Snowflake Monday

By request, I worked up a pattern for a tiny Santa hat to go with last year's Christmas stocking snowflake. I thought tiny mittens would be cute, too. Then I designed a new snowflake to go with the miniature fashion accessories.

This snowflake is not as easy as last year's, so if you are a beginner or have trouble with complex stitches, you might want to stick with last year's snowflake instead of the Santa Hat Snowflake. Without adornments, I think this looks like a Saguaro Snowflake!

The Lizard once again graciously photographed my hands while working the challenging steps. I've included photos of one of the prototype snowflakes without the linked stitches so you can see what the snowflake spokes will look like if you opt not to link the stitches.


For the very first snowflake I made after coming up with this idea, I did not make a center, so I've included a photo of that, in case you want to give it a try and put an over-sized rhinestone, charm or other small dangling object in the center. For that version of the snowflake, skip the first three Rounds and begin with Round 4, starting at the *, working one straight row with what looks like prayer flags as you finish the points, then finishing by slip stitching the final point to the first point to make a hexagon.




With the weight of the hat, gloves and stockings, this snowflake must be stiffer than starching might accomplish. Two coats of school glue/water or possibly even glue undiluted may be required. Make sure the glue is school glue, not all-purpose glue. Spoke joints may be reinforced with an extra dab of glue after stiffening. (I reinforced my joints twice.) Mod Podge works great for this type of project, too, although Mod Podge-stiffened flakes will warp with time when hung in a window with prolonged exposure to the heat of the sun. They may be reshaped, but that takes time. Also colored snowflakes hung in a window will eventually fade with prolonged exposure to the sun.


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: 7 inches from point to point with size 10 hook, 8.75 inches with size 7 hook (more open and perhaps not strong enough to carry weight with the larger hook)
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 10 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, school glue (make sure it is water soluble) or Mod Podge, water, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line; small beads (seed and 6mm or smaller) for attaching embellishments, if desired; for hat, size 0 and size 1 crochet hooks, 1 skein of red embroidery floss, very small amount of fuzzy white yarn (I used Lion Brand Wool Ease; laceweight would work), 1 7mm pom pom (a tiny jingle bell would be cute, too); for mittens, size 8 crochet hook, size 10 thread, size 1 crochet hook, very small amount of fuzzy white yarn, good eyes and a ton of patience

Santa Hat Snowflake Instructions

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

Round 1: Ch 2 (does not count as dc), 12 dc in ring, sl st across starting ch 2 into starting dc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same st as sl st, *sk 1 st, 1 dc in next st, ch 3, 1 dc in same st (V made); repeat from * around 4 times for a total of 6 Vs; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5.

Round 3: Sl st into ch 3 sp, sl st into middle ch of same ch 3 sp, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch 3 sp, *3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 (counts as final ch 2 sp).
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 2 (counts as 1 hdc), *ch 20, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, [1 dc in each of next 3 ch] (right side point made), ch 10, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 3 ch, [[1 dc in each of next 3 ch]] (top point made), ch 7, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, yo and draw up loop through next ch, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw up loop through top half of [[last dc in top point]], yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw up loop through bottom half of [[same dc]], yo and draw up loop through top half of [last dc of right side point], yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw up loop through bottom half of [same dc], yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw through all six loops on hook (left side point made), 1 ldc in each of next 3 ch, 1 ltr in each of next 3 ch, 1 ldtr in each of next 3 ch, 1 ltrtr in each of next 3 ch, ch 1, 1 hdc in next ch 2 sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last hdc of final repeat and instead working sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.


yarn over and draw up loop through next chain,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook


yarn over and draw up loop through top half of top point dc


yarn over and draw through two loops on hook


yarn over and draw up loop through bottom half of same dc,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook


yarn over and draw up loop through top half of right point dc,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook


yarn over and draw up loop through bottom half of same dc,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook


yarn over and draw through all six loops on hook


draw up loop through cluster just made,
draw up loop through next chain,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook;
linked double crochet made


after making three linked double crochet stitches,
yarn over, draw up loop through double crochet just made,
draw up loop through next chain,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook three times;
linked treble crochet made


after making three linked double crochet stitches,
yarn over, draw up loop through double crochet just made,
draw up loop through next chain,
yarn over and draw through two loops on hook three times;
linked treble crochet made; repeat process for next tr,
drawing up loop through previous treble twice
instead of yarn over and draw up loop;
repeat process when changing to double triple crochet
and again when changing to triple triple crochet



Santa Hat

With Size 1 hook and embroidery floss, ch 16. Taking care not to twist work, sl st into 1st ch to form ring.

Round 1: 1 sc in each ch around for a total of 16. Do not join.

Rounds 2-4: 1 sc in each st around.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Rounds 3-9: Dec 2 sc evenly spaced around. As the opening becomes smaller and smaller, you may skip stitches instead of working formal single crochet decreases. For Rounds 8 and 9, you may work single crochet around the post of a single crochet if that makes it easier. Just remember you want this piece to come to a point on top, so however you achieve it will be fine.

Round 10: 1 sc through top of hat, closing any opening that may remain. Ch 2. Bind off. Pull end inside hat to hide.

Rim Round: With fuzzy white yarn and size 0 hook, 1 sc in each st around bottom of hat. Bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Glue pom pom to top of hat and allow to dry.


Mittens

Round 1: For thumb, with thread and size 8 hook, make magic ring; 6 sc in ring. Do not join. Pull magic ring tight.
AMIGURUMI TIP: When piece begins to turn inside out, poke inside middle with bottom end of crochet hook and push outside right.

Rounds 2-3: 1 sc in each sc around. Bind off. Cut inside tail even with edge of thumb, but leave a small tail on finishing st.

Round 1: For main mitten body, with thread and size 8 hook, ch 4, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next ch, 3 sc in next ch; turning piece clockwise to form oval and working around on other side of ch, 1 sc in middle ch opposite lone sc on other side. Do not join.

Round 2: 1 sc in 1st sc of Round 1, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, 3 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc.

Rounds 3-8: 1 sc in each sc around.
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 9: Attach thumb by weaving finishing tail of thumb around next mitten stitch, then back through finishing thumb stitch and back through same mitten stitch. Continue sc by working next sc into next sc on thumb (after woven in st just worked), work sc around thumb to woven in st, do not sc in woven in st, then continue working sc around mitten.

Rounds 10-11: 1 sc in each sc around, dec on sc on each side of thumb joint.

Rounds 12-15: 1 sc in each sc around. Bind off. Pull any ends inside of mitten.

Round 14: With fuzzy yarn and size 1 hook, 1 sc in every other sc around. Bind off. Pull ends inside mitten. Stuff lightly if desired.

Follow instructions given in Christmas Stocking Snowflake to make stockings, if desired.

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. 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 stockings and mittens as instructed in Christmas Stocking Snowflake. Perch hat atop top point of snowflake and dab with tiny drop of glue if desired, or attach hanging thread to top spoke of snowflake and thread right through hat.

This is an extra heavy flake if you stuff the stockings and/or mittens. It may not twirl as undecorated snowflakes, and with time, the weight of the stockings may cause the snowflake to need another round of stiffening.

Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Or use 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch ribbon or ornament hanger for added strength.

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