Snowflake Monday

When I first saw this particular thread colorway, perhaps years ago in Hobby Lobby, I didn't like it. It's rare for me to walk away from multi-colored thread!

The Lizard accompanied me on a thread-shopping trip last fall, and he fell hard for this particular colorway, called Aspen. So I bought some.

He approved of my idea to make "manly" flakes with what I considered a masculine colorway. We spent Thanksgiving weekend in Grand Junction and did a bit of mountain biking near Loma. It was my first time on single track since… Well, I can't remember when I last rode The Lizard's Green Queen on single track. (Yes, he names each of his bikes.)

I had to walk the bike a lot, but I did navigate three different short, beginner trails while The Lizard rode advanced and technical big loops averaging up to 35 miles per day. Of course, this means I finished long before him each day, and I made "manly" snowflakes while I waited for him at the trailhead.












The Lizard commented this thread colorway matches the desert, even though the colorway is named for a mountain town known for radiant aspens in autumn. This colorway features the off-white of desert rocks and mountain bike trails, the brown of sand, sage green so prevalent in the desert, the blue-gray of juniper berries and limestone and the minty green of the collared lizard. My Lizard even gave this set of snowflakes a group name of their own: Manflakes!

Loma, Colorado, is the start (or end, depending upon which way you travel) of the 140-mile Kokopelli Trail stretching across the desert and often hugging the Colorado River all the way to Moab, Utah. Average cyclists better than me can ride the entire trail in five to six days, but some super cyclists do it in a day. Whew! The Lizard hopes to be counted among that number one day. (!!!)

I designed five "Manflakes" in Loma last Thanksgiving. As a special treat, The Lizard will be presenting the rest of this family of snowflakes in the next four weeks of Snowflake Mondays, along with photos and commentary on the trails from which the snowflake names are taken.

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: 4.5 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 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

Loma Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 8, sl st in top of dc just made, * 3 dc in ring, ch 8, sl st in top of dc just made; repeat from * around 3 times; 3 dc in ring, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3, ch 3, 1 dtr in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 to form final ch 8 loop. Do not pull magic ring too 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: 1 sc in loop just made, * ch 12, sl st in 7th ch from hook, ch 6, 1 sc in next ch 8 loop; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc. (To keep the ch 8 loops open on the rock, I worked 5 sc instead 1 of in each loop.)

Round 3: Ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), * 6 dc in next ch 6 loop, [ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made, 3 dc in ring] twice, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made, 6 dc in ring, ch 3, 1 dc in next sc, ch 3; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc and ch 3 of final repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 6; 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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