This hanging mobile has ten lacy snowflakes on cream beaded strands. Each snowflake has a six-pointed star outline with open fans radiating from a small solid center circle. The strands hang from a cream crocheted ring with a scalloped lace edge, so the whole piece turns gently in warm air near a mantel or window.
The palette is two colors: six snowflakes in cream or off-white, four in deep burgundy. Small 8 mm wooden or pearl beads sit between the motifs. The style is classic thread lace: airy, crisp, and graphic when blocked.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each blocked snowflake measures 4 in (10.2 cm) point to point. The finished mobile is about 28 in (71.1 cm) tall from hanging loop to lowest bead and about 10 in (25.4 cm) wide.
Construction is simple and modular. You crochet ten identical motifs, cover a 6 in (15.2 cm) ring with single crochet, and add a scalloped border. Then you block everything and tie the motifs onto four beaded strands of staggered length.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 28 in (71.1 cm) tall × 10 in (25.4 cm) wide
- Skill level: Intermediate (thread lace, picots, careful blocking)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Size 3 mercerized cotton crochet thread (Lace / #0)
- Hook: 2.25 mm (B-1)
- Number of pieces: 10 snowflake motifs + 1 covered ring
- Layout: 4 strands in a 3–2–3–2 motif pattern, attached at four equally spaced points on the ring
- Piece size: each motif 4 in (10.2 cm) point to point, blocked
- Size before border: covered ring about 6.5 in (16.5 cm) outer diameter
- Border depth: about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) scalloped edging hanging below the ring
- Work order: motifs → ring cover → border → blocking → stringing
Materials
Use a smooth, tightly twisted mercerized cotton thread. It gives crisp stitch definition and holds a blocked shape well. Avoid fuzzy or acrylic blends, which won’t stiffen cleanly.
- Cream: 50 g (about 137 m / 150 yd). This covers 6 motifs, the ring cover, the border, the strand cords and the hanger cords.
- Burgundy: 25 g (about 69 m / 75 yd). This covers 4 motifs.
All quantities include a margin of about 25% for swatching and ripping back.
Tools:
– 2.25 mm (B-1) crochet hook
– 6 in (15.2 cm) metal or wooden macramé ring
– 30 beads, 8 mm, wooden or pearl, with holes at least 2 mm wide (26 needed + 4 spares)
– Tapestry needle with a large eye, plus a fine beading needle if your bead holes are tight
– 4 locking stitch markers
– Rust-proof pins, blocking board and a 4 in (10.2 cm) circle template
– Fabric stiffener or spray starch
– Scissors and a tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sk – skip
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special stitches:
– Shell: (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same space.
– Fan: (3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc) in the same space.
– Picot-3: ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
– Picot-4: ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook.
– Point: (sc, hdc, 2 dc, tr, picot-4, tr, 2 dc, hdc, sc) in the same space.
– Valley: (sc, picot-3, sc) in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one complete motif first and check it before making the other nine. Measure flat and unstretched at each stage:
- After Round 1: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across
- After Round 3: 2 in (5.1 cm) across
- After Round 4: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across, measured fan tip to opposite fan tip
- After Round 5, unblocked: about 3.75 in (9.5 cm) point to point
- After blocking: 4 in (10.2 cm) point to point
Border gauge: the ring cover is worked at 6.4 sc per in (2.5 sc per cm) around a ring circumference of about 18.8 in (47.8 cm). That gives 120 sc.
If Round 3 measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) or more, go down to a 2.0 mm hook. If it measures 1.75 in (4.4 cm) or less, go up to a 2.5 mm hook. Any motif within 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of the target will block to size.
Snowflake Motif (Make 10)
Round 1 (center circle): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 17 dc in the ring and sl st to the top of the ch-3. Pull the ring fully closed. [18 dc]
Round 2 (spokes): Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 5, sk 2 dc. Sc in the next dc, ch 5, sk 2 dc. Repeat from * 4 more times. Sl st to the first sc. [6 sc, 6 ch-5 sps]
Check: 6 sc + 12 skipped dc = 18 stitches, which matches Round 1.
Round 3 (shells): Sl st into the first ch-5 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same sp. Shell in the next ch-5 sp. Repeat from * 4 more times. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. [6 shells: 36 dc, 6 ch-2 sps]
The shells sit side by side, touching above each Round 2 sc.
Round 4 (open fans): Sl st in the next 2 dc and into the ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work (2 dc, ch 5, 3 dc) in the same sp. Ch 3, then sc in the gap between this shell and the next. Ch 3, fan in the next ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in the gap between shells. Repeat from * 4 more times. Ch 3 and sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. [6 fans: 36 dc, 6 ch-5 tip sps, 6 sc, 12 ch-3 side sps]
Round 5 (star points): Sl st in the next 2 dc and into the ch-5 tip sp, then ch 1. Work a Point in the tip sp. Ch 4, sk the ch-3 side sp, work a Valley in the Round 4 sc. Ch 4, sk the next ch-3 side sp. Repeat from * 5 more times. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
[6 points (12 sc, 12 hdc, 24 dc, 12 tr, 6 picot-4) + 6 valleys (12 sc, 6 picot-3) + 12 ch-4 sps]
Weave in the ends securely by splitting the thread plies. Trim close to the work.
Ring Cover
Round 1: Make a slip knot on the hook. Working over the ring, sc 120 around it, packing the sts snugly so no metal or wood shows. Sl st to the first sc. [120 sc]
Divide the round into 4 quarters of 30 sc. Place markers in sc 1, 31, 61 and 91. These are your anchor stitches for the strands and hanger cords.
If 120 sc leaves gaps, work 144 sc instead (36 per quarter). The total must stay a multiple of 24 so each quarter divides evenly by 6.
Make All Pieces
- Cream motifs: 6
- Burgundy motifs: 4
- Covered ring: 1, in cream
Block all motifs now, following Final Blocking steps 1–4, before stringing.
Strand layout (top to bottom, clockwise around the ring):
STRAND 1 (anchor sc 1): CREAM BURGUNDY CREAM
STRAND 2 (anchor sc 31): BURGUNDY CREAM
STRAND 3 (anchor sc 61): CREAM BURGUNDY CREAM
STRAND 4 (anchor sc 91): BURGUNDY CREAM
That uses 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 6 cream and 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 burgundy, for 10 motifs total.
Joining
The motifs are joined with knotted beaded cords, not crochet seams. Use a single strand of cream thread for every cord.
Attachment points: each motif hangs from 2 opposite tip picots. Use the picot-4 of any point as the top, and the picot-4 three points away as the bottom. This keeps every star upright and symmetrical.
Cut lengths: each cut includes 6 in (15.2 cm) for knots.
– Lead cords: 8 in (20.3 cm) for 3-motif strands, 10 in (25.4 cm) for 2-motif strands
– Gap cords: 8 in (20.3 cm) each
– Tail cords: 6 in (15.2 cm) each
Strands 1 and 3 (3 motifs):
1. Tie the lead cord around the ring at the anchor sc with a double knot.
2. Thread 2 beads onto the cord.
3. Pass the cord through the top picot of motif 1 so the finished lead measures 2 in (5.1 cm). Knot it.
4. Tie a gap cord to the bottom picot. Thread 2 beads, then tie to the top picot of motif 2, leaving a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) gap.
5. Repeat step 4 for motif 3.
6. Tie a tail cord to the bottom picot of motif 3. Add 1 bead and knot below it so the tail is 1 in (2.5 cm) long.
Finished strand length: 2 + 4 + 1.5 + 4 + 1.5 + 4 + 1 = 18 in (45.7 cm). Beads used: 7.
Strands 2 and 4 (2 motifs): Use a 4 in (10.2 cm) lead with 3 beads, one 1.5 in (3.8 cm) gap with 2 beads, and a 1 in (2.5 cm) tail with 1 bead.
Finished strand length: 4 + 4 + 1.5 + 4 + 1 = 14.5 in (36.8 cm). Beads used: 6.
Total beads: 7 + 6 + 7 + 6 = 26.
Staggering: the longer lead on strands 2 and 4 drops their motifs between the motifs on strands 1 and 3. Adjacent strands sit only about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) apart on the ring, so this offset keeps the 4 in (10.2 cm) stars from tangling.
Hanger: cut 4 cords, each 14 in (35.6 cm). Tie one at each anchor sc. Gather all four 10 in (25.4 cm) above the ring and knot them together into a 1 in (2.5 cm) loop.
Tension: pull each cord straight but never stretched. Each motif should hang flat, facing forward. Seal knots with a dot of fabric stiffener and trim the ends to 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
Size checkpoint: hang the mobile and measure. Strands 1 and 3 should be 18 in (45.7 cm) and strands 2 and 4 should be 14.5 in (36.8 cm), each within 0.25 in (0.6 cm). The ring should hang level.
Border (Scalloped Ring Edging)
Work the border before stringing. It is worked into the 120 sc of the Ring Cover and hangs down from the outer edge. All counts are given per quarter (30 sc).
Border Round 1 (mesh): Join cream in any marked sc. Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), sk 2 sc. Dc in the next sc, ch 2, sk 2 sc. Repeat from * around. Sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5.
– Per quarter: 10 dc, 10 ch-2 sps
– Total: 40 dc, 40 ch-2 sps
Border Round 2 (scallops): Ch 1, sc in the same st. Sk the ch-2 sp, 5 dc in the next dc, sk the ch-2 sp, sc in the next dc. Repeat from * around, omitting the last sc. Sl st to the first sc.
– Per quarter: 5 scallops (25 dc, 5 sc)
– Total: 20 scallops (100 dc, 20 sc)
Border Round 3 (picot trim): Sc in the next 2 dc, (sc, picot-3) in the center dc, sc in the next 2 dc, sk the sc. Repeat from * around. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
– Per quarter: 25 sc, 5 picot-3
– Total: 100 sc, 20 picot-3
Why the math works: the mesh uses 3 sc per repeat, so 30 ÷ 3 = 10 mesh units per quarter. Each scallop uses 2 mesh units (6 foundation sc), so 30 ÷ 6 = 5 scallops per quarter. Round 3 places exactly 1 picot per scallop. Because every quarter repeats identically, the anchors at sc 1, 31, 61 and 91 always fall in the same spot of the repeat. The edging stays symmetrical between the strands.
Final Blocking
- Soak each motif in cool water for 10 minutes. Press out the water in a towel without wringing.
- Pin the center circle over the middle of your 4 in (10.2 cm) circle template. Pin all 6 picot-4 tips on the circle line, evenly spaced.
- Pin each valley picot-3 toward the center, so the star shape stays sharp. Open each ch-5 spoke and fan with a pin.
- Apply stiffener or starch and dry completely, at least 12 hours.
- Block the ring edging the same way: pin each scallop picot straight down while the ring lies flat on its side.
- After stringing, hang the mobile and lightly steam the cords from a distance so they straighten. Don’t touch the motifs with the iron.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] 10 motifs, each 4 in (10.2 cm) point to point
- [ ] 6 cream and 4 burgundy, placed per the layout
- [ ] Every Round 5 has 6 points and 6 valleys
- [ ] Ring cover has 120 sc, with no ring visible
- [ ] Border has 20 scallops and 20 picots, 5 per quarter
- [ ] Strands measure 18 / 14.5 / 18 / 14.5 in (45.7 / 36.8 / 45.7 / 36.8 cm)
- [ ] All knots sealed and ends trimmed
- [ ] Mobile hangs level, with motifs facing forward and not tangling
Troubleshooting
- Motif cups into a bowl: Round 3 is too tight. Go up a hook size or loosen your dc.
- Motif ruffles at the points: the tip spaces are overcrowded. Check that each Round 4 tip is ch 5, not ch 3.
- Star looks round, not pointed: re-block and pin the valleys inward more firmly.
- Center hole won’t close: you used a ch ring instead of a magic ring, or didn’t tighten the tail before weaving it in.
- Border flares: the ring sc are too loose. Rework the cover more snugly.
- Border pulls the ring out of shape: the mesh chains are too tight. Use ch 3 instead of ch 2 in Border Round 1.
- Mobile tilts: the hanger cords are unequal. Re-tie them so all four meet at exactly 10 in (25.4 cm).
- Strands twist together: check the lead lengths. The stagger depends on the 2 in vs 4 in (5.1 cm vs 10.2 cm) difference.
Care
Dust gently with a soft brush or a hairdryer on cool. If a motif goes limp, spot-wet it, re-pin it to the 4 in (10.2 cm) template and re-stiffen.
Final Notes
Here is the full measurement chain:
– Round 1 at 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
– Round 3 at 2 in (5.1 cm)
– Round 4 at 2.75 in (7.0 cm)
– Each motif blocked to 4 in (10.2 cm)
– 120 sc on a 6 in (15.2 cm) ring, split into 4 quarters of 30 sc
– 5 scallops per quarter in a 1.25 in (3.2 cm) border
– Strands of 18 in (45.7 cm) and 14.5 in (36.8 cm) on 10 in (25.4 cm) hanger cords
Check each stage and the finished mobile will hang balanced and symmetrical. Optionally, for a fuller look, add a fifth cream motif to the tails of strands 2 and 4.
Happy crocheting!