Snowflake Monday

My personal experience with breast cancer began before I was born when my grandmother's youngest sister died of the disease at age 34, leaving behind a husband and two small children.

I was so young when I first learned about this, I hardly knew what any of the words meant. I learned fast, though, meeting my motherless cousins when I was 4 and again when I was 8, and then over and over again as many others in my life experienced the diagnosis, one after another: "You have cancer."

My own personal initial brush with fear occurred when I was 23. I thought my great aunt was young! How could this be happening to me, I wondered. I'm way too young!

That instance turned out to be a false alarm, but many more friends and loved ones would follow, not with false alarms. They had the real thing. Some survived; some did not. I had another close call two years ago, so I know firsthand it never gets any easier. I don't suppose it ever will.

This week marks my final pink tribute (for now) in honor of the Goatmother and all others currently battling cancer, and in particular, breast cancer. I have a fancy new Father’s Day snowflake for next week, or I might have kept going pink until winter. Even though my future snowflakes may not be pink, the valiant warriors fighting cancer will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.










The idea for this snowflake popped into my mind when I received the diagnosis email from the Goatmother. A couple of weeks passed before I was able to work up the idea, and I did so during three different road trips. (The Lizard was driving, not me!) The pattern initially was entirely written upon my iPhone (and needed lots of fixing)! When I finally finished my prototype, The Lizard showered me with praise because he loves my newest snowflake. (And, yes, he was very careful to gaze at the snowflake only when the vehicle was not moving.) One of the biggest thrills I get is when my soul mate loves something I create.

To me, the flower looks a bit like a water lily, so that's the name it gets. I love this pattern so much, it swipes a spot in my top ten favorites. I may just have to make a new top ten list! This is yet another snowflake project that requires a great deal of blocking patience, but to me, it's worth the effort.


With June on the horizon, it's time for The Lizard and I to get serious about raising funds for our MS-150 in just four weeks. Donors have pushed me up over the required amount, but The Lizard still needs to raise nearly $200 in order to participate. I decided a few giveaways might be in order.

Because I've already had so many generous donors, I didn't want to leave them out of the fun, so I placed names of all the donors to The Lizard's fundraising this year in a hat and asked one of my co-workers to draw a name. Doug Philips wins a set of my snowflake greeting cards!


Everyone who makes a tax-deductible contribution in The Lizard’s name by noon Mountain Time on Friday, June 1, will be entered in another drawing for the most recent issue of "Crochet Traditions," a magazine I love so much, I accidentally bought it twice. This magazine is new and unused and contains many great patterns, photos and stories. All donors will continue to receive a PDF copy of this year’s snowflake pattern booklet, which features three amigurumi snowflake patterns that will not be published anywhere else. Read more about our fundraising drive here.


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




Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in two colors, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

For the ecru and pink version of this snowflake, I hand-colored a small ball of ecru thread with a pink permanent marker and allowed it to dry for several days. Coloring thread in this manner may or may not be permanent, but when used for a snowflake (or other ornament) and stiffened, the color is adequately protected as long as the ornament is not subjected to extended periods of direct sunlight.

I hand-color the thread by pulling it between the marker and a piece of scrap paper on a surface that will not be damaged or stained by ink bleed beneath the paper. By pulling the thread quickly with heavy tension, the thread is colored as if it was two separate threads of differing colors spun together. That effect blurs, however, when a finished snowflake created with the colored thread is stiffened with liquid starch. Liquid starch also can cause colors to bleed and run, so make sure to protect your working surface during the stiffening process.


Instructions

Ch 3, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 dc in ring. (See dc start tutorial here). Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
Round 2: *1 sc in next dc, ch 6, sk next dc; repeat from • around 5 times for a total of 6 petals; ch 1.
Round 3: Working behind petals, * 1 sc in dc in bottom middle of next petal, ch 6; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 new petals; ch 1.




Round 4: 8 sc in each ch 6 sp around; sl st in starting sc; ch 2.
Round 5: Working behind petals, * 1 dc around post of Round 1 dc at bottom middle of next sc petal, ch 8; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 new petals; sl st in starting dc.








Round 6: * 3 sc in next ch 8 sp, 6 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; ch 3.
Round 7: Working in back of petals, * 1 dc through sc base of next sc petal, ch 14; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 new petals; sl st in starting dc.






Round 8: Working in back of petals, *3 sc in next ch 14 sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 6 dc in same sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off.
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: With white, working in back of petals, sl st in back 2 thread of joint between any 2 hdc petals of Round 6, ch 10, *sl st in next back 2 threads of joint between Round 6 petals, ch 10; repeat from * around 4 times for a total of 6 ch 10 loops; sl st in starting sl st.




Round 10: *3 sc in next ch 10 sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 dc in same sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, 3 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times.
Round 11: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), * sk next 4 st, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, sk next 4 st, 1 dc in joint between leaves (between 2 3/sc groups); repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 12: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc),* sk next 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, ch 2, sk next 2 dc, 1 hdc in each of next 2 dc, ch 2, sk next dc, 2 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 2, sk next dc, 1 hdc in each of next 2 dc, ch 2, sk next 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc in next dc (joint dc); repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 13: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), * 1 dc in next hdc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 1 dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 3 dc in same sp, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, 1 dc in next hdc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, ch 3, 1 dc in next hdc, ch 1, 1 dc in next dc (joint dc), ch 1; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc and ch of final repeat; sl st in 2nd 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.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of 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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