Crochet: Sparkle Snowflake Applique (Tutorial)

Oh, it's hard to imagine that in one weekend we clean up the Thanksgiving feast, pull down the Fall decorations and get ready for Christmas! I didn't really. What Fall stuff we have (not a lot) is still up. But I do have the December holidays on the brain. I'm excited! We gathered with my family last night and sat around my sister's Christmas tree. It was the first Advent Sunday and we'll get together each Sunday until Christmas for singing and eating sweets.

So it seemed like the right thing to whip up some snowflake t-shirts for the girls! I had figured out this snowflake pattern to make gift toppers and then thought they were begging to be on some apparel. The bits of tinsel in this yarn make it especially seasonal and perfect for young girls! Mine love a bit of sparkle!

They were very excited about these shirts, which is always a big payoff for me. I made Scarlett's last night and showed Audrey and she wanted to wear hers today! Luckily this little project is fast enough you could pull it together in the time in takes to eat breakfast, if you happen to have a t-shirt on hand as I did.

So we have a white snowflake for Audrey and a hot pink one for Scarlett, to match her hot pink skirt.

Scarlett's shirt was a size or so too big for her so I shortened the sleeves and the bodice by adding a bit of shirring with some elastic sewn to the wrong sides. I don't have a how-to for it but I'm sure they can be found--I just pulled the elastic while zigzagging to gather the fabric. It's a cute solution. Suits her too to have the extra little flourish.

The shirts did the trick: the girls are singing Christmas carols. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" includes actions:

If you are interested in the pattern and the tutorial for this snowflake click to read more.

SPARKLE SNOWFLAKE APPLIQUE TUTORIAL

You'll need:

• 1 skein Red Heart Shimmer yarn in a color of your choice (or another worsted weight or "Category 4" yarn)
• Size "I" crochet hook (though "J" or "H" would work fine--sizing isn't really an issue!)

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

sl st: slip stitch

sc: single crochet

dc: double crochet

Special stitch: Trefoil (chain 3, slip stitch, chain 5, slip stitch, chain 3, slip stitch all into the same stitch)

To make: Chain 4

Join with a slip stitch into the first chain...

...to form a loop.

Chain 2 (counts as first double crochet)

Double crochet into the loop (you now have 2 dc).

Double crochet into the loop ten more times (for a total of 12 dc).

Join with a slip stitch into the top of the beginning chain-2.

Chain 2 (counts as the first dc).

Double crochet into the same stitch (the joining stitch).

Chain 3.

*Skip the next double crochet. Make 3 double crochet into the next double crochet stitch. Chain 3.**

Repeat from * to ** 4 more times.

Skip the next dc and dc in the base of the initial ch-2.

Join with a slip stitch in the top of the initial ch-2. (You will have six sets of 3 dc and 6 ch-3 spaces)

Trefoil (chain 3...

...slip stitch...

...chain 5...

...slip stitch into the same stitch...

...chain 3 and slip stitch into the same stitch.)

Chain 2.

Double crochet into the same stitch (base of the ch-2, where the trefoil is also located).

Trefoil (chain 3... 

...slip stitch into the top of the last dc...

...like so...and finish trefoil with the ch5, sl st, ch 3, sl st).

(The finished trefoil looks like the photo above.)

Chain 2 and slip stitch into the base of the last double crochet. Trefoil at the base, working into the same hole as the first trefoil. (You will have a trefoil at the base, on the right, a set of ch-2 dc ch-2 with a trefoil in at the top in the center, and then a trefoil at the base on the left forming one "arm" of the snowflake.)

Work 2 single crochet into the ch-3 space.

Skip the next dc and slip stitch into the next dc. (You have worked your sl st in the middle stitch of the 3 dc stitches).

Now, *trefoil, chain 2. double crochet, trefoil, chain 2, sl st in base of dc, trefoil, 2 single crochet into the next ch-3 space, skip the next dc and slip stitch into the next dc** to form the next arm of the snowflake. 

   

Repeat four more times ending with the 2 sc in the last ch-3 space.

Slip stitch into the base of the first trefoil to join.

There is your snowflake! Now weave in the ends and you are ready to applique this to a t-shirt or something else, or use as a gift topper.

Make more than one. After you make the first one you'll find that the rest are easy!

To sew onto a t-shirt use a straight needle and sewing thread. Cut a good length of thread--maybe 24" inches or so to start. Thread your needle and knot both ends so you have doubled your thread for stitching. Position your snowflake where you would like it and holding it in place, push your needle through from the wrong side until you reach the knot. Now stitch being sure to secure the center and all of the "arms" of the snowflake. I try and stitch directly through the yarn and hide my thread by using small stitches on the right side and longer on the back side. You can see how this looks in the photo above of the wrong side of the shirt. Nothing too fancy or precise here!