Clematis Monday

My first clematis came with our house. We moved in during the Memorial Day weekend that year, and then I trained for and participated in my first Trek. I didn't find out until the next year just how many flowers had already been planted on our property.

The first clematis was a gorgeous, narrow-petaled purple flower growing on the fence. Some years it prospers; some years I don't see a single blossom. Typically it blooms while we're away at Ride the Rockies and is done by the time we get home. Thanks to all the rain we've had this year, that first clematis exploded with blossoms while we were gone for Ride the Rockies. My now six-year-old neighbor took care of my garden while we were gone, and she told me about the wall of purple on our fence.


Our second clematis came in a pot I bought at a local hardware store. The full magenta blossoms were stunning! I kept the plant in the pot that year, then put the pot on the porch for a few weeks the following spring after a winter indoors, hoping it would adapt when I planted it along the fence right next to the big brother purple clematis.

Within two weeks of being planted, the second clematis was withered and gone.


If I find another plant I love as much as the one I lost, I'll try again adding it to our garden. Until then, crocheted clematis will have to suffice.

Other flower flakes in this series include:

Mother's Day Snowflake Motif
Sunflake III
Daisyflake
Picotee Snowflake
Chamomile Snowflake
Lobelia Snowflake
Hoyaflake
Daffodil Snowflake
Windflower Snowflake
Blue Flax Snowflake
Spiderwort Snowflake
Love in a Mist Snowflake
Iris Snowflake
Spring Star Flower Snowflake
Sixifrage Snowflake

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


Finished Size: flower, 2 inches across; snowflake, 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 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

Clematis Snowflake Instructions

With yellow or stamen color, make magic ring.

Round 1: [Sl st in ring, ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch] 6 times. Don't pull magic ring too tight yet.

Round 2: [Sl st around back of next stamen over next ring sl st, ch 7, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch] 6 times. Now you can pull magic ring tight.

Round 3: [1 sc around back of next stamen into next ring sl st, ch 8, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 5 ch] 6 times; bind off.

Round 4: With hot pink or main flower petal color and working from back of motif around stamens, * 1 sc in any sc (or next sc in repeats), ch 7, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc in next ch; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 petals; 1 sc in starting sc.

Round 5: * 1 sc in bottom of next dc, 1 hdc in bottom of next hdc, 3 dc in bottom of next hdc, 1 hdc in bottom of next sc, 1 sc in bottom of next sc, 1 sc in ch 2 tip, ch 2, 1 sc in same sp, working back down petal 1 sc in next sc, 1 hdc in next sc, 3 dc in next hdc, 1 hdc in next hdc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc in next sc; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in next sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Round 6: With light pink or outer petal color, * 1 sc in any sc between petals (or next sc between petals on repeats), 1 sc in each of next 8 st to point of petal, ch 2, 1 sc in each of next 8 st to petal joint; repeat from * around 6 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off, weave in ends. End here if making only flower. If making snowflake, keep going.
NOTE: I skipped this Round for the purple clematis.
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: With green if making leaves and working from back of motif, 1 dc catching 2 threads at the base of any white petal, * ch 5, 1 dc catching 2 threads at base of next white petal; repeat from * around 4 times, ch 2, 1 tr in starting dc to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, 2 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp, * 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, 2 hdc in same sp; 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 2 dc in same sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. (If making leaves, bind off green here and work remainder of Rounds in white.).

Round 9: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, 1 dc in gap between next 2 sc, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 2 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, 1 dc in gap between next 2 sc, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 3 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 11: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 3 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 2 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 4 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 2 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 12: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 3 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 5 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, [1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5] 3 times, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; 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.


My vest is still coming right along!

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