Picotee Monday

Every once in a while, I design a snowflake that knocks my socks off and bumps one of my longtime favorites from my own personal top ten list. Today's pattern is another of those.


The flower petals are not similar to anything growing in my garden, so while doing some research to find a name for this beauty, I discovered a specific variety of blue morning glories in which I may have to invest, thanks to the gorgeous blue petals. My grandmother grew morning glories, and I remember them being quite prolific (continually growing in places she did not want them) and taking over portions of her vegetable garden. So I've never been too in love with morning glories.

The picotee morning glory may just have to find a spot in my yard, and I may have some extra weeding to do once I make this commitment! I may have trouble walking away!

The curious thing was the flowers didn't resemble my grandmother's morning glories at all. (Not Your Grandmother's Morning Glories... sounds like a song or a movie, doesn't it?) I also wondered about that picotee part. What in the heck is that?!?

Turns out picotee comes from the French word picoté, which, of course, is all too familiar to any thread crochet fan. It means "points." Yes, we knew that! In flowers, it means the edge of the petal is a different color than the flower's base color. Kind of opposite of what I've worked out here (my flower's veins are a different color than the flower's base color), and yet, I do have picot points!


This is yet another in my series of motifs I hope to join together at some point to make something spectacular and eye-popping.

Other patterns in the series include:

Mother's Day Snowflake Motif
Sunflake III
Daisyflake

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


Finished Size: Flower 1.75 inches across; Snowflake 5.5 inches across from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in three colors, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line


Picotee Flower Instructions

With yellow or flower center color, make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; do not join. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around for a total of 12 sc; sl st in next sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

NOTE: The instructions are for my favorite version of the prototypes. The first couple had 12/dc centers. The next test flowers had two rounds of sc as in these instructions, but did not include drop stitches. The first versions with drop stitches did not include a chain between sl st and petal. I'm overjoyed by how the eighth or ninth version turned out, so that's the instructions I wrote. Feel free to improvise to achieve the appearance of my early versions instead of what I've written here if desired.

Round 3: With dark purple or accent color, * 1 sc over Round 2 into any in any Round 1 sc (or next Round 1 sc in repeats) (drop stitch made), ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch (petal center made), ch 1; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 petal centers; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.
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 4: With lavender or main petal color, * 1 sc over ch 1 sp right of any petal (or next petal in repeats), 1 sc in bottom of next sc, 1 hdc in bottom of next sc, 3 dc in bottom of next sc, 2 dc in ch 1 tip, ch 2, sl st in top of dc just worked (picot made), 1 dc in same tip, 3 dc in top of next sc (same sc with 3 dc in opposite bottom), 1 hdc in top of next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc over next ch 1 sp; repeat from * around 5 times; st st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.


Picotee Snowflake Instructions

Work Rounds 1-4 as above.

Round 5: With white, * 1 sc in back loops (wrong side) of any drop stitch (or next drop st in repeats), ch 3; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in back loops (wrong side) of next drop stitch; ch 1 1 dc in starting sc.

Round 6: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, *ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.
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 7: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, 2 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp, * 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, 2 hdc in same sp; 2 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, 1 dc in gap between next 2 sc, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 2 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, 1 dc in gap between next 2 sc, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 9: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 3 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 3 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 2 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 4 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 2 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 11: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 3 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook (picot made), 5 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 3 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook (picot made), sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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