqué, or coaster. This pattern covers the single motif only.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6 in (15.2 cm) tip to tip; 5.25 in (13.3 cm) valley to valley
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: Single motif worked in the round, no joining
- Piece size: 6 in (15.2 cm) tip to tip after blocking
- Size before border: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tip to tip after Round 5
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every edge (Round 6)
Materials
Yarn. Choose a smooth DK-weight mercerized cotton or cotton blend. Mercerized cotton shows each stitch clearly and keeps the points firm. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarn, because the lace holes will close up and the tips will curl.
- Royal blue: 10 g, about 22 m (24 yd)
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
- Spray bottle with water (or light spray starch)
- Ruler or tape measure
- Stitch marker (optional, for the start of each round)
The quantities include a margin of about 25% for tails, a restart if needed, and small differences in tension.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- beg – beginning
- rep – repeat
Special stitches:
- V-st: (dc, ch 2, dc) in the same stitch.
- Picot: ch 3, sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook.
- Shell: the group of dc and chains given in each round, all worked into the same space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
This is a single motif, so the motif itself is your gauge test. Make Rounds 1–2 first and measure before you go on. If the size is off, it is quicker to restart now than after Round 5.
- After Round 1: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across
- After Round 2: 3 in (7.6 cm) across, measured across the tops of the treble spokes
- After Round 3: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tip to tip
- After Round 4: 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tip to tip
- After Round 5: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tip to tip
- After Round 6 and blocking: 6 in (15.2 cm) tip to tip
Too big? Change to a 3.25 mm (D-3) hook, or check that your chains aren’t too loose.
Too small? Change to a 3.75 mm (F-5) hook. Tight lace also stays cupped, so a larger hook often fixes cupping as well.
Measure the motif flat without stretching it. If it curls before you measure, pin it lightly.
Pattern
Center Ring
Ch 6, sl st in the first ch to form a ring. You can use a magic ring instead, but the chain ring gives the small, firm open center seen in the photo.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 23 dc in ring, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join. (24 dc)
Check that the ring lies flat with no ruffling. The dc should cover the ring completely, leaving a center hole about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide.
Spokes
Round 2: Ch 6 (counts as tr + ch 2), skip next dc, tr in next dc, ch 2, skip next dc; rep from * 10 more times, sl st in 4th ch of beg ch-6 to join. (12 tr, 12 ch-2 sps)
These are the tall, separate spokes. Keep the treble posts straight and evenly spaced. The motif should now measure 3 in (7.6 cm) across.
Arm Bases and Valleys
Round 3: Sl st in first ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in same sp, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; rep from * 4 more times, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join. (24 dc and 6 sc = 30 sts; 6 ch-3 tip sps; 12 ch-2 sps)
The shells start the six arms, and the sc stitches mark the six valleys. This is how 12 spokes become 6 points: every other space turns into an arm.
Growing the Arms
Round 4: Sl st in next dc, sl st in ch-3 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same sp, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, V-st in next sc, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, V-st in next sc, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp; rep from * 4 more times, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join. (36 dc in shells + 12 dc in V-sts = 48 dc; 6 ch-3 tip sps; 6 V-st ch-2 sps; 12 ch-2 side sps)
The arms are now wider shells. The V-sts in the valleys start the small rounded lobes. The motif measures 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tip to tip.
Pointed Arms and Valley Lobes
Round 5: Sl st in next 2 dc, sl st in ch-3 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), (3 dc, ch 4, 4 dc) in same sp, ch 3, skip next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 4, sc) in V-st ch-2 sp, ch 3, skip next ch-2 sp, (4 dc, ch 4, 4 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, skip next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 4, sc) in next V-st ch-2 sp, ch 3, skip next ch-2 sp; rep from * 4 more times, sl st in top of beg ch-3 to join. (48 dc and 12 sc = 60 sts; 6 ch-4 tip sps; 6 ch-4 lobe sps; 12 ch-3 sps)
Each arm is now a tall diamond of 8 dc around a ch-4 tip. Each valley has a small ch-4 loop that becomes the lobe. The motif measures 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tip to tip.
Border
Round 6 is the border. It outlines every arm and lobe with sc and puts a picot on each tip. This gives the sharp, beaded edge you see in the photo.
Border gauge: About 6 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm) along the arm edges. From a tip picot down to the next lobe picot, there are 9 sc (2 + 4 + 3), about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) after blocking.
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and in next 3 dc, (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in ch-4 tip sp, sc in next 4 dc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in ch-4 lobe sp, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, sc in next 4 dc, (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in ch-4 tip sp, sc in next 4 dc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in ch-4 lobe sp, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp; rep from * 4 more times, sl st in first sc to join. Fasten off.
Counts per repeat (one arm plus one valley):
- Arm: 4 sc + 4 sc at tip + 4 sc = 12 sc, plus 1 picot
- Valley: 3 sc + 4 sc at lobe + 3 sc = 10 sc, plus 1 picot
- Per repeat: 22 sc and 2 picots
Round total: 48 sc worked one per dc + 84 sc worked into spaces (6 × [4 tip + 3 + 4 lobe + 3]) = 132 sc, plus 12 picots.
Why the math works: Each side of each arm has exactly 4 dc from Round 5, so each side gets exactly 4 sc. Both sides of every arm stay the same length, and the point stays centered. Each tip space and lobe space gets 4 sc, split 2 and 2 around the picot, so the picot sits on the center line. The 3 sc in each ch-3 space is one sc per chain, so the valley edges lie flat without pulling. Six identical repeats of 22 sc make 132 sc, so the motif keeps its six-way symmetry.
Leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail and weave it in after blocking.
Final Blocking
- Weave in the starting tail now. Leave the ending tail loose until the motif is dry.
- Soak the motif in cool water, then press the water out in a towel. Don’t wring it.
- Lay it face up on a blocking mat. Pin the center hole flat with 2–3 pins.
- Pin the six arm tips first, through the picots. Measure tip to opposite tip: 6 in (15.2 cm) for all three pairs.
- Pin the six valley lobes through their picots. Measure valley to opposite valley: 5.25 in (13.3 cm).
- Open each lace space with a pin tip so the spokes run straight out from the center.
- For a stiffer ornament, spray lightly with water or light starch. Let it dry completely before unpinning.
- Weave the ending tail through the back of the border sc.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Round 1 has 24 dc, and the center hole is round and open.
- Round 2 has 12 straight treble spokes.
- Rounds 3–5 have 6 arms and 6 valleys, all the same size.
- Round 5 has 4 dc on each side of every arm tip.
- Round 6 has 132 sc and 12 picots: 6 on tips, 6 on lobes.
- Each picot sits in the exact center of its tip or lobe.
- Tip to tip measures 6 in (15.2 cm) in all three directions.
- Valley to valley measures 5.25 in (13.3 cm) in all three directions.
- The motif lies flat with no cupping or ruffling.
- All tails are secure and hidden.
Troubleshooting
The center cups or bowls. Round 1 is too tight. Rework it with looser tension, or use a magic ring and leave it slightly open.
The motif ruffles after Round 2. Your chains are too long for the height of your trebles. Tighten the ch-2s or go down a hook size.
One arm is shorter than the others. Count the dc in that arm’s shell. Round 4 needs 3 dc on each side of the tip, and Round 5 needs 4.
The picot is off-center. Make sure you worked 2 sc before and 2 sc after the picot.
The edges wave between arms. You may have worked more than 3 sc in a ch-3 space. Keep it to 3.
The tips curl after blocking. Wet the motif again, pin it tighter through the picots, and use light starch.
Ran short of yarn. One motif uses about 8 g. If you ran short, check your gauge; looser tension uses more yarn.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press dry in a towel, and lay flat to dry. If the tips lose their shape, pin them again.
Final Notes
Each stage builds on the last. Round 1 sets 24 dc at 1.5 in (3.8 cm). Round 2 turns them into 12 spokes at 3 in (7.6 cm). Rounds 3–5 turn every other spoke into an arm and grow the motif to 5.5 in (14.0 cm). Round 6 adds the 132-sc border and 12 picots, for a blocked size of 6 in (15.2 cm) tip to tip. Check each measurement as you go, and your snowflake will match.
Happy crocheting!