How to Stiffen Crocheted Snowflakes Tutorial

© 2013 Susan Lowman (http://www.TheCrochetArchitect.com)

Update (11/25/20): I have a YouTube video for learning to stiffen crochet snowflakes visually. You can find that video here.

Stiffening crocheted snowflakes isn’t as hard as it may seem, but it can be a little messy! I’ve stiffened snowflakes in the past and always got a lot of the stiffening solution on my hands. But I’ve gotten a little wiser about stiffening them lately so I don’t get as much on my hands. Here’s what you’ll need to stiffen your snowflakes:

1.    CROCHETED SNOWFLAKES.

Snowflake before stiffening
Snowflake before stiffening

These can be made with any size of crochet thread you choose. I used size 10 cotton crochet thread with a shiny strand in it (Aunt Lydia’s Metallic crochet thread, size 10 in #1P White/Pearl) for my snowflakes. I think the shiny pearl strand makes the snowflakes look a little nicer, but you probably can’t tell the difference in these photos! Keep in mind that the thicker the crochet thread, the larger your snowflakes will be. So if you want small snowflakes, you’ll want to use size 20 or 30 crochet thread instead of size 10. Or if you want large snowflakes, you’ll want to use size 3 or 5 crochet thread instead. My snowflakes came out to be 3.5” – 4” in diameter with the size 10 thread.

2.    RUST-PROOF PINS.

Rust-proof pins
Rust-proof pins

You’ll need some rust-proof pins to pin your snowflakes into shape. Make sure your pins are rust-proof or you’ll end up with rust marks on your snowflakes and that’s not very attractive at all! I use some stainless steel pins with a plastic head on them so they don’t hurt my fingers when I insert them into my blocking board. My pins are 1 1/16” long and are general purpose sewing pins that I bought at my local fabric/craft store. You can use longer or shorter pins, as long as they’re rust-proof. You’re going to need lots of pins, so don’t skimp on them. I have 4 boxes of pins (100 pins per box) because I don’t want to run out of pins when I’m blocking several projects at once. My snowflakes took an average of 60 pins each. When you’re blocking or stiffening snowflakes, the pins can add up very quickly!

3.    BLOCKING BOARD.

Small blocking board with circles
Small blocking board with circles

You don’t need a large blocking board to stiffen snowflakes. But you’re going to need a surface that’s big enough to stiffen at least one snowflake, if not 4 or more of them at once. I use a foam board that connects to other foam boards (I bought my set during the summertime in the seasonal section of Walmart). I also have a 4 foot square blocking board that I use for blocking doilies and large crochet projects (it’s the pink board you can see in many of these photos). But my large blocking board is “overkill” for stiffening or blocking small projects!

4.    TEMPLATES & PLASTIC WRAP.

I made a circular template in Adobe Illustrator for pinning the snowflakes out to dry. I arranged 4 circles on an 8.5” x 11” page, printed it out and placed it on my blocking board. Then I covered it with plastic wrap to keep the page from getting wet with the stiffening solution. I pinned the edges of this template page and plastic wrap to my blocking board so it wouldn’t move around. Each template has 6 intersecting lines so I can pin out 6-pointed snowflakes with ease. You can download the free PDF template here for stiffening your snowflakes.

5.    STIFFENING SOLUTION.

Stiffening solutions
Stiffening solutions

I use 2 brands of stiffening solution: Aleene’s Fabric Stiffener & Draping Liquid and API’s Crafter’s Pick Fabric Stiffener. They both work well for stiffening snowflakes. They’re about the consistency of white glue, but they’re a little thicker. If you find the solution you’re using is too thick, you can thin it by adding a little water and stirring it up. In the past, I stiffened crocheted ornaments by pouring the solution into a plastic container. But it’s a little easier for me to use a plastic zippered bag instead (and I can zip the bag closed so the solution doesn’t dry out too quickly, which is a big problem here in Arizona!).

6.    TIME.

You don’t want to rush your snowflake stiffening. You’ll need some time to do a good job, so allow 15-20 minutes per snowflake. And the snowflakes will take up to 24 hours to dry, so don’t plan to give them as gifts the same day as you stiffen them!

Now that you have your 1) crocheted snowflakes, 2) rust-proof pins, 3) blocking board, 4) templates & plastic wrap, 5) stiffening solution and 6) time, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

Of course, you want to make sure your crocheted snowflakes are clean and the ends have been woven in. So if they look dirty, you’ll need to wash them first and let them dry. I use my kitchen sink with a few drops of liquid laundry detergent added to the cold or luke-warm water. I let my pieces soak for 10-15 minutes in the water, then remove them and squeeze out the excess water (don’t twist or wring them). Since these snowflakes will be stiffened, there’s no need to block them first, but you do need to let them dry completely before stiffening them.

Make sure you have clean hands, too! If your hands are dirty, you’ll transfer that dirt onto your snowflakes and that would be a shame after all of your hard work to crochet the snowflakes!!!

Now it’s time to start stiffening the snowflakes, one by one. After dipping the snowflake in the stiffening solution, I squish the snowflake around in my hand so the solution gets into all the parts of the snowflake and squeeze out any extra solution into the bag. If there’s still some visibly wetter areas, you can blot the snowflake on a clean paper towel to remove the excess solution (you’ll want all parts of the snowflake wet, but not sopping wet, if you know what I mean). If there’s a small area of the snowflake that doesn’t have the solution on it, you can dip your finger into the bag of solution and wet that small area (this lessens the chance that you’ll get too much solution all over the snowflake, making a big mess!).

Snowflake with stiffening solution added
Snowflake with stiffening solution added

If you see any fluff, lint or bits of anything undesirable on your snowflake, it’s time to remove it at this stage (you won’t be able to remove it once the snowflake hardens).

After you’ve gotten your snowflake satisfactorily wet with the stiffening solution, you’ll want to wash off your hands. If you skip this step, the excess solution on your hands will dry and come off on your other snowflakes (believe me, I’ve learned this one the hard way!).

Snowflake before pinning
Snowflake before pinning

Now it’s time to pin out your snowflake. Pick a template circle and lay the wet snowflake in the center of the circle with the right side of the snowflake facing up.

Starting to pin snowflake
Starting to pin snowflake

Next, it’s time to start pinning the snowflake out so it will take on the final shape that you desire when it dries. I start by pinning the center in place. Then I pin the longest points of the snowflake to 6 of the straight lines on the template, making sure the 6 points are the same distance from the center by using the circle lines. Next, I pin the 6 shorter points of the snowflake to the straight lines between the 6 longer points; again, making sure these 6 points are the same distance from the center by using the appropriate circle lines. The center pin can be removed at this point or after all the pins have been inserted.

Snowflake with all pins added
Snowflake with all pins added

This is where the fun begins!!! You’ll be using lots of pins now (and lots of time)! I start pinning out the tips of all the arms on the points of the snowflake. The concentric circles on the template come in really handy at this time. You can see in the photo how I pinned the longest points on the outermost circle and the 2 arms nearest the longest points on the circle just inside that outermost circle. This ensures that the arms are all approximately the same length and angled the same on all the points of the snowflake for a more symmetrical snowflake. This particular snowflake required 9 pins for each of the 6 points (and shorter points between the longer points) for a total of 54 pins used. The straight lines and circles of the template really help to create better looking snowflakes! You’ll have plenty of time to pin the snowflake the way you like it, so take your time!

If you’re going to hang your snowflakes, you’ll want to make sure the tip of at least one point on the snowflake has a big enough hole to insert a hanging thread (I use the same thread that I use to crochet the snowflake, but you could use sewing thread, clear fishing line, narrow ribbon, etc).

Stiffened Snowflake
Stiffened Snowflake

After the snowflake dries and hardens (in about 24 hours, depending on the weather), you can carefully remove all the pins. Now it’s time to enjoy your snowflakes!!!

I LOVE the variety of snowflake patterns that are available. Here is a photo of the 9 snowflakes I just stiffened:

9 Stiffened Snowflakes
9 Stiffened Snowflakes

Aren’t they pretty? I really like them. They came from a book called “White Christmas in Thread Crochet”, designed by Kathryn A. Clark and published by Leisure Arts in 2001. This book has patterns for several sizes of snowflakes, some tree toppers, icicles, garlands and 2 tree skirts. In my opinion, it’s one of those “classic” crochet books!

White Christmas in Thread Crochet book
White Christmas in Thread Crochet book

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Snowflake Stiffening tutorial and that you’ll take the plunge to create some stiffened crochet snowflakes very soon (you could even get a head-start on next year’s Christmas decorations by starting now!).

By the way, if your snowflakes get smashed or misshapen at any time, you can fix them quite easily. Just boil water to make some steam. Hold the stiffened snowflake over the steam to soften the stiffening solution. Then reshape the snowflake until it cools and hardens (you might need that blocking board and pins for this or it might be a small fix of just a bent tip or point). It’s helpful to carefully pack your snowflakes in a box or tin so they don’t get smashed during the year. And don’t store them in a warm place during the summer because the stiffening solution can soften from the heat and warp the snowflakes in the box or tin!

Happy crocheting!

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12 Responses to How to Stiffen Crocheted Snowflakes Tutorial

  1. Ymana Johnson says:

    Hi Susan,
    Thank you for this information. I really appreciate your clear, concise and inclusive instructions. I’ve been making more snowflakes than normal this year because I’ve had to stay away from crowds and sick people…so no shopping. I included them with the gifts I gave to 14 or 15 friends this Christmas. I began stiffening them by using spray starch, but I just couldn’t get them as stiff as I wanted them. Then I bought some spray stiffener by Aileen’s but it too was not stiff enough for me. I tried finding some old fashioned boiled starch to use, but I couldn’t find any. I’ll have to search the fabric store for the stiffeners you have suggested because I didn’t see those particular ones when I was searching. I finally got some white school glue, diluted it with water and painted that onto the snowflakes I had crocheted. It was perfect. However, I’m now wondering how this glue solution is going to hold up over time. I’m a bit worried that it will discolor or turn yellow. Please can you give me some information on the glue option? By the way, I’m still making snowflakes and giving them to people to hang in their windows during January. I think they will still be a pretty touch for the snowier time of year. Thank you.

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Ymana,
      You’re very welcome! How wonderful that you’ve crocheted so many snowflakes this year! I enjoy crocheting them, too!
      I’m not quite sure if glue or stiffening solution discolors or turns yellow over time. However, your snowflakes could become misshapen over time. If this happens, simply hold them over some steam (from a pot of boiling water) and reshape them flat. I like to keep my stiffened snowflakes and other stiffened crochet pieces, such as angels, in the house during the year because it gets so hot outside (in the garage and/or shed) here in Arizona. Also, I believe you can soak the snowflakes in water to remove the glue/stiffener and stiffen them again after they’ve dried.
      I hope this helps.
      Happy crocheting,
      Susan

  2. Marian Hillyer says:

    Thank you for the helpful hints and well said information . Do you have a print out of the circular
    sheet that is used on your blocking board. It would be very helpful. I had not thought of such a sheet but am sure it will be a big help especially for newer crocheters like myself. Thank you.. . . Mairmie

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Marian,
      I actually have the blocking template for snowflakes available in the tutorial you read. You can find the link to it in the last sentence of section #4 of the tutorial. If you click on the word “here”, the blocking template will appear for downloading.
      Happy crocheting,
      Susan

  3. Amanda Scott says:

    Thank you for the tutorial. My 10 year old daughter just crocheted her first snowflake last night, and it’s beautiful! She plans on making them for teacher gifts this year. Since we will be doing quite a few, I’m trying to find a method that won’t take us forever and a day. One day I will be retired, but that day isn’t today. Lol. Is this method materially better than just pinning them down and spraying them well with spray starch (like the kind used to iron clothes)? Like, on a scale of good, better, best, I’m assuming your method is best. Where does the easy spray starch method rank, in your opinion?

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Amanda,
      How wonderful to hear that your 10 year old daughter is crocheting and making snowflakes for her teachers!
      I think the best way to stiffen the snowflakes is with my method of using the stiffening solution. However, using spray starch would come in a close second. I would suggest using several coats of the spray starch and it might also help to turn them over and spray the back. You’ll want to make sure all of the parts of each snowflake is sprayed and that they’re nice and stiff. I’ve never used spray starch for stiffening snowflakes, but I used it on a large thread crochet project and it turned out great for adding just a little stiffness to help the centerpiece hold its shape! You can see that project here: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/crochetarchitect/lake-placid.
      I’d love to see photos of your daughter’s finished snowflakes!
      Happy crocheting and stiffening,
      Susan

  4. Rebecca says:

    Do you have any advice for rehabbing old snowflakes? I have some that belonged to my mom, but they have become discolored (brown patches), as well as misshapen over the years. Some are still quite stiff, but others have become somewhat floppy. I don’t know what was originally used to stiffen them. But I would certainly love to restore them to their original beauty!
    Thanks!

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Rebecca,

      I’ve never cleaned stiffened crochet snowflakes before. But my best guess would be to remove the stiffener by soaking the pieces in warm water, then gently rubbing them just a little to help loosen up the stiffener, which could have been white glue or starch. Once the stiffener is removed (if they still look dirty), I would give them a good soaking in lukewarm water with a little liquid laundry detergent. After they’ve soaked for a while (15 minutes to a few hours should be long enough), remove them and rinse them. Gently squeeze out the excess water. Then lay them out to dry on a clean, dry towel. If they’re sufficiently clean, you can stiffen them again per my YouTube video instructions using white glue or fabric stiffener. You can find that video here: https://youtu.be/1uhnOsvaItk. If they still aren’t clean enough, you can try some very diluted liquid bleach or Oxy Clean. However, those are a last resort and can be somewhat harsh on the crochet thread that the snowflakes are made from.

      I hope this helps. If you try these instructions and they’re helpful for you, I’d love to know.

      Happy snowflake cleaning and stiffening!
      Susan Lowman

  5. Shari says:

    Thank you for this information. Did you find the type of fabric stiffener you use affects the metallic in the yarn? I’m worried about choosing a stiffener that will dull the metallic sparkle in my snowflakes.

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Shari,
      You’re very welcome! I’m glad you found my crochet snowflake tutorial helpful!
      The stiffener I used didn’t dull the metallic strand in the crocheted snowflakes that I made from metallic crochet thread. However, I like to remove the excess stiffener with a paper towel or napkin before I pin out the snowflake and let it dry. If you use too much stiffener, it may dull the metallic strand in the snowflake. I would suggest stiffening one snowflake and let it dry overnight to see if you like how it looks before committing to stiffening all of the snowflakes that you’ve crocheted!
      I should have a new YouTube video on stiffening crochet snowflakes done in a few days. This video may help you more in learning to stiffen your crochet snowflakes. You can watch for this video on my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCrochetArchitect.
      Happy snowflake crocheting,
      Susan

  6. Joetta Devore says:

    Thank u for sharing this. I have always wondered how to do this. I will start the year off with “stars”. Can you store these in tins from the store with parchment paper between them. I am considering a small place in the refrigerator for storage or will cold harm them? Your guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.

    • Susan Lowman says:

      Joetta,
      I’m glad you enjoyed my tutorial on stiffening crochet snowflakes. I’m currently working on a YouTube video to demonstrate how to stiffen the snowflakes (or stars) and how/where to store them. Stay tuned for this new video, where I’ll answer your questions about storage. My YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCrochetArchitect. Basically, I wouldn’t put anything between the stiffened snowflakes or stars that might stick to the crochet pieces. I store my snowflakes in a plastic container in the house, not in the garage or shed. This keeps them climate controlled and minimizes the chance that their shape will warp.
      Happy crocheting,
      Susan

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