Let It Snow Pillow

MATERIALS:

• RED HEART® With Love®: 3 skeins 1623 Mallard A; 1 skein 1101 Eggshell B
• Susan Bates® Crochet Hook: 6.5 mm [US K-10½ for pillow; 9 mm [US N-13] for snowflake.
• Yarn needle,
• Stitch marker,
• Sewing needle
• Matching sewing thread, 18” (45.5 cm) x 18” (45.5 cm)
• Poly-filled pillow form insert

SIZE: Pillow Cover Measures 16” (40.5 cm) wide x 18” (45.5 cm) tall.

GAUGE/TENSION: With 2 strands of A held together as one and smaller hook, 10¾ sts and 11¾ rows = 4” (10 cm) in sc. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

DIRECTIONS:

Special Abbreviations
picot: Ch 3, slip st in 3rd ch from hook.

Special Technique
adjustable ring: Holding yarn a few inches from the end, wrap around two fingers. Insert hook into wrap, pull up a loop, ch 1, remove loop from fingers. Work stitches of first round into the ring. To tighten ring, pull gently but firmly on yarn tail.
 

NOTES
For smooth, firm finish, pillow cover is worked in the round with yarn held doubled in unjoined rounds. The width has a 2” (5 cm) negative ease. It measures 2” [5 cm] shorter than pillow form for a tight, firm fit.
Keep pillow insert handy to check for fit. Alter size of pillow cover by adding or subtracting beginning chains & rounds as desired.
Snowflake motif is worked separately in joined rounds with yarn held doubled and is sewn onto pillow top using matching sewing thread & sharp sewing needle for best results.
 

COVER
With smaller hook with 2 strands of A held together as one, ch 86 and without twisting ch, join with a slip st in first ch.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, do not join—86 sc. Work in a spiral. Place marker in first st and move marker up as work progresses.
Round 2-57: Sc in each st around. Fasten off, leaving a sewing length. Turn cover inside out and whip stitch 1 end closed. Turn right side out, insert pillow form and whip stitch end closed. Set aside.

Snowflake Motif
With B, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1 here and throughout), [dc, ch 1] 11 times in ring, join with a slip st in 3rd ch of beginning ch-4—12 ch-1 spaces.
Round 2: Slip st in next ch-1 space, ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 2 dc in next ch-1 space, *ch 2, dc in next ch-1 space, 2 dc in next ch-1 space; repeat from * 5 times, ch 2, join with a slip st in top of beginning ch-3—6 ch-2 spaces.
Round 3: Ch 3, dc in next st, *2 dc in next st, (dc, ch 3, dc) in next ch-2 space**, dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, join with a slip st in top of beginning ch-3—6 ch-3 spaces.
Round 4: Ch 4, [skip next st, dc in next st, ch 1] twice, *(dc, ch 3, dc) in ch-3 space**, [ch 1, skip next st, dc in next] 3 times; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, join with a slip st in top of beginning ch-3—6 ch-3 spaces; 24 ch-1 spaces.
Round 5: Ch 3, [dc in next ch-1 space, dc in next dc] 3 times, *dc in next ch-3 space, ch 7, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each of next 6 ch (spoke made), dc in same space in Round 4**, [dc in next dc, dc in next ch-1 space] 4 times, dc in dc; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, dc in next dc, dc in next ch-1 space, join with a slip st in top of beginning ch-3—6 spokes.
Round 6: Ch 3 (counts as hdc, ch 1), [skip next st, hdc in next st, picot, ch 1] 3 times, skip next st, *skip first ch of spoke, slip st in next ch, slip st in next 4 ch sts of spoke, [ch 4, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 2 ch, slip st in top middle of spoke] twice, working on opposite side of the spoke, slip st in each of next 4 sc**, [ch 1, skip next st, hdc in next st, picot, ch 1] 5 times, skip next st; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, ch 1, skip next st, hdc in next, picot, ch 1, skip next st, slip st to 2nd ch of beginning ch-3, picot, slip st in first ch-1 sp. Fasten off.
Weave in ends.
 

FINISHING
To shape snowflake, mist with water, flatten and pin out to shape. After motif is dry, center and pin to pillow. Using matching sewing thread and sewing needle, sew snowflake motif to pillow around edges.
 

ABBREVIATIONS
A, B = color A, B; ch = chain; dc = double crochet; hdc = half double crochet; sc = single crochet; st(s) = stitch(es); () = work directions in parentheses into same st; [ ] = work directions in brackets the number of times specified; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.

See this snowflake pattern along with others in 13 Crochet Snowflake Patterns!