Snowflake Monday

I will give you fair warning. This probably is one of the most challenging and complex snowflakes I have ever designed. On the fourth and fifth rows, you will turn and go back and forth on each petal, working from the back side of each petal before proceeding on to the next petal instead of working totally in the round.

I was going through a difficult time when I designed this flake and thought if I worked on something extremely complicated, it would take my mind off other things. The process was tremendously effective. Finishing the flake took an entire week worth of commutes. including one long, snowy one and an additional hour of waiting after a missed connection. Most of my flakes take one day of train rides or less to design.

By the time I finished this flake, with all the unraveling, redoing, correcting of booboos, and frustration of trying to get points worked from the opposite direction to match their corresponding mirror points, I absolutely hated this flake and swore I’d never make another. After pinning it and then shooting a sunset through it, I decided the intricacy was worth all the effort and brain trauma. I love and cherish this flake now. I probably won’t ever give the original one away.

Maybe I should call this my Recovery Snowflake.

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

Finished Size: 7.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 11 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Recovery Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring, sl st in 1st sc. Do not pull magic ring tight.

Round 2: Ch 1, *sc in next sc, ch 5, sk 1 sc; repeat from * around 5 times, sl st in 1st sc.

Round 3: Sl st into next ch 5 space, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 3 dc in same space, *ch 5, 4 dc in next ch 5 space; repeat from * around 4 more times, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.
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, sc in same st, *sc in each of next 3 dc, ch 2, in next ch 5 space work 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 1, turn, sc in dc just worked, hdc in next dc, in next ch 3 space work 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in next dc, ch 1, turn, 1 hdc in sc just worked and in next hdc, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, in next ch 3 space work 2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in next hdc and in next sc, ch 2, sl st in top of dc of row below, ch 2, sc in 1st dc of 4 dc group below; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in 2nd sc of starting 4 sc group instead of final sc of repeat.

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in same sc, *ch 8, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in 1st sc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc, hdc in next ch (before 1st sc you just worked dc into), sl st in each of next 6 ch (working back down spoke to main body of flake), sc in next sc, ch 5, 1 dc in 1st dc on next petal (4th stitch down from next ch 3 space), ch 5, in next ch 3 space work 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 5, skip next 2 tr and 1 dc, 1 dc in next dc (4th stitch from ch 3 space you just worked in), ch 1, turn, in ch 5 space just made work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr, then ch 3; in next ch 3 space work 2 dtr (yo 4 times), ch 2, 2 dtr, ch 3, in next ch 5 space work 2 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, ch 1, turn, work 1 sc into each of next 8 stitches, 3 sc in next ch 3 space, 1 sc in each of next 2 dtr, 2 sc in next ch 3 sp (you should be to top of petal now), ch 8, sl st in 7th ch from hook, in loop just made, work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, 1 hdc and 1 sc, ch 1, then 2 sc back in ch 3 space at top of petal, 1 sc in each of next 2 dtr, 3 sc in next ch 3 space, 1 sc in each of next 6 stitches, 1 hdc in next st, ch 2, sl st in final sc (you should be leaving a bump similar to what is on the other side of the petal you have been working), sl st in lone dc below (the lonely stitch at the end of the ch 5 space that now is filled with a variety of stitches), ch 5, sc in 2nd sc of next 4 sc group (Back on the main body of the flake; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc instead of final sc of final repeat; bind off. Pat yourself on the back, enjoy an entire carton of Ben & Jerry’s Fishfood without sharing if so inclined, do the happy dance, go get a breath of fresh air, and squeal your brain out while vowing to never, ever again make this flake. Weave in ends.

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

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. 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 foil. 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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