This lacy little bell is a classic thread ornament. It has a solid cream dome, an airy diamond lattice, a band of rounded petal arches, and a bright gold scalloped hem with tiny picots. Hung on a tree, it catches the light like vintage lace.
The palette is simple: ivory or cream cotton thread for the body and metallic gold thread for the edge. The style is traditional and elegant. It suits a cream-and-gold tree, gift toppers, or a set of matching heirloom ornaments.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished bell is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide at the hem. With the hanging loop it measures 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
You make it in one piece, from the top down in joined rounds: a solid dome, four rounds of chain lattice, a petal round, a layered fan round, a solid hem, and two rounds of gold edging. Stiffening it over a form gives it its bell shape.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall × 3 in (7.6 cm) wide at the hem
- Height with loop: 4.25 in (10.8 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate (fine thread, chain-loop lace, layered round)
- Terminology: US
- Thread weight: Size 10 crochet cotton (Lace / 0)
- Hook: 1.75 mm steel hook
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: Single 3D bell worked in the round, top down
- Piece size before border: 2.4 in (6.1 cm) tall, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) hem width
- Border depth: 0.4 in (1.0 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth, mercerized size 10 cotton for the body. It shows stitch definition crisply and takes stiffener well. For the edging, choose a size 10 metallic thread, or a cotton/metallic blend of similar thickness, so the scallops stay the same scale as the body.
- Cream / ivory size 10 cotton: 8 g (about 32 m)
- Gold metallic size 10 thread: 2 g (about 8 m)
These quantities include a margin for gauge swatching and tails.
Tools:
- 1.75 mm steel crochet hook
- Fine tapestry needle
- Small scissors
- Stitch marker
- Fabric stiffener, or a starch/sugar-water solution
- A bell-shaped form about 3 in (7.6 cm) wide, such as a plastic bell, a small cup, or a cone of rolled card wrapped in plastic
- Rustproof pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- MR – magic ring
Special stitches:
- Petal: (sc, hdc, 5 dc, hdc, sc) all in the same ch-sp, for 9 sts.
- Fan: (sc, hdc, 7 dc, hdc, sc) all in the same ch-sp, for 11 sts.
- Picot: ch 3, sl st into the front loop and left leg of the stitch just made.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge matters because each lace section flares from the one above it. Work Rounds 1–3 as a test first.
Gauge: Rounds 1–3 measure 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across, laid flat.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 3: flat circle, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- After Round 6: the dome is 0.6 in (1.5 cm) tall and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide flat.
- After Round 10: the bell is 1.6 in (4.1 cm) tall.
- After Round 14: the bell is 2.4 in (6.1 cm) tall and the hem is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide flat.
- After Round 16: the bell is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide flat.
If your test circle is too big, go down to a 1.5 mm hook. If it’s too small, go up to a 2.0 mm hook. Because chain loops relax during stiffening, it’s fine to be within 0.125 in (0.3 cm) of the target.
Pattern
All rounds are joined with a sl st to the first stitch. Turning chains don’t count as stitches unless noted. Do not turn.
Dome (Cream)
Round 1: MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring. Join. (8 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (16 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * 8 times. Join. (24 sts)
Checkpoint: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (24 sts)
This even round makes the circle cup downward into a dome.
Round 5: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * 11 more times. Join to the top of ch-3. (36 sts)
That is 12 repeats of 3 sts.
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (36 sts)
Checkpoint: the dome is 0.6 in (1.5 cm) tall and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide flat. Rounds 4 and 6 give the solid, close-textured cap seen at the top of the bell.
Diamond Lattice (Cream)
Round 7: Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 4, sk 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 10 more times, ch 4, sk 2 sts. Join to the first sc. (12 ch-4 loops)
Each repeat uses 3 sts of Round 6, and 12 × 3 = 36.
Round 8: Sl st in each of the first 2 ch of the next loop, ch 1, sc in same loop, ch 5, sc in next loop; repeat from * 10 more times, ch 5. Join to the first sc. (12 ch-5 loops)
Round 9: Sl st in each of the first 2 ch of the next loop, ch 1, sc in same loop, ch 6, sc in next loop; repeat from * 10 more times, ch 6. Join. (12 ch-6 loops)
Round 10: Sl st in each of the first 3 ch of the next loop, ch 1, sc in same loop, ch 7, sc in next loop; repeat from * 10 more times, ch 7. Join. (12 ch-7 loops)
Each sc sits at the centre of the loop below, so the loops offset and form diamonds. The extra chain in each round creates the outward flare.
Checkpoint: the bell is 1.6 in (4.1 cm) tall.
Petal Arch Band (Cream)
Round 11: Sl st into the next ch-7 loop. Work 1 Petal in each ch-7 loop around. Join to the first sc. (12 petals, 108 sts)
That is 12 × 9 sts. These rounded petals form the front layer of arches.
Round 12: Ch 1. Fold the petals toward you and work behind them. Sc around the Round 10 sc that sits between the last and first petal, inserting the hook under both strands of that sc. Ch 8, sc around the next Round 10 sc between petals; repeat from * 10 more times, ch 8. Join to the first sc. (12 ch-8 loops)
Each ch-8 loop hangs behind one petal.
Fan Layer and Hem (Cream)
Round 13: Sl st into the next ch-8 loop. Work 1 Fan in each ch-8 loop around. Join. (12 fans, 132 sts)
That is 12 × 11 sts. The fans sit lower and wider than the petals, so the two layers create the overlapping circle-and-arch look of the band.
Round 14: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (132 sts)
Fasten off the cream and weave in the ends.
Checkpoint: the bell is 2.4 in (6.1 cm) tall and the hem is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide flat.
Border (Gold)
Border gauge: One shell-and-sc repeat uses 6 hem stitches and spans about 0.4 in (1.0 cm) along the hem when flattened. The border adds 0.4 in (1.0 cm) of depth.
Round 15: Join gold with a sl st in any sc of Round 14. Ch 1, sc in the same st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 20 more times, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts. Join to the first sc. (22 shells, 22 sc, 132 sts)
Round 16: Sl st in the first dc of the next shell. For each shell:
- sc in that dc, then sc in the next dc
- (sc, Picot) in the centre dc
- sc in each of the next 2 dc
- sk the sc between shells, and move to the first dc of the next shell
Repeat around and join. (22 scallops: 110 sc + 22 picots)
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Why the math works: Round 14 has 132 sts. Each border repeat (1 sc + 2 skipped + 1 shell base + 2 skipped) uses exactly 6 sts, and 132 ÷ 6 = 22 repeats with nothing left over. Round 15 contains 22 × 5 dc + 22 sc = 132 sts. Round 16 then works 5 sc into each 5-dc shell, so the count is 22 × 5 = 110 sc plus 22 picots. Because 132 is also 12 × 11, the gold scallops line up evenly, almost two per fan.
Hanging Loop
Join cream with a sl st through the centre of the magic ring at the top of the dome. Ch 20, then sl st back into the same spot. Fasten off, pass the tail to the inside, and weave it in.
The loop measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends before stiffening. Stiffener locks tails in place.
- Prepare the form. Cover a bell form about 3 in (7.6 cm) across in plastic wrap.
- Soak the bell in stiffener for 1 minute, then squeeze it gently. Don’t wring.
- Blot it in a towel until it’s damp, not dripping. This keeps the lattice from clogging with film.
- Slide the bell onto the form, centring the dome on top.
- Open the lattice. With a pin tip, pull every diamond open so the 12 columns hang straight and evenly spaced.
- Shape the arches. Pin each petal and fan into a smooth curve. Petals sit in front, fans just below and behind.
- Pin the gold edge. Place a pin at each of the 22 picots so the scallops flare evenly to 3 in (7.6 cm).
- Dry fully, 12–24 hours.
- Remove from the form and check that the height is 2.75 in (7.0 cm).
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] The dome is solid and smooth, with no holes at the centre.
- [ ] Every lattice round has 12 loops.
- [ ] There are 12 petals in front and 12 fans behind, evenly spaced.
- [ ] The hem has 132 sc, and the gold edge has 22 scallops and 22 picots.
- [ ] Height is 2.75 in (7.0 cm), and hem width is 3 in (7.6 cm).
- [ ] The hanging loop is centred and measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
- [ ] No tails show on the outside.
- [ ] The bell stands on its hem without collapsing.
Troubleshooting
- Dome is ruffled: Your tension is too loose in Rounds 1–3. Use a smaller hook for the dome only.
- Dome stays flat instead of cupping: Round 4 must have no increases. Recount it at 24 sts.
- Lattice twists in a spiral: Each sc must go into the centre of the loop below. Count the chains as you sl st across.
- Petals and fans merge: In Round 12, make sure you work around the Round 10 sc behind the petals, not into the petals themselves.
- Gold edge ruffles: You probably have too many hem stitches. Recount Round 14 at 132.
- Gold edge cups inward: Your dc in the shells are too tight. Loosen them, or use a hook 0.25 mm larger for the gold rounds.
- Bell sags after drying: Stiffen it again with a stronger solution and dry it on the form.
Care
Dust gently with a soft brush, and store the bell flat in tissue in a box so it keeps its shape. If it gets soiled, hand-wash it in cool water, then stiffen and block it again.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple to follow:
- The 0.75 in (1.9 cm) test circle sets your gauge.
- The dome reaches 0.6 in (1.5 cm) tall at Round 6.
- The lattice brings the bell to 1.6 in (4.1 cm).
- The petal-and-fan band and hem bring it to 2.4 in (6.1 cm) tall and 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide.
- The 0.4 in (1.0 cm) gold border finishes it at 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide.
Check each step and your bell will come out the same size every time. Make one for a gift tag, or a whole set for the tree.
Happy crocheting!