Snowflake Monday

Everything was white during my first trip to Washington state in mid-December of 1981. Naively, I thought that's how Snoqualmie Pass and Snoqualmie Falls got their names. (I thought it was spelled Snowqualmie.) Snoqualmie was, at the time, one of the most beautiful words I'd ever heard.

Snoqualmie, I would later learn, actually is the name of an Indian tribe in Washington that at one time included more than 4,000 members but now has only about 650.

Somewhere in my collection of paper photos from my very first 35mm Pentax camera, I have photos of the snow-coated landscape surrounding the raging Snoqualmie Falls, but I have not gone digging in the basement to look for them, and I seriously doubt the mostly white photos would scan well. So you'll have to ooh and ahh over photos by someone other than me if you would like to see the spectacular Falls.

Snoqualmie Pass was the route I first traveled into Seattle, and it is one of three mountain passes kept open through winter in Washington. To give you an idea of how much more snow Washington gets than Colorado, my (currently dry and autumn-hued) home sits at more than double the 3,022-foot elevation of the high point on Snoqualmie Pass!

We didn't make it up to the Falls or the Pass during our recent trip to Washington; I think I could have spent an entire month there without meeting everyone I hoped to meet, seeing everything I wanted to see and doing everything I wished we could have done. I guess we'll just have to go back one day.

Today's little snowflake is named for two of the little places I wish I could have spent time last Labor Day weekend. By request, I've once again included instructions for covering a rock in this pattern.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 3.5 inches from point to point
Materials: To make a snowflake for hanging, size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line; to make a snowflake cover for a stone, size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, clean 4-inch round stone no greater than one inch thick

NOTE: Icelandic translation located here, graciously provided by Ólöf Lilja.

Snoqualmie Snowflake (and Rock) Instructions

Ch 5, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Do not pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc, * 2 dc in next sc, ch 5, 2 dc in same sc; repeat from * around 4 times; 2 dc in same sc as starting dc, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form final ch 5 sp.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same sp, * 3 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 7, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 3 dc in same sp as starting dc; ch 3, 1 dtr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form final ch 7 sp.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp, *1 dc between next 2 3/dc groups, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, 3 sc in next ch 7 sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 dc in same sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 dc between next 2 3/dc groups, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, 3 sc in next ch 7 sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.
To cover a 4-inch stone, do not bind off on Round 4. Clip thread end from start close to stitching or weave end in. Continue with Round 5.

Round 5: * 1 sc in same st (or dc at top middle of next shell in repeats), ch 7, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 7, 1 sc in middle dc of next 3/dc group, ch 5; repeat from * around 5 times; omitting last ch 5 of final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form final ch 5 loop.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 6: 1 sc in loop just made, * [ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 7 sp] 2 times, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 loop; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last ch 5 and sc of final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form final ch 5 sp.

Round 7: 1 sc in sp just made, ch 5, *1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 5; repeat from * around until final ch 5 sp of round (18 sp total); for final ch 5 sp, ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc.
Repeat Round 7 until snowflake fits snugly around rock. (For my rock, I needed only one more Round 7 to fit snowflake around rock.) From this point on, crocheting around the rock will be more challenging until you are accustomed to balancing the rock as you work without scraping the hook against the rock. Take care not to scrape the hook against the rock. It will happen, and a few times won't seriously damage the hook, but frequent scrapes could bend or break the hook.

Round 8: 1 sc in sp just made, ch 3, *1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3; repeat from * around until final ch 5 sp of round (18 sp total); for final ch 3 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in starting sc.

Round 9: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), * 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1; repeat from * around ; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), * sk next ch 1 sp, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp; repeat from * around; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in end.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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