Emma Snowflake

Emma Snowflake Knitted Decoration by Elizabeth Ravenwood

Project Overview

Emma Snowflake is a beginner-friendly knitted decoration design created by independent designer Elizabeth Ravenwood. This downloadable PDF pattern provides instructions for crafting delicate snowflake ornaments suitable for holiday decorating and seasonal embellishment.

What Is Being Made

The Emma Snowflake pattern produces decorative snowflake ornaments through knitting. The design is offered in three distinct variations, allowing crafters to choose based on available materials and desired finished appearance. Each version creates a small, intricate snowflake suitable for hanging as a decoration.

Yarn and Material Options

The pattern accommodates multiple yarn weights and fiber types, providing flexibility for different crafting preferences:

• Crochet Cotton Version: Uses 20 yards of #10 crochet cotton thread (sample created in J&P Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, color 0001P White/Pearl) with size 1 double-pointed needles for a delicate, fine-gauge snowflake
• Fingering Weight Version: Requires 20 yards of fingering weight yarn with size 3 double-pointed needles (sample created in handspun wool blended with Angelina, though any sock yarn works as a substitute)
• Worsted Weight Version: Calls for 25 yards of worsted weight yarn with size 5 double-pointed needles (sample created in Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton for a sturdier finished ornament)

All versions require a tapestry needle for finishing.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

Emma Snowflake employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginners while creating visually striking results. The pattern utilizes double-pointed needles in the round, a classic method for constructing small circular or symmetrical projects like snowflakes and ornaments.

Core Stitches and Abbreviations Used:

• K (Knit): The basic knit stitch forming the foundation of the fabric
• P (Purl): The reverse of the knit stitch, used for textural variation
• K and P in Stitch: An increase technique that creates additional stitches by working both a knit and purl into a single stitch
• YO (Yarn Over): A decorative increase that creates intentional eyelets and lacy openings characteristic of snowflake patterns
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit): A left-leaning decrease created by slipping two stitches individually as if to knit, then inserting the left needle through both slipped stitches and knitting them together
• K2TOG (Knit Two Together): A right-leaning decrease that reduces stitch count by working two stitches as one
• S2KP2O (Slip Two, Knit, Pass Slipped Stitches Over): A centered double decrease used for shaping and creating symmetrical snowflake points

The combination of yarn overs with strategic decreases creates the characteristic lacy, geometric snowflake appearance. The use of double-pointed needles allows for seamless knitting in the round, producing a finished ornament without seams.

Difficulty Level

Rated as beginner-friendly, Emma Snowflake introduces knitters to essential techniques including working in the round with double-pointed needles, basic increases and decreases, and yarn over construction. The small scale and straightforward stitch combinations make this an excellent project for developing fundamental knitting skills while producing an attractive, wearable decoration.