Snowflake Monday

A snowflake on Valentine's Day either has to have some hearts in the design or a love story behind it. I didn't have any hearty ideas in my head last week, so here goes my stab at a love story...

Mount Bierstadt often is captured in my photographs of bighorn sheep and mountain goats when I'm climbing nearby Mount Evans. I've named this pattern my Mount Bierstadt Snowflake.

I named this snowflake after Albert and Rosalie Bierstadt. Their initial attraction involves much more drama and intrigue than I've included here, but if you're curious, you can do your own research. I have opted to keep this story short and sweet. Regardless of how their relationship came about, Albert adored Rosalie and treated her with kindness and respect.


Mount Bierstadt was named after the famed 19th century painter Albert Bierstadt. The artist likely was the first European to climb then unnamed Mount Evans, which is connected to Mount Bierstadt via a picturesque ridge called The Sawtooth, and named the mountain Rosa in admiration not only of the tallest peak in Switzerland (a 15er!), but also his future wife, Rosalie. The Colorado legislature in 1895 officially renamed Mount Evans after the second territorial governor of the state but gave the name Rosalie to the 13,575-foot peak three bumps southeast of Evans. Rosalie Peak glances across stunningly beautiful Abyss Lake at Mount Bierstadt.

Rosalie Peak is the 207th tallest peak in Colorado, and Mount Bierstadt, at 14,060 feet, is 39th tallest. Mount Bierstadt from Guanella Pass is one of the easiest 14ers to climb. It was my 3rd 14er, and my then 14-year-old adopted daughter climbed it with me. I've made about 7 winter attempts up Bierstadt but have not reached the official summit in snow. Yet. I've also been up Rosalie Peak and each of its sub-summits, Bandit Peak and Pegmatite Points, as well as bumps Epaulet and Epaulie that connect Rosalie to Mount Evans.

One of my winter attempts up Mount Bierstadt was the day of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, but we didn't know about that until we were able to pick up radio reports on the way home. I will have more about the two peaks bearing the names of our lost space shuttles in a future snowflake post.

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, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, 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

Mount Bierstadt Snowflake Instructions

Mmagic ring.

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in ring, *ch 6, 2 tr in ring; repeat from * 4 times; ch 3, 1 tr in 4th ch of starting ch 4 (counts as final ch 6, and you will be crocheting of the tr post in the next round). Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 2 tr over final tr post of Round 1; 3 tr in next ch 6 sp, ch 6, 3 tr in same sp; repeat from * around 4; 3 tr in same sp as starting 2 tr, ch 3, 1 tr in 4th ch of starting ch 4.
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 4 (counts as 1 tr), 4 tr over final tr post of Round 2, 2 dc over same post, *1 hdc in next tr, 1 sc in next tr, sk 2 tr, 1 sc in next tr, 1 hdc in next tr, 2 dc in next ch 6 sp, 5 tr in same sp, ch 6, 5 tr in same sp, 2 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 hdc in next tr, 1 sc in next tr, sk 2tr, 1 sc in next tr, 1 hdc in next tr, 2 dc in same sp as starting 4 tr, 5 tr in same space, ch 6, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4.

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 2 tr, *ch 6, 1 dc between next 2 sc, ch 6, sk next 5 st, 1 dc in each of next 3 tr, in next ch 6 sp work [2 dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc] 5 times, 2 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 3 tr; repeat from * around 5 times ending with sl st into 3rd ch of starting ch 3 instead of last 3 dc of final repeat; bind off. Weave in ends.

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.

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 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.

Tweet

Pin It