Crochet Snowflake Naxos

Christmas is just around the corner and a lovely way to get into the festive spirit is to crochet your own snowflake ornaments, perfect not only as unique decorations but also as gifts for friends and family.
I used cotton thread size 10 and a 2 mm crochet hook  to make this Snowflake Naxos and its size is 10,5 cm (about 4 inches) in diameter. You can use heavier thread and bigger hook, or thinner thread and smaller hook and you will have a bigger or a smaller motif.
You will also need a needle to weave in loose ends and a pair of scissors.
In order to stiffen the snowflakes, you will need white pva glue or your favorite starch, stainless steel pins or toothpicks, plastic wrap and some kind of foam/blocking board.

Instructions
Make a magic ring.

• Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the ring, ch 2, (2 dc, ch 2) 5 times, pull the thread end to tighten the ring and join with sl st in 3rd ch of first ch3.
• Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next dc, * dc in ch-2 sp, ch 3, dc in same sp **, dc in each of next 2 dc; repeat from * 5 times and from * to ** once more, join with sl st in 3rd ch of first ch3.
• Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, * dc in ch-3 sp, ch 4, dc in same sp **, dc in each of next 4 dc; repeat from * 5 times and from * to ** once more, dc in last dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch of first ch3.
• Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each of next 3 dc, * dc in ch-4 sp, ch 5, dc in same sp **, dc in each of next 6 dc; repeat from * 5 times and from * to ** once more, 1 dc in each of last 2 dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch of first ch3.
• Round 5: * Ch 8, sl st in next dc, ch 5, skip 2 dc, sl st in next dc, ch 5, in ch-5 sp work (sc, ch 10, sc), ch 5, sl st in next dc, ch 5, skip 2 dc, sl st in next dc; repeat from * 6 times.

Fasten off and weave in loose ends.

If you want to make every round with a different color as you can see in the photo above, I recommend my favorite technique. You will finish the last slip stitch of each round grabbing the color of the next round. You might have to tug gently on the yarn end of the first color to keep the loops from getting too big. After you have finished, weave in the loose ends.

Stiffening
You will need white pva glue or your favorite starch, stainless steel pins or toothpicks, plastic wrap and some kind of foam/blocking board.
Print out this blocking template. It will help you make your snowflakes symmetrical. Tape it on your blocking board and then cover it with plastic wrap.
Prepare a mix of equal amounts of white craft glue and water or use your preferred stiffening solution.
Soak the snowflake in the solution, squeeze out the excess and spread out the snowflake on the plastic wrap-covered pinning board, having right side facing up. Use stainless steel pins and start by pinning the center. Work your way out pinning as you go until you reach the desired look. While it is still wet, you can sprinkle glitter and make it sparkly. Let dry completely. Remove from the board.
To hang the snowflake, attach a piece of thread, yarn, ribbon, invisible thread or wire.

The stiffening solution will permanently damage your pins, so it’s best to set the used ones aside for use in future starching projects.