Bellflake Monday

Did you think you weren’t going to get a snowflake pattern today?

I spent much of the weekend finishing up my annual service project. Making movies and burning CDs took up so much space on my hard drive, I couldn’t download this week’s snowflake pictures! I didn't have room for any more photos on my laptop. So I’m tardy in publishing today's pattern, but there will be times like this when I can’t get the snowflake pattern posted in the wee hours of Monday morning. I promise, though, I'll always try to get a new flake up each Monday.

I’ve been wanting to convert a snowflake into a Christmas bell for several weeks now, and I’ve been searching for something I could use to shape the bell during stiffening process. I finally settled for a small water balloon because nothing else in the house fit the shape I could see in my head.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 4.5 inches tall
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, small water balloon, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, 6 to 8 inches of .25 inch or .5 inch ribbon, jingle bell, small balloon, variety of beads, if desired

Bellflake Instructions

Make magic ring, either way leaving long tail you will use at end of project to attach jingle bell. (This pattern works better with magic ring.)

Round 1: If using ch start instead of magic ring, 12 dc into 1st ch. If using magic ring, ch 2 (does not count as dc); 12 dc in ring, sl st in starting dc. Pull magic circle tight.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same dc, * sk 1 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same dc; repeat from * around 4 times, 2 dc in same dc as starting ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 (counts as ch 2, and you will be crocheting around the dc post in next round).

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1dc around post of final dc of Round 2, ch 2, sk 2 dc, 1 sc in sp between next 2 2dc groups, *ch 2, sk next 2 dc, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 2, sk next 2 dc, 1 sc in sp between next 2 2dc groups; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 2, sk next 2 dc, 2 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 1 dc; 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.


Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1dc around post of final dc of Round 3, ch 2, 1 dc in next sc, *ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in next sc; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 2, 2 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 1 dc; 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 5: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1dc around post of final dc of Round 4, ch 2, sk next ch 2 sp, 1 dc around post of next dc, *ch 2, sk next ch 2 sp, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 2, sk next ch 2 sp, 1 dc around post of next dc; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 2, 2 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 1 dc; 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 6: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2dc around post of final dc of Round 5, ch 3, sk next ch 2 sp, 1 sc around post of next dc, *ch 3, sk next ch 2 sp, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 3, sk next ch 2 sp, 1 sc around post of next dc; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 7: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 6, *1 dc in next dc (or starting ch 3 that counts as dc), 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch 2 sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc; 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 (counts as ch 3, and you will continue Round 8 crocheting around dc post just made).

Round 8: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 7, *ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3; 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.


Round 9: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 8, *1 dc in next dc (or starting ch 3 that counts as dc), 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in middle of next 4 sc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times, 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in middle of next 4 sc, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc; 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 10: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 9, *ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, sk next 3 sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, sk next 3 sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3; 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 11: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 10, *1 dc in next dc (or starting ch 3 that counts as dc), 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 4 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in middle of next 4 sc, 4 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, [ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, sl st in top of dc, ch 7, sl st in same dc, ch 5, st st in same dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook] (3-tip picot made), working into main body of bell again 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times, 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 4 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in middle of next 4 sc, 4 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc; 3 dc in same sp as starting ch 3 and 2 dc; repeat [ ] 1 time; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in finishing end only. Pull starting tail through top of bell to outside.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Blow up water balloon to snuggly fit inside bell. Pin bell to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap with balloon inside bell. Secure as necessary.

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Add a bit of glitter and stir. Paint bell with glue mixture, taking care not to stiffen tail that jingle bell will hang on when finished. (I stiffened the end of the tail to make it easier to string beads.) Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow bell to dry at least 24 hours. (I removed the bell from the pizza box before it was completely dry so I could shape the petals with more gentle curves than I could form on the box.) Remove pins. Gently peel bell from wax paper or plastic wrap. Pop the balloon. You shouldn’t have to peel too much rubber from the inside of the bell; the popping does most of the work for you.


Gently pull tail back through top center of bell to inside. String beads onto tail if desired. Tie a jingle bell to string so jingle bell hangs right in the middle of bottom of bell, bottom of jingle bell showing, not entirely below bell, and not hiding inside bell.

Tie ribbon in bow, leaving large loop. Attach either bow or top of loop to bell, according to personal preference, whether you like the bow on the bell or on top of the loop. If you sew ribbon loop onto bell, bell is now ready to hang. If you glue ribbon loop to bell, allow to dry thoroughly before hanging.

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