Snowflake Monday

The Lizard on a late spring training ride up Independence Pass
with Mount Champion peeking over his shoulder
I've been wanting to do an Easter-themed snowflake, but I must finish my quilt and taxes before I take on anything new. So my Easter idea may have to wait until next year.

This snowflake was named via a bit of wishful thinking on my part. I initially designed this flake for my Spindrift quilt, and I named the snowflake Mount Champion in the hope the quilt might actually make it into the Denver National Quilt Festival. Last week, I learned it did!

I tested the pattern with rainbow-colored thread a few days after I made the sock yarn snowflake, after I finished most of the quilt. I really love how the colors in the thread snowflake pooled on the final round without any advance planning by me. I did not get a chance to make this snowflake in white, but I will when I get caught up with everything else because to me, this is a fun flake.

13,646-foot Mount Champion, just east of Independence Pass, is a bicentennial peak, meaning one of the tallest 200 in Colorado. The route over Mount Champion is part of the Trooper Traverse. On the peak's east slopes, just a few miles southwest of Leadville, silver, gold, quartz and ore were once mined in abundance. Shipping to Leadville, however, became too expensive, and the Mount Champion Mine was closed in 1919. Some of the original structures remain, although they are weathering with time. The Mount Champion Mine included a 6,100-foot tramway, one of the first to pass over the crest of a 13,600-foot ridge.

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 in thread; 4.75 inches across in sock yarn
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread and size 8 crochet hook OR sock yarn leftovers and size B 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 (NOTE: I did not stiffen the sock yarn snowflake.)

Mount Champion Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 2), *1 sc in ring, ch 2, 1 dc in ring, ch 2; repeat from * 4 times;1 sc in ring, ch 2, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 5. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch, *2 dc in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same dc; repeat from * around 2 dc in same ch as starting dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 (counts as final ch 3 sp). (NOTE: Stopping here and binding off makes an attractive tiny flake.)
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 3 (counts as 1 dc) 2 dc around post of final dc of Round 2, *ch 1, 1 sc between next 2 2/dc groups, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 1, 1 sc between next 2 2/dc groups, ch 1, 3 dc in same sp as starting 2 dc; ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 3 dc around post of final dc of Round 3, *1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next sc and next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 4 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in top of final dc of last 4/dc group worked, 4 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 more times; 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next sc and next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 4 dc in same sp as starting 3 dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in top of final dc of last 4/dc group worked, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3; 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.

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