Snowflake Monday

The stained glass windows at the Grand Junction Temple are not quite the same as the motifs on the walls of the celestial room, but I think the claret cup design kind of resembles the motif I am trying to recreate in this snowflake. I love how this interpretation includes hearts! Love from heaven!

© 2025, Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

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: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, 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

Claret Cup Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 1), 1 tr in ring] 11 times; ch 1, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 5. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 fpdc around ch 4 directly below, [ch 2, 2 fpdc around each of next 2 tr] 6 times, omitting last 2 fpdc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 5), sk next ch 2 sp, 1 dc in gap between next 2 2/dc groups] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 7.
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 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch, [ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in next dc] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 5: Ch 6 (counts as 1 sc and ch 5), 1 sc in same ch, [ch 6, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 4, in next middle dc of next 5/dc shell work (1 sc, ch 5, 1 sc)] 5 times; ch 6, sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 6; 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 Funny

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Butterfly Bows

My neighbors informed me last week their June 20th baby is being induced next week. I had planned to make a pink baby quilt with bow-inspired blocks to match the theme of their new baby's room. Given recent unexpected circumstances, I wasn't sure I could get a pieced quilt together on time. I was more than three months late with a quilt for their first baby last year. I didn't want to be late again. I did something I don't do a whole lot because I like for my fabric designs to be my designs. I used AI to create 42 butterfly bows, some with very heavy editing because AI still isn't as good as the real thing. I came up with a cheater panel I am pretty pleased with, given all that's been going on.

I also made some coloring book pages in AI with more butterfly bows, and these required heavy editing, too. Nevertheless, I think this will make an appropriate quilt back. The Spoonflower fabric likely won't be here until after the new baby arrives, but quilting should take only a day or two. And, it will be a one-of-a-kind gift. Maybe one day I can turn some of my real butterfly photographs into butterfly bows with my own artistic talents and Photoshop. Until then, I think this will do.

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Wordless Wednesday

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'Berries on the Rhubarbie

I didn't have anyone to make strawberry rhubarb yogurt this year. So I gave about a quarter of the harvest away to one of my friends who has been there for me through the last two years. She lost an autistic son once, so she understands the grief and the guilt. She plans to freeze the rhubarb, which she used to do every year in Alaska, and make pies for her family at Thanksgiving.

I made fridge jam, cobbler and pies with the remainder.

I thought maybe I could sell them at the community garage sale, but then I decided I'd rather give them to people who have been trying to help me through the last few weeks.

The streusel-topped pies were my first-ever non-pudding pies. I never had the confidence to try while Lizard could enjoy them. I wish now I had worked up the guts to make him a pie for him last year. Even if it didn't turn out, I think he would have loved it. I think he would have showered me with warm affection even if he didn't like it. Because that's just the kind of guy he was. That's why I married him.

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Snowflake Monday

Lizard wanted to attend the Grand Junction Temple with me after the open house. When it was first announced (in April 2021), he staked his claim. "This my temple!" I was able to take him to Moab in December for a belated 20th anniversary celebration. We planned to stop at the temple on the way home, but he just wasn't feeling up to it. He was never able to travel again after that.

© 2025, Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

I knew Mother's Day would be the hardest his mother had ever faced, so I spent the weekend with her. And I finally got to attend the Grand Junction Temple. Today's snowflake is inspired by a golden motif in the celestial room. I may try to do one more snowflake interpretation of the motif because it is so beautiful. But for now, here is Lizard's temple snowflake.

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 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, 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

Claret Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches

Cluster Stitch (cl): Yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, [yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo, draw through all 4 loops on hook. 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.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, ch 1, 2 dc in ring, [ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 1, 2 dc in ring] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Cl over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, cl in next ch 3 tip] 6 times, omitting final cl of final repeat; sl st in top of starting cl.

Round 3: Pc in top of cluster directly below, [ch 10, pc in top of next cl] 6 times, omitting last pc of final repeat; sl st in top of starting pc.
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 6 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 5), 1 sc in next ch 10 sp, ch 5, in top of next pc work (1 sc, ch 5, 1 sc)] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 6; 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 Fortius

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