Snowflake Monday

Yet another member of my family hits the half-century mark today. Happy birthday, Bro!

You inspired a couple of new greeting cards! Funny such inspiration didn’t happen when I reached that milestone!


Humor aside, this is not today’s snowflake. Instead, I have a special snowflake with a very fun variation and a completely different name next week. I named the snowflake after a favorite peak long before I finished writing and testing the pattern for the variation. Although there is a feminine name associated with Uncompahgre, the variation deserves a royal name all its own. Hope I’ve piqued your curiosity!


When I first designed this snowflake, I was very excited by how beautiful it looked when connecting multiple snowflakes in one project, and I absolutely love the lacy scarf I worked up with beaded fringe and in many different colors.












Uncompahgre Peak, at 14,309 feet, is the sixth highest mountain in Colorado. The name is a Ute Indian word describing water, translated as “Dirty Water” or “Rocks that make Water Red.” A fritillary butterfly discovered on the mountain in 1978 was given the name of the mountain, and the species is considered endangered.

Uncompahgre Peak is the skyline’s dominating landmark above the basin where The Lizard proposed to me in 2005. Seven months fresh off emergency back surgery and knowing I would be Miz Liz within the next couple of weeks, I climbed to a saddle between Heisshorn and El Punto to take in what The Lizard claimed is the best view in all of Colorado. To this day, it remains my favorite hiking destination in Colorado.


I didn't have a wide enough angle lens in 2005 to capture the entire view in one shot, Uncompahgre to the left and Matterhorn and Wetterhorn to the right.

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 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffening agent, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line


Uncompahgre Peak Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (does not count as dc), 18 dc in ring; sl st across starting ch 2 and into starting dc. Do not pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same dc, *sk 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same dc; repeat from * around 4 times; 2 dc in same dc as starting dc, [ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of staring ch 2] ([ ] counts as final ch 3 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 3: 1 sc over post of final dc of Round 2, *ch 8, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 8, sl st in starting sc.

Round 4: *1 sc in next 8 ch sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp, ch 5, 1 sc in same sp, ch 7, 1 sc in same sp, ch 5, 1 sc in same sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times. Do not sl st into starting st.

Round 5: *1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 7 sp, ch 7, 1 sc in same sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp; repeat from * around 5 times. Do not sl st into starting st.

Round 6: *2 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp, 2 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same sp, 1 sc in next ch 7 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, 1 tr in same sp, ch 2, sl st into top of tr, 1 tr in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp, 2 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same sp, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times, bind off and 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 water soluble glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. 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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