....I'm still hooking up snowflakes in all colours for my Christmas stocking and just in case you were planning some last minute Christmas crochet, here is the pattern.
Yellow snowflake in foreground:
Round 1: slip ring, 2ch (counts as 1 htr) into ring, 11htr into ring, ss into top of 2ch, pull ring tight to close.
Round 2: 1ch *2dc into back loop only of next st, 1dc into blo of following st*, repeat from *to* finish with ss into 1ch (19sts)
Round 3: 3ch (counts as 1dc, 2ch), skip 1st, *1dc, 2ch, sk 1st*, rep from *to* finish with ss into 2ch (29sts)
Round 4: 1ch, *2dc into next 2ch space from prev rd, 1dc into next 2ch sp, 14ch (to form one spike of snowflake), sk 1ch nearest hook and ss into each of next 13ch, finish with 1dc into same ch sp*, repeat from *to* alternating 10ch for the next spike and 14ch for the following, finish with ss into 1ch.
Round 5: 1ch, ss into each st from prev rd on each of the 6 sides in between the spikes.
On the 14ch spikes, work 2ss, 5ch 4ss back along chain, 3ss, 4ch 3ss back along ch, 2ss, 3ch 2ss back along ch, 8ss up and over top of spike before repeating pattern back down opposite side of spike i.e. 3ch 2ss, 2ss, 4ch 3ss, 3ss, 5ch 4ss, 2ss.
On the 10ch spikes work the same length ‘branches’, i.e. 5ch, 4ch and 3ch but separate them with 1ss, 2ss, 1ss. Finish with ss into 1ch. Cut yarn and weave in.
Pink snowflake in background:
Round 1: slip ring, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 15tr into ring, ss into top of 3ch, pull ring tight to close.
Round 2: 2ch *1dc into next 3sts, 2ch*, rep from *to* four more times, ss into top of 2ch.
Round 3: 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into same 2ch sp *6ch, 2tr into 2ch corner sp* rep from *to* four more times, ss into top of 3ch.
Round 4: 1dc into next tr, 6dc into ch sp *1dc into next 2tr from prev rd, 6dc into ch sp*, rep from *to* finish with 1dc into last st.
Round 5: ss into top of next 7sts (blo), 10ch (to form first ‘spike’), ss back down 9ch, ss into next 7sts, 15ch (to form next ‘spike’), 14ss back down, continue round with 7ss followed by a 12ch, 15ch and 13ch spike (each separated by 7ss).
Round 6: ss into next 4sts, 4ch (to form picot), ss into next st, ss into following 2sts (repeat this sequence for each ‘side’ of your snowflake, in between the ‘spikes’). For each spike work the ‘branches’ as in the previous pattern, but make the first one 7ch, second one 4ch (only 2 this time), 4ss up the side of your spike before the first branch and a further 3ss before the second branch, then ss up and over the top of each branch before mirroring your pattern on the opposite side.
I used a fine crochet cotton (no.8) and a 1.25mm hook, but I've since made some using left over lace weight yarn and a 2.25mm hook, same pattern. Once you've mastered the technique of making 'spikes' and 'branches', just make up your snowflakes as you go along, that way no two will ever be the same, which is how snowflakes should be!
The stocking is nearing completion and hopefully I'll be able to 'reveal' the finished article before the 24th! xxx
Beautiful blog! I love it! ;)
Posted by: Jenn V | December 17, 2012 at 02:14 AM
Thank you Sara, that's great will have to buy some new yarn colours and start practicing, your photos above look really festive, look forward to seeing your stocking.
Rachel xxx
Posted by: Rachel | December 17, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Thank you Jenn, I'm loving yours too - it's great to find wonderful crafty people on the other side of the world!
Rachel, let me know how you get on - it's a bit of a 'lazy' pattern (sorry written with a very stuffy head cold!), it explains itself and then leaves you to do the hard work! If anything is unclear let me know and after a dose of lemsip I'll see if I can decipher my scribbles!!! xxx
Posted by: Sara Sinaguglia | December 18, 2012 at 11:16 AM