Snowflake Monday

Today's snowflake is inspired by my hand-dyed blue crochet thread in about 50 different shades...

... AND my crocheted jewelry and my Medallion II Snowflake from 13 years ago. Today's snowflake is inspiring even more crocheted jewelry!!!

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: 7.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in at least 2 colors (I used 7), size 7 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

TIP: This snowflake has a lot of ends to weave in. If the snowflake will be stiffened (and why wouldn't you?!?), ends may be pulled under just a couple of stitches, then clipped when snowflake is dry. Stiffened snowflake thread ends will not unravel.

Medallion I (make 6)

Make magic ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Pull magic ring tight. Weave in ends.

Medallion II (make 6)

Make magic ring. Ch 1 (does not count as hdc), 7 hdc in ring; sl st in starting hdc; bind off. Pull magic ring tight. Weave in ends.

Medallion III (make 6)

Make magic ring. 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Pull magic ring tight. Weave in ends.

Medallion VII Snowflake Instructions

Round 1: Working with all 6 Medallion I motifs, 3 sc in each sequentially for a total of 18 sc; sl st in starting sc to form inner hexagon of snowflake; bind off. Weave in ends.

Round 2: Lay snowflake center flat. Each Medallion I motif will have 9 outward-facing dc. You will be crocheting into each of these. Beginning in any motif (with 4 dc on either side), 2 dc in top middle dc, [1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, draw up loop in each of next 4 dc (2 in current motif and 2 in next motif), 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, in next dc work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch and last 2 dc of final repeat; 1 dc in starting dc to create3 6th ch 2 tip of Round.
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 3: Using remaining medallions as directed, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [4 sc in Medallion II, ch 3, 3 sc in Medallion III, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, working back down spoke, 1 sc in each of next Medallion III sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 ch, 1 sc in each of next 4 Medallion II hdc, 1 dc in same ch 2 tip, ch 3, 1 fpdc around next sc dec at joint between Medallion I motifs, ch 3, 1 dc in next ch 2 tip] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

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 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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Friday Fantastic

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Finally!

I'm not sure yet if I like it, but my newest dress is finished. I wore it to church on Sunday. No one said anything about it. Typically, I get a lot of compliments.

I can't complain. I have a lot of cool dresses. And this one isn't waiting to be finished anymore.

I think one of the things I don't like about it is having to wear a T-shirt underneath in such hot weather. (91 on Sunday!) Perhaps I'll like it more in winter when I can wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath.

I do love the fabrics. And I love the pieced blocks down the front. So original! Perhaps I should just use it as a scarecrow in the backyard... :)

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Wordless Wednesday

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It Works!

I read I might be able to get a second bloom from my lavender if I clip the blossoms at the base of the leafless part of the stems. I also have way too many volunteer larkspur I absolutely love but don't want to go to seed. And a ton of mosaic vases I created from recycled jars. Perfect combination, don't you think?

I clipped more lavender over the weekend and noticed bunches of new tiny emerging blossoms in the areas I clipped a couple of weeks ago!

I could do this all summer long!!! I love the way my hands smell after I clip. I love being right down in the lavender. I love the way the clipped lavender still smells two weeks later. I love having fresh flowers in the house. And I love that clipping the lavender makes the bushes more full!

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Snowflake Monday

Years and years ago, I bought a few pounds of Fire Mountain drilled stone chips to make jewelry with my hand-dyed thread. I didn't get much jewelry made back then because we were always training for Ride the Rockies or trying to climb 14ers. I remember making one necklace I absolutely adored. I planned to try to sell it in my Etsy shop or at the Christmas craft fair at the office where I worked. It featured my gradient jade thread and jade chips. Man, was I ever excited about the piece I designed! Until my little then-six-year-old neighbor, whom I was teaching to sew, noticed it and begged to keep it. I couldn't say no. I had always planned to make a nearly exact duplicate. Never did. Until now...

I forgot about the gem collection until the middle of the pandemic, when we were finally able to travel a tiny bit again and spent time with my mother-in-law. Each trip, I'd take my (still) unfinished Harvest Snowflake motif project, my unfinished and then-still-unnamed Overripe Snowflake motif project, and a bag of my hand-dyed threads paired with harmonizing drilled stones. I always planned to make jewelry during each trip. But I never got much done.

(affiliate link to my Etsy shop)

While spring cleaning a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a dusty box of stone chips with paired hand-dyed threads. Now that Lizard and I are beginning to develop a more normal sleep pattern, I'm finally able to set aside some crochet time three or four times per week. I've made some new jewelry!!!

Last week I had leftover stone chips! I wondered how the smallest ones would look in a snowflake...

And just like that, my Leftovers Snowflake was born!

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: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, 6 beads or drilled stones, 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

Leftovers Snowflake Instructions

SPECIAL STITCHES:

Popcorn Stitch (pc)

Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

String beads onto crochet thread. Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc in ring, ch 3] 5 times; 1 pc in ring, ch 1, 1 dc in starting pc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 3), 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc)] 5 times; ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 3: Ch 12 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 10), 1 dc in 6th ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 1, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 12 to form 6th ch 3 joint of Round.
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 4: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), [workiong up next spoke, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc in bottom of each of next 2 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc), working back down spoke, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, sk next 2 dc, 1 sc in next ch 3 joint] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat.

Round 5: Catching one bead or stone in stitch, sl st in Round 4 starting ch 1, [ch 5, in next ch 3 tip work [1 sc, ch 3] 5 times; ch 5, catching bead or stone in sti, sl st in next sc] 6 times, omitting last bead or stone of final repeat; sl st in starting sl st; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

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 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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