Snowflake Monday

My daily commutes during December were a flurry of flakes for gifts, cards and my tree. I got tired of running out of thread. (Three times!!!)

So I bought one of those huge, gigantic, 1.5-miles of thread balls – the discount stuff you buy in bulk. The packaging claims it's size 10, but to me, it feels slightly larger than the size 10 Cébélia I'd been using. While trying to fine-tune one particular pattern, I gradually moved up in hook size until I found one that works better with this thread.

I've got at least a mile of this stuff left to use up, so I'll be using the larger hook for a while. You may use whatever size hook works best for you. Different crocheters prefer different tensions. Everyone has their own soft spot. Do what makes YOU happy.

This pattern is my second attempt to duplicate a snowflake on a red mug I gave as a Christmas present last month. So, the mug is long gone, but the endeavor to elaborately design three flakes on the mug rages on! (Yes, there are two more red mug flakes I'm yearning to take a stab at. And each is going to be progressively more challenging.)

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 4 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

Instructions

Ch 4, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in ring, *ch 3, 2 tr in ring; repeat from * around for a total of five spokes; ch 3, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same ch as sl st, sc in next tr, *5 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 2 tr; repeat from * around 4 times, 5 sc in next ch 3 sp, sl st in starting sc.
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: Ch 1, sc in same sc as sl st, *ch 18, 1 sc in each of next 7 sc; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 petals, ending with sc in each of next 6 sc, sl st in starting sc.

Round 4: *In next ch 18 sp work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 3 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 3 sc, ch 7, sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next ch, sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, sc in next ch, dc in next ch, into same ch 18 sp work 3 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 3 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc; 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 1 hdc in next sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 tr in same ch, ch 7, sl st in top of tr, 1 tr in same ch as previous tr, 2 dc in same ch, ch 4, sl st in same ch, sl st in next ch, ch 4, sl st in ch between next 2 dc, ch 4, sl st in 1st ch of branch, 1 dc in same sc as next dc, 1 hdc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. 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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