Crochet Snowflake Paros

Crochet unique Christmas ornaments for yourself or for gifts and decorate your home this holiday season. With this free pattern you will create big and beautiful snowflakes.
The size depends on the thread and hook you are going to use to crochet this motif. The size of the snowflake in the photo is 13 cm (about 5 inches) in diameter. I crocheted it with cotton thread size 10 and crochet hook size 1,75 mm.
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 1, 12 sc in the ring, pull the thread end to tighten the ring, join with sl st in first sc.
• Round 2: Ch 8, dc in next sc, (ch 5, dc in next sc) 10 times, ch 2, dc in 3rd ch of first ch8 (counts as last ch-5 sp of the round).
• Round 3: Ch 8, dc in next ch-5 sp, (ch 5, dc in next sp) 10 times, ch 2, dc in 3rd ch of first ch8 (counts as last sp of the round).
• Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), in same sp work (dc, 2 hdc), sc in dc, * in next ch-5 sp work (2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr, 1 dtr), 1 trtr in dc **, in next ch-5 sp work (1 dtr, 2 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc), sc in dc; repeat from * 5 times and from * to ** once more, in last ch-5 sp work 1 dtr and 2 tr, join with sl st in 3rd ch of first ch3.
• Round 5: * Ch 8, sl st in 4th stitch of next petal, ch 6, tr in trtr, ch 6, tr in same trtr, ch 6, sl st in 4th st; repeat from * around.
• Round 6: Sl st in first 4 chains, ch 1, * sc in ch-8 sp, ch 6, in 2nd ch-6 sp work (2 dc, 2 tr, 1 dtr, ch 6, 1 dtr, 2 tr, 2 dc), ch 6; repeat from * around, join with sl st in first sc.

Fasten off and weave in 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.