Rust Bazaar Lace Cone Drop: Free Crochet Lemon-Slice Mobile Pattern

Rust Bazaar Lace Cone Drop: Free Crochet Lemon-Slice Mobile Pattern

Introduction

Welcome to your very first crochet project! This little cone-shaped mobile is the perfect place to start because it uses only the most basic stitches, and the openwork "lemon-slice" pattern hides any tiny wobbles in your tension. It is made from a flat triangle worked in warm spice-market colors — saffron, burnt orange, paprika red, and olive green — then seamed into a cone and finished with a sweet scalloped edge, tiny leaf appliqués, and a hanging cord. The finished piece is a soft, matte, openwork cone about 10 cm (4 in) wide at the top and 14 cm (5.5 in) tall, with a total drop of roughly 30 cm (12 in) once the cord is attached. It looks like a little lantern from a faraway bazaar, and it feels light and airy in the hand. If you have never held a hook before, take a breath — you can absolutely make this.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bamboo cotton DK (approx. 50% bamboo / 50% cotton, 125 m per 50 g skein). You need 1 skein each in Saffron (A), Burnt Orange (B), Paprika Red (C), and Olive Green (D), plus a small amount of Cream (E) for the cord. Total yardage used is well under one skein of each color.
• Main hook: 3.5 mm (US E-4) crochet hook — used for the cone and the scalloped edge.
• Small hook: 2.5 mm (US C-2) crochet hook — used for the cord and the leaf appliqués.
• Stitch markers: at least 4 (or use small safety pins or scrap yarn).
• Tapestry needle: blunt-tipped, for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors.
• Finished size: Cone approx. 10 cm (4 in) across the top opening and 14 cm (5.5 in) tall including the scalloped edge. Total drop with cord and charm approx. 30 cm (12 in).

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain: wrap the yarn over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. This makes one chain stitch.
• sl st — slip stitch: insert your hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. It makes a tiny, flat joining stitch.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• hdc — half double crochet: wrap yarn over hook first, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through all 3 loops at once.
• dc — double crochet: wrap yarn over hook, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over and pull through 2 loops, wrap yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops.
• tr — treble crochet: wrap yarn over hook twice, insert hook, pull up a loop (4 loops), then pull through 2 loops three times. (Listed for reference; not used in this pattern.)
• ch-1 sp — chain-1 space: the small gap under a single chain from the row below. You work your next stitch into that gap, not into the chain itself.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• rep — repeat: do the same thing again.
• RS — right side: the front, "pretty" side of your work that faces outward when finished.
• turning ch — the chains you make at the start of a row so your work can turn and reach the correct height.
• whipstitch — a simple sewing stitch: pass the needle over the edge and back through, over and back, like lacing a shoe.
• overhand knot — the simplest knot: make a loop and pull one end through it.

Gauge

Gauge: The lemon-slice triangle motif measures 10 cm (4 in) wide at the base and 9 cm (3.5 in) tall after blocking, worked in double crochet with chain spaces. The finished cone measures 10 cm wide at the top opening and 14 cm tall including the scalloped edge.

Why gauge matters: Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are looser or tighter than the pattern expects, your cone will come out bigger or smaller than planned. For a decorative mobile this is not critical, but checking gauge keeps your proportions right.

How to make a gauge swatch: With yarn A and the 3.5 mm hook, chain 22 and work Rows 1–3 of the triangle exactly as written below. Measure the width of your work. If it is wider than 10 cm (4 in), try a smaller hook; if it is narrower, try a larger hook. Block (lightly wet and pin flat) before measuring, because lace opens up when wet.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count every row. The triangle grows by one double crochet each row, so keep a tally on paper. If your count is off, the next row will be off too.
• Work into the chain-1 spaces, not the chains. The gaps are what create the lemon-segment look. Slide your hook under the whole gap.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Lace needs breathing room. Keep your loops relaxed so the openwork shows.
• Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of the scalloped round so you know where the round ends.
• Weave in ends as you go. It is much easier to hide a tail now than at the very end.
• Block before seaming. A quick mist-and-shape makes the triangle lie flat and the edges easy to match.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Lemon-Slice Triangle (make 1)

Worked flat in rows from the wide base up to the point. With yarn A (Saffron) and the 3.5 mm hook, ch 22.

Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (this counts as the first dc plus a ch-1 sp), *ch 1, skip 1 ch, dc in next ch; rep from * to end. (10 dc, 9 ch-1 sps)

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), turn. Dc in first ch-1 sp, *ch 1, dc in next ch-1 sp; rep from * across, ending with dc in last ch-1 sp and dc in top of turning ch. (11 dc, 10 ch-1 sps)

Row 3: Ch 3, turn. Dc in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, dc in next ch-1 sp; rep across, ending with dc in last ch-1 sp and dc in turning ch. (12 dc, 11 ch-1 sps)

Rows 4–9: Repeat Row 3 six times, adding one dc each row. Row 4 (13 dc, 12 sps); Row 5 (14 dc, 13 sps); Row 6 (15 dc, 14 sps); Row 7 (16 dc, 15 sps); Row 8 (17 dc, 16 sps); Row 9 (18 dc, 17 sps). Do not fasten off.

Row 10 (point): Ch 3, turn. Dc in first ch-1 sp, ch 1, dc in next ch-1 sp; rep across to last ch-1 sp, dc in last ch-1 sp, dc in turning ch. (19 dc, 18 sps)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp across. (37 sc) Fasten off yarn A.

Seaming the Cone

With the right side facing you, fold the triangle so the two straight side edges meet. The wide base becomes the top opening and the point becomes the bottom tip. Thread yarn B (Burnt Orange) on the tapestry needle and whipstitch the side edges together from base to point with a small, neat seam. Turn the cone right side out. The openwork chain spaces now read as lemon segments radiating from the tip.

Scalloped Top Edge

Join yarn B (Burnt Orange) at the seam on the top opening with a sl st.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc evenly around the top opening, approximately 36 sc, sl st to first sc. (36 sc)

Rnd 2 (scallops): *Skip 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 sc, sl st in next sc; rep from * around, ending with sl st in first sc of the round. (6 scallops) Fasten off and weave in ends.

Leaf Appliqués (make 5)

With the 2.5 mm hook and yarn D (Olive Green), ch 6.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch. (5 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in first st, hdc in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in last st. (5 sts) Fasten off, leaving a 15 cm (6 in) tail for sewing. Make 5 leaves total, working 2 of them in yarn C (Paprika Red) instead of Olive Green.

Attaching the Leaves

Using the tails and the tapestry needle, sew the 5 leaves in a scattered cluster around the lower third of the cone, just above the point, alternating Olive Green and Paprika Red. Secure each leaf with 3–4 small stitches through its center, then weave in ends.

Hanging Cord

With the 2.5 mm hook and yarn E (Cream), ch 60. Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (59 sl sts) Fasten off. Fold the cord in half and sew the midpoint securely to the inside of the cone at the top opening, just below the scalloped edge, so the two ends hang free. Tie a small overhand knot 5 cm (2 in) from each end and trim evenly.

Assembly and Finishing

Seaming: If you have not already seamed the cone, do it now with a whipstitch in yarn B, working from the wide base down to the point. Keep the stitches small and even so the seam disappears into the openwork. Turn right side out.

Weaving in ends: Thread each tail on the tapestry needle and run it through the back of several stitches, changing direction once so it cannot pull loose. Trim close to the work.

Blocking: Lightly mist the cone with water and shape it over a small glass or a cone made from cardboard. Smooth the scallops and leaves flat. Let it dry completely — this sets the shape and opens up the lace.

Hanging: Hang from the cord loop and adjust the charm ends so the mobile hangs level.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the palette: Swap Saffron and Burnt Orange for soft sage and cream for a calmer nursery, or use a single color for the whole cone and let the leaves pop.
• Make it bigger or smaller: Add or remove rows before the point row to change the cone height; each extra row adds roughly 1 cm. Keep the base chain the same so the top opening stays 10 cm.
• Substitute yarn: Any smooth DK-weight cotton or cotton blend works. Avoid fuzzy yarns, which hide the openwork pattern.
• Extra charm: Add a tiny crocheted star or a wooden bead to the cord ends instead of knots for a different bazaar look.