Snowflake Monday

Every year as I'm packaging snowflakes as gifts, I stumble across a few I don't really like. I might not like the color of thread. I might not like the design. Or the snowflake might have seven points instead of six. (My mother-of-seven mom likes the 7-pointers, though...)

A couple of years ago when I lost an entire batch of snowflakes by using the wrong kind of glue that left permanent residue, readers suggested I cut up the undesirable snowflakes to use in collages and other craft projects. I've yet to do that, but it's always been on my mind.

After setting aside a stack of snowflakes this year, I noticed the cascading sizes gave the appearance of a tree. That gave me an idea!

I strung some large beads between horizontal snowflakes and came up with a pretty unique little ornament! I'm sharing a photo I hope will inspire you to use up those undesirable flakes that just didn't turn out the way you like them.










This project left me in the mood for lace tree decorations. I played around with some Bernat Handicrafter crochet thread I'd picked up at a garage sale and came up with this pattern. I didn't really like this thread when I tried using it for snowflakes. It's soft with an appealing sheen, but it makes fuzzy, fibrous snowflakes. Fuzzy and fibrous aren't too bad for a tree.

Look!!! My pattern made top five in Ravelry for a while!!! Happy dance!!!


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


Finished Size: 7 inches tall
Materials: Size 5 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty yarn cone or homemade cone, plastic wrap, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush
NOTE: This pattern is written in the round, enabling the crocheter to stop at any point to allow crocheter discretion as to tree height.

Enchanted Forest Tree Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; do not join.

Round 2: * 1 dc in next sc, 2 dc in next sc; repeat from * around 2 times for a total of 9 dc; do not join.

Round 3: * 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same dc (short branch made), 1 sc in next dc; repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 4 short branches; do not join.

Round 4: Ch 2, * 1 dc around next sc from back, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc (V-stitch made); repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 4 V-stitches; do not join.

Round 5: 1 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in same sp (V-stitch made), 1 V-stitch in the top of each of next 4 V-stitch for a total of 5 V-stitches in round; do not join.

Round 6: * Ch 2, 1 dc in top of next V-stitch, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 sc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (short branch made); repeat from * around 4 times, ending with last sc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch; do not join.
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 7: Ch 2, 1 dc around next sc between branches from back, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc (V-stitch made, and pattern stitch is repeated throughout project), * 1 dc around next sc between branches, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc; repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 5 V-stitches, 1 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in same sp; do not join this round or any succeeding round unless directed to do so.

Round 8: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 6 V-stitches around.

Round 9: * Ch 2, 1 dc in top of next V-stitch, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 sc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (short branch made); repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 short branches, ending with last sc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 10: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next sc between branches from back and around each of next 5 sc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 7 V-stitches.

Round 11: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 7 V-stitches around.

Round 12: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 6 times for a total of 7 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 13: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 6 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 8 V-stitches.

Round 14: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 8 V-stitches around.

Round 15: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 7 times for a total of 8 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 16: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 7 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 9 V-stitches.

Round 17: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 9 V-stitches around.

Round 18: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 8 times for a total of 9 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 19: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 8 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 10 V-stitches.

Round 20: 1 V-stitch in top of each of next 5 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between 5th and 6th V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of next 5 V-stitches for a total of 11 V-stitches around.

Round 21: * Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * 5 times, working 2nd tr of 5th branch in V-stitch increase; repeat from * 5 more times for a total of 10 large branches, ending with last tr of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 22: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next tr between branches from back and around each of next 9 tr between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 11 V-stitches.

Round 23: 1 V-stitch in top of each of next 3 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between 3rd and 4th V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of next 5 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of remaining 3 V-stitches for a total of 13 V-stitches around.

Round 24: * Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * around, working 2nd tr of 3rd and 8th branches into V-stitch increases to maintain a total of 11 large branches, ending with last tr of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 25: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next tr between branches from back and around each of next 10 tr between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 12 V-stitches.

Round 26: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 12 V-stitches around, working 3 V-stitch increases evenly spaced around for a total of 15 V-stitches.

Round 27: Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * around, working 2nd tr of branches into V-stitch increases to maintain a total of 12 total branches, working a medium branch in last V-stitch of round; ch 2, sl st into next ch 2 sp; bind off. Weave in finishing end. Tuck starting end into top of tree.

Finish: Wrap yarn cone or homemade cone with plastic wrap. Soak tree in desired stiffener. (I used Epsom salt.) Position tree over cone. Shape branches. Allow to dry thoroughly. Gently remove tree from cone. Embellish as desired.


Finished Size: 5.5 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

Enchanted Forest Snowflake Instructions

Ch 6, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
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 3 (counts as 1 dc), * sk 1 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 6, 1 dc in same sc; repeat from * around 4 times; sk 1 next sc, 1 dc in same sc as sl st, ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.


Round 3: * 3 sc in next ch 6 sp, ch 10, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.


Round 4: * Ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 10 loop, * [ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 2 dc in same loop] 3 times, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 6, sl st in sc, ch 4, sl st in sc, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, [2 dc in same loop, ch 3, sl st in dc just worked] 3 times, 2 dc in same loop, ch 2, sl st in gap between next 2 3/sc groups; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc of Round 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.

The temptation to crochet a simple chain loop at the end of any snowflake and use that for hanging is very real. I did that, too, for many years, until I discovered the twirl motion possible when attaching finished snowflakes to one strand of sewing thread or fishing line. In my opinion, threading a sewing needle (which I must now do with reading glasses) to string my snowflakes is so worth the extra effort. Here's what that magical twirl motion looks like:


Twirls!

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