Crochet Christmas Doily Patterns Free: Snowflake, Tree & Star
Three original Christmas doilies in one free pattern — a lacy white snowflake with twelve picot points, a green tree worked in rows with scalloped tiers and twelve red bobble baubles, and a bold eight-point red star — all in fingering-weight cotton with full stitch counts in US terms.
Christmas · Crochet
- Finished size
- Snowflake 10 in · Tree 9 in · Star 8 in
- Making time
- About 2 hours each
- Hook
- 2.75 mm, fingering-weight cotton
- Doilies
- 3 doilies — 12 points, 12 bobbles, 8 points
- Skill
- Easy–Intermediate
In this post
Some Christmas decorations get packed away in January and forgotten. A crochet doily is not one of them. It comes out with the candles and the good plates, and it makes the whole room look dressed. These free crochet Christmas doily patterns give you three of them in one post: a lacy white snowflake, a green Christmas tree dotted with red bobble baubles, and a bold eight-point red star. Three doilies, one weekend, and a table that looks ready for Christmas.
This is an original Little Loop Finds collection, designed from scratch with our own stitch counts. The snowflake is worked in rounds, the tree in rows, and the star in rounds with shell points. Each pattern is written out in full below with every stitch count, so you can make one doily for a gift or all three for a matching set. If you love small festive makes, our crochet Christmas coasters free patterns use the same cotton yarn and finish even faster.
Contents
- Why you'll love these Christmas doilies
- Materials you'll need
- Size, gauge and skill level
- Abbreviations — US terms
- The patterns (US terms)
- Finishing and assembly
- Tips for doilies that look right
- FAQ
- What to crochet next
Why you'll love these Christmas doilies
First, they are the fastest way to make a table look finished. A bare sideboard in December looks like a room waiting for Christmas; the same sideboard with a white snowflake doily under a candle, or the star doily under a vase, looks dressed. You do not need a whole new tablescape. One doily, one candle, done. If lace is your thing, our crochet doily patterns free collection has classic designs for every season.
Second, each doily teaches you something different without ever getting hard. The snowflake is pure lace rhythm — chain loops, then points, then a linking round. The tree is rows of double crochet with shell tiers, which is the friendliest way to learn shaping. The star is shells and picots, the two stitches that make every crocheted decoration look far fancier than the effort involved.
Third, they are genuinely giftable. A doily folds flat into an envelope with a card, costs very little yarn, and suits the hardest people on a gift list. Make the snowflake in white for a classic look, or work it in pale blue for a frosty twist. The tree in deep green with red bobbles is the one people will ask to keep.
Finally, they pull double duty all season. Use the snowflake under a plate, the star under a glass, and the tree as a centrepiece with a candle in a glass holder beside it. Our crochet table runners free patterns pair beautifully with this set if you want the whole table to match.
Materials you'll need
Fingering-weight cotton is the right yarn for doilies: it is smooth, holds a crisp stitch definition, blocks beautifully, and does not shed fluff onto the table. One 50 g ball of each colour is enough for the whole set, with yarn to spare for a second star.
| Supply | What to get |
|---|---|
| White yarn | Fingering cotton (category 1), white, about 40 g / 160 yards — snowflake |
| Green yarn | Fingering cotton, forest green, about 40 g / 160 yards — tree |
| Red yarn | Fingering cotton, classic red, about 45 g / 180 yards — star and tree bobbles |
| Hook | 2.75 mm (US C-2) crochet hook |
| Notions | Yarn needle with a small eye, stitch markers, sharp scissors, tape measure |
| Blocking | Foam blocking mat or a folded towel, rust-proof pins, spray bottle, spray starch (optional) |
Avoid fluffy or textured yarns for your first doily: the lace needs a smooth yarn so the openwork reads clearly.
Size, gauge and skill level
Skill level: Easy to intermediate. The tree and the star are easy — double crochet, shells and single crochet. The snowflake is intermediate lace because of its chain loops and picots, but the repeats are identical twelve times over, so it is easier than it looks.
Finished sizes: The snowflake measures about 10 in (25 cm) from point to point. The tree measures about 9 in (23 cm) tall and 8 in (20 cm) wide at its base. The star measures about 8 in (20 cm) from point to point.
Gauge: Doily gauge is forgiving, because blocking fixes small differences — but check early anyway. After Round 4 the snowflake should measure about 3.5 in (9 cm) across. If yours is much larger, drop to a 2.5 mm hook; if it is much smaller, go up to a 3.0 mm hook.
Time: About 2 hours for the snowflake, about 2 hours for the tree, and about 90 minutes for the star. A full set is a relaxed weekend.
Abbreviations — US terms
US terms throughout. (UK note: a US double crochet is a UK treble crochet, and a US single crochet is a UK double crochet.)
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MR | magic ring |
| ch | chain |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| sc | single crochet |
| hdc | half double crochet |
| dc | double crochet |
| inc | increase — 2 stitches in the same stitch |
| bobble | bobble stitch — [yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops] 5 times in the same stitch, yarn over, pull through all 6 loops on hook |
| picot | picot — ch 3, slip stitch in the first chain of the ch-3 |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| rnd(s) | round(s) |
| row(s) | row(s) |
| FO | fasten off |
Working in joined rounds: The snowflake and the star are worked in joined rounds. Join each round with a slip stitch to the top of the starting chain, then start the next round as written. The bold number is your stitch count for that round.
A note on the tree: The tree is worked in rows, not rounds, turning at the end of every row. Chain 3 at the start of a double crochet row counts as the first double crochet of that row.
The patterns (US terms)
Three original designs, each written out in full.
1. Snowflake doily — white yarn, 2.75 mm hook
Twelve lacy points around a double crochet centre, finished with a ring of chain arches, worked in joined rounds.
- R1: MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc into the ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3 (12)
- R2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, join (24)
- R3: Ch 3, 2 dc in next st, [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st] × 11, join (36)
- R4: Ch 3, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, [dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st] × 11, join (48)
- R5: Ch 3, dc in each st around, join (48)
Pause here: the circle should be about 3.5 in (9 cm) across — if it is far off, change hook size now rather than after the lace rounds.
- R6: Ch 1, sc in same st, [ch 5, skip 3 sts, sc in next st] × 11, ch 5, skip 3 sts, join with sl st to first sc — 12 chain loops (12 loops)
- R7: Sl st into the first ch-5 loop, ch 1, in each ch-5 loop work (sc, hdc, 2 dc, picot, 2 dc, hdc, sc), sl st to first sc, join — 12 points
- R8: Join yarn in any picot, ch 1, [sc in picot, ch 5, sc in next picot] × 12, join with sl st to first sc — 12 arches
FO, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. The doily will look crumpled now — blocking transforms it.
2. Christmas tree doily — green yarn, red bobbles, 2.75 mm hook
A tree shape worked in rows from the top point down, with three scalloped branch tiers, twelve red bobble baubles, and a little trunk.
Tier 1 — the top of the tree:
- Row 1: Ch 4, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook (3)
- Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, dc in next st, 2 dc in last st, turn (5)
- Row 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, bobble in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in last st, turn (7) — 1 bobble
- Row 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 5 sts, 2 dc in last st, turn (9)
- Row 5 (shell edge): Ch 1, sc in first st, [skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st] × 2, turn (13)
Tier 2 — the middle branches:
- Row 6: Ch 3, dc in each st across, turn (13)
- Row 7: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, bobble in next st, dc in next 3 sts, bobble in next st, dc in next 3 sts, bobble in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in last st, turn (15) — 3 bobbles
- Row 8: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 13 sts, 2 dc in last st, turn (17)
- Row 9 (shell edge): Ch 1, sc in first st, [skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st] × 4, turn (25)
Tier 3 — the wide base branches:
- Row 10: Ch 3, dc in each st across, working a bobble in the 5th, 13th and 21st sts, turn (25) — 3 bobbles
- Row 11: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 23 sts working a bobble in the 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th and 24th sts, 2 dc in last st, turn (27) — 5 bobbles
- Row 12: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 25 sts, 2 dc in last st, turn (29)
- Row 13 (shell edge): Ch 1, sc in first st, [skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st] × 7, turn (43)
Trunk — green yarn:
- Count 19 sts from the left edge of Row 13 and join green yarn in the 20th st. Row 14: Ch 1, sc in next 5 sts, turn (5)
- Rows 15–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn (5)
FO and weave in the tail — the tree should stand about 9 in tall with its red bobbles dotted across all three tiers.
3. Eight-point star doily — red yarn, 2.75 mm hook
A bold red star built on a solid centre, with shell points and a picot on every tip, worked in joined rounds.
- R1: MR, ch 1, 8 sc into the ring, join with sl st to first sc (8)
- R2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join (16)
- R3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] × 8, join (24)
- R4: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] × 8, join (32)
- R5: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] × 8, join (40)
- R6: Ch 1, [skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st] × 8, join with sl st to first sc — 8 shells (48)
- R7: Sl st to the centre dc of the first shell, ch 1, in each 5-dc shell work [sc in first dc, hdc in next dc, (dc, picot, dc) in centre dc, hdc in next dc, sc in last dc], sl st in the valley sc between shells; repeat around all 8 shells, join — 8 points
- R8: Join yarn in any picot, ch 1, [sc in picot, ch 3, sc in valley sl st, ch 3] × 8, join with sl st to first sc
FO and weave in the ends.
Variations — colours, sizes and uses
Colour variations: The snowflake in pale blue reads as frost; in soft gold it glows under a candle. The tree in sage green suits a calm table, while the star in deep burgundy is the most grown-up of the three.
A bigger set: Work the snowflake or star in DK cotton with a 3.5 mm hook for a 12 in placemat — the stitch counts stay exactly the same, only the yarn and hook change. Do not size up the tree this way: the rows go floppy and the tiers lose their shape.
From doily to ornament: Work the star in crochet thread with a 1.75 mm hook and it shrinks to about 4 in — add a hanging loop of chain 20 at one tip and it becomes a tree ornament.
Finishing and assembly
Doilies live or die by their finishing. An unblocked doily is a crumpled circle; a blocked one is a decoration.
1. Weave in every end properly. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle and travel through the stitches one way for at least 1 in (2.5 cm), then back another way, before trimming.
2. Wash gently. Soak each doily in cool water with a drop of mild detergent for ten minutes, then press the water out in a towel — never wring lace.
3. Block each doily flat. Lay the damp doily on a foam mat or folded towel. Pin all twelve snowflake points out to full length, all eight star points, and the shell edges of each tree tier, squaring the trunk. Spray lightly with water, add a mist of spray starch if you want a crisp finish, and leave to dry completely — usually overnight.
4. Style them. Set the snowflake under a plate, the star under a glass, and the tree alone as a centrepiece. Never put a naked flame directly on crochet — always use a glass holder, exactly like the lit candle in the glass holder resting on the green doily in the styled table photo below.
Tips for doilies that look right
Count at the increase rounds only. On the snowflake, check your count at the end of Rounds 2, 3 and 4. If Round 4 does not land on 48 stitches, the chain loops in Round 6 will not divide evenly into twelve.
Keep the chain loops loose. Round 6 of the snowflake and Round 8 of the star both depend on chain spaces lying flat. If your chains are tight, the points will pull in and the doily will cup like a bowl.
Bobbles need a firm tug. After finishing each bobble on the tree, give the working yarn a gentle tug before the next stitch. A loose bobble sinks into the fabric and reads as a bump; a snug one pops out like a bauble.
Mind the join on the star. The star's centre is only eight stitches, so a wandering join shows. Join into the first single crochet every round and keep the slip stitch snug, or the centre will spiral.
Steam, do not press. Hover a steam iron above the pinned doily and let the steam do the work. Never press an iron directly onto cotton lace — it flattens the stitches and kills the texture.
Storing after Christmas. Wash, block and dry each doily, then store flat between sheets of tissue paper — never folded hard, which creases lace permanently. Our crochet garland pattern free folds flat the same way.
FAQ
Are these Christmas doily patterns really free and original?
Yes — three complete, original Little Loop Finds designs with our own stitch counts, published in full here.
I have never crocheted a doily before — which one should I start with?
Start with the star. It is the quickest, and its shell points teach you the two stitches — shells and picots — that the snowflake uses too.
What yarn works best for Christmas doilies?
Smooth fingering-weight cotton, ideally mercerised. It shows the openwork clearly, blocks crisply, and washes well year after year.
My snowflake is curling up like a bowl — what went wrong?
It is almost always tight chain loops in Round 6, or a stitch count that drifted in Rounds 2 to 4. Count back to Round 4 — it must be 48 stitches. If the count is right, block it firmly, pinning all twelve points out.
Can I make the doilies bigger?
Yes, for the snowflake and the star: use DK cotton and a 3.5 mm hook with the same stitch counts for a placemat-sized piece of about 12 in. For a smaller version, use crochet thread and a 1.75 mm hook.
Can I sell doilies I make from these patterns?
Yes — you may sell finished doilies made by hand from these patterns in small quantities, crediting Little Loop Finds as the designer.
What to crochet next
Your table is dressed — now dress the rest of the room:
- Hang a matching wreath crochet pattern free on the door so the doilies are not the only handmade thing guests notice.
- Add a jolly companion with this free crochet Santa pattern — he looks wonderful propped up behind the tree doily.
- Fill the tree with these crochet ornaments free patterns — quick, giftable, and made from the same leftover cotton.
- Finish the fireplace with a free granny square Christmas stocking pattern — a cosy classic for the fireplace.
Happy crocheting — may your points pin out perfectly, your bobbles pop like baubles, and your Christmas table be the one everyone photographs this year.
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