Snowflake Monday

This snowflake is featured on my still nameless and still not-quite-done snowflake quilt, my snowflake-surrounded Wave blog header and this year’s Snowmon badge. It was inspired by a real life snowflake captured for eternity by Pam Eveleigh.


Given the name of the photographer, Mount Eva seems a fitting name for this snowflake, particularly because I couldn’t find a Mount Pam or Pam Peak or any Pam-flavored landmark in Colorado.

I thought I had a photo of Mount Eva, taken from Loveland Pass many years ago, when I learned a metal building near the top of the peak can be seen from miles away. While scanning the landscape via my telephoto lens from atop the pass, I thought I had captured a heretofore unrecognized (by me) hump of rocks with that very pile of metal. The clouds above The Citadel, a nearby summit, however, apparently snared my camera’s attention and refused to share. I did not get a photo of Mount Eva (here is a nice photo by "notracks"), and now that cycling season is back in full force, I haven’t had a chance to run up Fall River Road to snap a shot of the correct peak. So you’ll have to live with my swirly cloud Citadel portrait and just trust that Eva is nearby, screaming to be photographed too. I’ll get you one day, Eva, I promise!

Turns out that metal building atop Eva once was telecommunications equipment which has since been abandoned. The collapsed building, combined with my lack of forethought in getting a shot of Mount Eva when I had the chance, perhaps appropriately symbolizes the mistake I made not once but twice while making the first and second snowflakes with this pattern. Two prongs melted on each of those flakes!


13,130-foot Mount Eva lies within the James Peak Wilderness and along the Continental divide. The peak is a popular backcountry skiing destination and was named after his wife by "King of Colorado Botany" and surgeon Charles Parry, who also named two mountains after himself. He had a penchant for naming Colorado’s mountains after friends and associates; he is responsible for the botanist-theme peak names Grays, Torreys and Engelmann.

Winter Park has since named one of its groomed cross country ski and snowshoe trails Forever Eva, further immortalizing the nickname of Emily Parry, Charles’ wife. I found no explanation for how Emily became Eva, but Parry’s preserved letters and writing frequently refer to his wife as Eva.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: Version 1, 5 inches from point to point; Version 2, 4.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 20 crochet thread, size 12 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, school glue (make sure it is water soluble), 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: These snowflakes may be made with size 10 thread and size 8 crochet hook and will be slightly larger.


Mount Eva Snowflake Instructions, Version I

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight.
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 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc, ch 10, * 2 dc in next sc, ch 10; repeat from * 4 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: * 2 sc in next ch 10 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook (dc picot made), [1 dc in same ch 10 sp], ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 9, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in top of same [dc] prior to ch 3, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 8, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 6, 1 dc in [[3rd ch from hook]], ch 9, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in same [[ch]] as dc picot prior to ch 9, 1 dc in same ch 10 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.


Mount Eva Snowflake Instructions, Version II

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc, ch 10, * 2 dc in next sc, ch 10; repeat from * 4 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
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: * 2 sc in next ch 10 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook (dc picot made), [1 dc in same ch 10 sp], ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 9, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in top of same [dc] prior to ch 3, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 4, 1 tr in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 6, 1 dc in [[3rd ch from hook], ch 9, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in same [[ch]] as dc picot prior to ch 9, 1 dc in same ch 10 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; 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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