Snowflake Monday

Twenty days before this year's ride up Pikes Peak, I learned the 7.5-hour time limit has been shortened by an hour. Instead of trying to be 15 minutes faster this year, I now must be 75 minutes faster.

I was hit with a tremendous wave of discouragement and sadness. So I made a snowflake. And then I made a bunch more. In many colors. As I've said many times before, color just makes me happy.

This snowflake is perfect for variegated thread because it shows off spirals of color so effectively. I was going to name it my Spirals of Hope Snowflake until I hung a bunch of finished flakes in my window. The shape reminded me of the Ojos de Dios I made while growing up in New Mexico. I decided that would be a much cooler name, as well as more symbolic.

When I showed the prototype snowflake to The Lizard, his first comment was, "It looks like a turtle!"

Fitting. I am as slow as a turtle.

Nevertheless, the tiny bubble of hope that found a way past my fears and doubts is continuing to grow, and I'm going to do my best to reach the summit of Pikes Peak this coming weekend. A turquoise version of this snowflake will be right there with me.

Ojo de Dios, or Eye of God, is the name of yarn and stick creations made by the Huichol Indians of Mexico and Aymara Indians of Bolivia. Two dowel-like long sticks (or Popsicle sticks if you are a grade school student in New Mexico) are tied together in the form of an X or cross, and yarn is wrapped around the sticks from the center out, forming a diamond design. The Native American custom of hanging these colorful creations above the fields or sleeping areas was thought to ward off evil spirits while allowing God to watch over the crops and the sleeping people.

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: 3.25 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 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

Ojo de Dios Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring, sl st in starting sc. Don't pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: *3 sc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc; repeat from * around 5 times. You do not have to join rounds on this snowflake until Round 7, but do mark the start so you will know where to begin the next round without having to count stitches repeatedly.

Round 3: *1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 1; repeat from * around 5 times.
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: *Sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 2; repeat from * around 5 times.

Round 5: *Sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3; repeat from * around 5 times.

Round 6: *Sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 4; repeat from * around 5 times.

Round 7: *Sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 5; repeat from * around 5 times; sk starting sc; sl st in next sc.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), *3 dc in next sc, ch 5, sl st in top of 3rd dc (picot made), 2 dc in same sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 4, sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with ch 4 and omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in starting 2nd ch of starting ch 2; 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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