The Frost Crystal Snowflake is a single 8-pointed star motif. Clear faceted beads are crocheted straight into the stitches so they catch the light like ice. The body is soft powder blue, and a silver metallic border gives it a crisp, frosty edge.
The palette stays cool and simple: light blue cotton, silver-gray metallic yarn and clear beads. Lacy arched petals around the center make an inner star. Solid outer points then form the larger star, and each point holds its own bead window.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished motif is about 6.25 in (15.9 cm) from tip to tip, including the tip beads.
You work the motif in the round from the center outward, in 6 rounds. Rounds 1–5 are in blue, and Round 6 is the silver beaded picot border. Before the border, you add a silver surface slip-stitch outline around the inner petals. All beads are pre-strung, so you never need a needle mid-round.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6.25 in (15.9 cm) tip to tip
- Skill level: Intermediate (bead stitches, lace rounds)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport (#2) cotton, plus fine metallic for the border
- Hook: 3.25 mm (US D-3)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: One single motif, no joining
- Piece size: 6.25 in (15.9 cm) tip to tip
- Size before border: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tip to tip after Round 5
- Border depth: about 0.375 in (1.0 cm) on each side
Materials
Yarn: For the blue, use a smooth mercerized sport-weight cotton. It shows each stitch clearly and blocks into sharp points. For the silver, choose a fine metallic yarn or metallic crochet thread that sits close to sport weight. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because fuzz hides the beads.
- Color A, light powder blue: 12 g, about 38 m
- Color B, silver-gray metallic: 4 g, about 18 m
Both amounts include extra for your gauge test and weaving in ends.
Beads (clear, faceted, large-hole, with holes of at least 2 mm):
- 8 × 10 mm beads for the Round 2 petals
- 16 × 8 mm beads: 8 for the Round 4 point windows and 8 for the Round 6 tips
- 16 × 6 mm beads for the Round 6 flank picots
Tools:
- 3.25 mm (US D-3) crochet hook
- Big-eye beading needle or dental-floss threader, for stringing
- Tapestry needle
- 2 stitch markers
- Scissors
- Blocking mat, rust-proof pins and a spray bottle
- Optional: light fabric stiffener
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sp: space
- rep: repeat
- Rnd: round
Special stitches
- Bch (bead chain): Slide 1 bead up snug against the hook, yarn over and pull through the loop. This locks the bead into the chain. A Bch counts as 1 chain.
- Picot: Ch 3, then sl st in the front loop and left vertical bar of the last sc made.
- Bpicot (bead picot): Ch 1, Bch, ch 1, then sl st in the front loop and left vertical bar of the last sc made.
Pre-stringing: The last bead you string is the first one you use.
- Color A: String 8 × 8 mm beads first (for Rnd 4), then 8 × 10 mm beads (for Rnd 2).
- Color B: String the sequence 6 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 8 times in a row (24 beads). The first bead you use will be an 8 mm tip bead.
Push the beads well down the yarn. Bring one up only when a Bch calls for it.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Swatch gauge: 20 dc and 10 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in Color A with a 3.25 mm hook.
Because this is a single motif, use Rounds 1–3 as your test. Lay the work flat, before blocking, and measure at each checkpoint:
- After Rnd 1: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across, with a center hole of about 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
- After Rnd 2: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across the bead ring
- After Rnd 3: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) from petal tip to petal tip
- After Rnd 4: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) from tip to tip
- After Rnd 5: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) from tip to tip
- After Rnd 6: 6.25 in (15.9 cm) from tip to tip, including beads
If it’s too big (Rnd 3 over 3.75 in / 9.5 cm), switch to a 3.0 mm hook.
If it’s too small (Rnd 3 under 3.25 in / 8.3 cm), switch to a 3.5 mm hook.
If the motif cups, your chains are too tight, so loosen them slightly. If it ruffles, your dc are too tall, so snug up your yarn-overs.
Snowflake Motif
Center and Petals (Color A)
Foundation: Ch 8, then sl st in the first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 23 dc in the ring, then sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (24 dc)
Don’t pull the ring closed. The open center is part of the design.
Rnd 2 (bead ring): Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 2, Bch, ch 2, skip 2 dc, sc in the next dc; rep from * 6 more times, then ch 2, Bch, ch 2, skip 2 dc and sl st to the first sc. (8 sc and 8 beaded loops; each loop is 5 ch, including the Bch)*
Check: 8 repeats × 3 dc = 24 dc. Each 10 mm bead sits at the top of its loop.
Rnd 3 (arched petals): Ch 1, sc in the same sc, (3 dc, ch 4, 3 dc) in the next beaded loop, sc in the next sc; rep from * around. On the last repeat, skip the final sc and sl st to the first sc instead. (8 sc, 48 dc, 8 ch-4 sps)*
To frame each bead, work the first 3 dc into the loop on the right side of the bead and the last 3 dc on the left side. The ch-4 then arches over the bead like a window. These 8 petals form the inner star.
Outer Star Points (Color A)
Rnd 4: Sl st in the next 3 dc and in the ch-4 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then in the same sp work 2 dc, ch 2, Bch, ch 2, 3 dc. Ch 3, tr in the next sc, ch 3, (3 dc, ch 2, Bch, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next ch-4 sp; rep from * 6 more times. Ch 3, tr in the next sc, ch 3, then sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. (48 dc, 8 tr, 16 ch-3 sps, 8 beaded tip loops)*
Each 8 mm bead now sits at the outer end of a point.
Rnd 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the next 2 dc. (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the beaded tip loop, with 2 dc on each side of the bead. Dc in the next 3 dc, 3 hdc in the ch-3 sp, sc in the tr, 3 hdc in the next ch-3 sp, dc in the next 3 dc; rep from * 6 more times, then work from * to ** once. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3 and fasten off. (80 dc, 48 hdc, 8 sc and 8 ch-3 tip sps = 136 sts)*
Each point has 10 dc + 6 hdc + 1 sc = 17 sts. From a tip sp there are 8 sts down to the valley (2 dc, 3 dc, 3 hdc), then the valley sc, then 8 sts back up to the next tip. Stepping down from hdc to sc makes a sharp valley, and the bead sits in a small window just below each tip.
Silver Petal Outline (Color B)
Use a separate 2 m length of Color B with no beads on it, not the pre-strung strand.
Hold the yarn behind the work. Surface sl st along the outer edge of each Rnd 3 petal, going through the fabric just outside the petal stitches. Work 3 sl st up one side, 2 around the ch-4 tip, 3 down the other side and 1 at the valley sc. (9 per petal, 72 total)
Keep these stitches loose so the motif stays flat. Fasten off and weave in the ends on the back.
Border (Color B, Beaded)
Border gauge: Work 1 sc into each Rnd 5 stitch. Sc are shorter than dc and hdc, but one per stitch keeps the flanks flat without crowding.
Rnd 6: Join the pre-strung Color B with a sc in any tip ch-3 sp. Then work:
- Tip: Ch 2, Bch (8 mm bead), ch 2, sc in the same tip sp.
- Down flank: Sc in the next 2 sts, picot, sc in the next 2 sts, Bpicot (6 mm bead), sc in the next 2 sts, picot, sc in the next 2 sts.
- Valley: Sl st in the valley sc.
- Up flank: Sc in the next 2 sts, picot, sc in the next 2 sts, Bpicot (6 mm bead), sc in the next 2 sts, picot, sc in the next 2 sts.
- Next tip: (Sc, ch 2, Bch, ch 2, sc) in the tip ch-3 sp.
Repeat steps 2–5 around. On the last repeat, finish the up flank, then sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
Counts per point: 18 sc (2 at the tip + 16 on the flanks), 1 valley sl st, 4 picots, 2 Bpicots and 1 beaded tip loop.
Round totals: 144 sc, 8 sl st, 32 picots, 16 Bpicots and 8 beaded tip loops.
Why the math works: Each point uses 16 flank stitches and 1 valley stitch from Rnd 5. Over 8 points, that is 8 × 17 = 136 stitches, which is exactly the Rnd 5 total, plus the 8 tip spaces. The 2 sc and beaded loop at each tip turn the sharp corner without bunching. The single sl st in each valley keeps the inner angles crisp. You use 8 tip beads + 16 flank beads = 24 beads, which matches the Color B strand.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends on the back, splitting the plies so they hold.
- Spray the motif until it is damp but not dripping.
- Lay it face up on the mat. Pin the center circle so it is round and about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
- Pin all 8 tips to an even 6.25 in (15.9 cm) diameter. Pin opposite tips first, then the rest.
- Pin each valley so all the angles match. Open each Rnd 3 petal arch so its bead shows.
- Pin the picots so they point away from the center.
- If you’re using stiffener, brush it on lightly now and keep it out of the bead holes.
- Let the motif dry completely before you unpin it, usually 8–12 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 8 star points, all the same length
- 6.25 in (15.9 cm) from tip to tip
- Center hole open, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
- 40 beads in total: 8 in the petal ring, 8 in the point windows, 8 at the tips and 16 on the flanks
- Every bead on the front of the work
- Silver outline smooth, with no puckers
- Each flank reads picot, bead picot, picot
- Motif lies flat, with no cupping or ruffling
- All ends secure and hidden from the front
Troubleshooting
A bead is on the back. Push it through to the front with your fingertip before you make the next stitch.
You ran out of beads mid-round. The strand was miscounted. Cut the yarn, string the correct number of beads and rejoin with a sl st.
A bead is buried in the stitches. You worked over the bead. Instead, place half the stitches on each side of it, as in Rnds 3 and 5.
The points are blunt. Make sure each tip has its ch-3 in Rnd 5, and pin the tips firmly when blocking.
The valleys are shallow. In Rnd 6, use a sl st at each valley, not a sc.
The border ruffles. The picots are too loose. Tighten them, or work the border with a hook 0.25 mm smaller.
The outline puckers. The surface sl sts are too tight. Work them again with a larger hook.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel and pin flat to dry. Don’t machine wash, and don’t iron over the beads or metallic yarn.
Final Notes
Check your size at each stage:
- 24-dc center: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- Bead ring: 2.25 in (5.7 cm)
- Petals: 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
- Points: 4.5 in (11.4 cm), then 5.5 in (14.0 cm)
- Silver border: 6.25 in (15.9 cm)
If every checkpoint matches, the counts follow: the 136 stitches of Rnd 5 carry straight into Rnd 6, and every bead is used. If you want to hang the snowflake, add a short silver chain loop at one tip after blocking.
Happy crocheting!