Snowflake Monday

I don't know how Twilight Peak near Durango earned its name, but I suspect with the mining history of the Animas River Gorge, miners looked upon the massive mountain as a compass. Perhaps some miners stayed up all night trying to find their treasures.

The triple-summited Twilight Peak massif is but one of a handful of breathtaking mountains along US 550 between Silverton and Durango. Three of only five peaks in the West Needle Mountains, Twilight Peak, North Twilight Peak and South Twilight Peak are low thirteeners less frequently climbed because they are not fourteeners.

Early 1890s prospector Tom Estes discovered a rich vein of sylvanite in the West Needle Mountains and hauled a total of 14 bags of ore to the tune of $2,800, which was a fortune back then. He died unexpectedly after his third trip to his mine without ever revealing the location, and to this day, his cache has never been found.

US 550 from Silverton to Durango is an extension of Colorado's Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, which was paved in the 1930s. Some say the 25 steep and twisting miles cost a million dollars to pave; others say the road bed was crafted from a million dollars' worth of minerals from the nearby treasure-riddled mountains. The Million Dollar Highway is the eastern half of what is known as the San Juan Skyway loops, which includes the highway from Durango through Cortez and Telluride back to Ouray, one of the most scenic drives in the entire United States, particularly in autumn when the aspens display their own brand of golden treasure.

The San Juan Skyway was the first to earn the title of national scenic highway.

Twilight Peak seemed like a great name for a spooky Halloween snowflake and served as the inspiration for this week's designs. The mountain also made for a very pleasant rest stop on our return from Durango where we participated in our final organized bike ride of the year. The autumn colors were spectacular, and we discovered a previously unnoticed memorial in one of the Twilight Peak observation points along the San Juan Skyway.





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











Twilight Peak Snowflake

Finished Size: 6.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, 12 beads for eyeballs if desired (I used 6/0 glass beads, 6mm beads and glow-in-the-dark 9x6 barrel/pony beads), 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

Instructions

To make snowflake with bead eyeballs, string 12 beads onto thread. If using different colors beads for each owl, make sure like beads are adjacent, except for the first owl, which will be worked one eye at the beginning of the 7th round and the second eye at the end of the 7th round. Make magic ring.

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

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same dc, *sk 1 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same dc; repeat from * around 4 times; sk 1 dc, 2 dc in same dc as starting dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting dc to form final ch 3 sp.




Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 of Round 2, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in next dc, * 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in next dc; repeat from * around 4 times; 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 4: To form owl eyes, ch 10 (counts as 1 dc and ch 7), * sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, ch 7, sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp (owl nose made), ch 7; repeat from * around 4 times; sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, ch 7, sk next 3 dc, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 10.

Round 5: 14 sc in next ch 7 sp. If working beads into eyeballs, pull one bead up in the middle of 14 sc, keeping bead on bottom of work so it will be inside eye opening when snowflake is finished. Eyeball placement is a matter of personal preference; you may place the bead anywhere along the opening you deem most visually effective. * Sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, sk next dc, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp; repeat from * around 4 times working in one bead in each 14 sc sequence if appropriate; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, sk next dc, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp, pulling up bead if appropriate; sl st in starting sc.
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 6: To form wings and body, ch 23 (counts as 1 mega tr and ch 15), *1 sc in last sc of 14/sc sequence, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in 1st sc of next 14/sc sequence, ch 15, yo 7 times, yo and draw up loop through nose dc of Round 4, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 8 times (mega tr made), ch 15; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in last sc of 14/sc sequence, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in 1st sc of next 14/sc sequence, ch 15, sl st in 8th ch of starting ch 23.

Round 7: 3 sc in next ch 15 sp, to make toes, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times, 17 sc in same sp, 18 sc in next ch 15 sp, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times; 2 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.



Lacy Owl

Finished Size: 2.5 inches tall and 2 inches wide
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, 2 beads for eyeballs if desired (I used glow-in-the-dark 9x6 barrel pony beads), 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

Instructions

To make owls with bead eyeballs, string 2 beads onto thread. Make magic ring.

First Eye: 6 sc in ring, pull up bead and work into bottom of next sc so bead will be inside eye opening, 18 sc in ring for a total of 24 sc; sl st in starting sc; bind off; weave in ends.

Second Eye: 6 sc in ring, pull up bead and work into bottom of next sc so bead will be inside eye opening; 5 sc in ring, pull up loop from inside ring as if to form next sc and yo through one sc on side of First Eye, lining up bead eyeballs so they are positioned evenly, pull loop through 2 loops on hook, work one more sc joining to First Eye in same manner, 11 sc in ring of Second Eye for a total of 24 sc; sl st in starting sc. Do not bind off.

Body: To form wings and body, ch 15, yo 7 times, yo and draw up loop through joint between 2 eyes, making sure to go through at least 2 threads so as not to pull one thread loose, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 8 times (mega tr made), ch 15; sl st in 6th sc up from bead on First Eye, turn.

Final Row of Body: 18 sc in ch 15 sp, to make toes, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times, 2 sc in same sp, 3 sc in next ch 15 sp, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times; 17 sc in same sp; sl st in next sc of Second Eye; 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 or owl with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake or owl to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake or owl from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke or top of owl head, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake or owl twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake or owl also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle. Owl also may be hung from key chain or zipper pull of item that won't be washed often. Owl may be shaped and restiffened if washed.

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