Snowflake Monday

Two years and two months ago, I promised I'd create a Gandalf the White Snowflake. It has taken more than 26 months to develop a suitable pattern!

This snowflake was inspired by recent real snowflake captured by Alexey Kljatov. Isn't it a beauty?

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: 8 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet hithlain, size 7 crochet spear, empty Hobbit house, mithril paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school limpe or desired stiffener, water, Arkenstone chips, small container for limpe/water mixture, paintbrush, sword pins that won't be used later for sewing or battling orcs, clear thread or fishing line

Gandalf the White Snowflake Instructions

Forge magic crochet ring. Don't engrave it with fire or anything fancy like that. Just crochet around it as follows. And never let Gollum get his hands on it!

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through 2nd ch of starting ch 2 and replace loop on hook, pull loop through ch (starting popcorn stitch made), ch 3, * 5 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc (popcorn stitch made), ch 3; repeat from * 4 times, omitting last ch 3 of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in top of starting popcorn st to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. Hide magic ring well. Pull it tight.

Round 2: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and ch 5), * 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 7.

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, * 1 dc in each of next 5 ch, 3 dc in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 4: Ch 11 (counts as 1 dc and ch 9), * sk next 7 dc, 1 dc in next dc (middle dc of next 3/dc group), ch 9; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 11.

Round 5: Ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, * ch 2, sk next 4 ch, popcorn st in next ch, ch 3, popcorn st in same ch, ch 2, 1 dc in next dc, [ch 3, 1 dc in same dc] 2 times; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 2, sk next 4 ch, popcorn st in next ch, ch 3, popcorn st in same ch, ch 2, 1 dc in same ch as starting dc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 6.

Round 6: Ch 8 (counts as 1 dc and ch 6), * sk next ch 3 sp and next ch 2 sp, popcorn st in next ch 3 sp (between next 2 popcorn st), ch 3, popcorn st in same sp, ch 6, sk next ch 2 sp and next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 8.
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 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, * ch 6, sk next ch 6 sp, popcorn st in next ch 3 3 sp (between next 2 popcorn st), ch 3, popcorn st in same sp, ch 6, sk next ch 6 sp, 1 dc in next dc, [ch 3, 1 dc in same dc] 2 times; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 6, sk next ch 6 sp, popcorn st in next ch 3 3 sp (between next 2 popcorn st), ch 3, popcorn st in same sp, ch 6, sk next ch 6 sp, 1 dc in next dc; ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 6.

Round 8: Ch 13 (counts as 1 dc and ch 11), * sk next ch 3 sp and ch 6 sp, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp between next 2 popcorn st, ch 11, sk next ch 6 sp and next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next dc (middle dc of 3/dc lacy heart), ch 11; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc and last ch 11 of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 13.

Round 9: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, * 1 dc in each of next 11 ch, ch 2, sl st in next sc, ch 2, 1 dc in each of next 11 ch, 3 dc in next dc, ch 4, 12 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, working back down spoke ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in 4th ch of 2nd ch 4 (below 1st 1/dc picot), ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in 4th ch of 1st ch 4 (below 1st 2/dc picot), 3 dc in same dc in main body of flake; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape mithril to top of empty Hobbit house. Attach snowflake to Hobbit house on top of mithril with swords.

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


Last time I made the entire set of Fellowship of the Magic Crochet Ring Snowflakes, they were for my snowflake lamp, so I designed them with solid centers to make gluing them to the lamp easier. I fashioned today's set with the same popcorn center from the Gandalf the White Snowflake, and they look just fine! The only adjustment I made was ch 4 instead of ch 3 on the second round of each Fellowship snowflake.

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