Snowflake Monday

Photo by Brett Atkinson
We were SO excited when Waterton Canyon opened again after eight weeks of being closed due to people trying to take selfies with the bears, I asked my bosses if I could take off early so we could ride on Opening Day before the sun set.

I designed this snowflake the next day.

The third week after I first decided to name some of my snowflakes after Colorado's 14ers (Five years ago next month; can you believe it???), I wasn't able to get out to take a picture of the next flake in front of the namesake mountain. I was so discouraged because I'd come up with this magnificent idea, and right off the bat, I wasn't able to completely follow through.

Initially, I wanted to name that snowflake (which became my Mount Antero Snowflake, just without a picture of it in front of the mountain) Waterton because I could get a picture of the snowflake there. I can't imagine the St. Elmo Pomander being called Waterton now. St. Elmo, the little ghost town at the foot of Antero, fits so much better!

Perhaps it's good I wasn't able to shoot my snowflake in front of its mountain so early on. There have been many, many weeks since when I couldn't escape to the mountains for a picture of a snowflake. I have pictures of the mountains, so perhaps it was never critical to get pictures of the snowflakes WITH their mountains. More important just to get the snowflake patterns done and published, right?

Waterton Canyon is a 6.5-mile stretch of the South Platte River traveling through the foothills of the Front Range and forming the border between Jefferson and Douglas counties. The canyon also serves as the launching point for the east-to-west journey along the Colorado Trail, a 485-mile cross-state trail that runs from Waterton all the way to Durango, Colorado.

Another Waterton has captured my imagination for about 25 years, but I've yet to be able to visit it so far. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was created in 1932 by the joining of the American park Glacier and Canadian park Waterton. I hope one day to be snowflake-inspired by the beautiful vistas of this unique park. Heaven only knows this world needs more peace in a very big way.

More Waterton Canyon photos and a short bighorn movie from Opening Day and our adventure on the third open day tomorrow! And because I'm a Waterton junkie, more photos from the following weekend on Wordless Wednesday!






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 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


Waterton Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Don't pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: * In next sc work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, sk next sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.

Round 3: Ch 9 (counts as 1 dc and ch 6), sk over next picot, 1 dc in joint between petals, ch 6; repeat from * around 4 times, omitting last ch 3 of final repeat; 1 tr in 3rd ch of starting ch 9 to form 6th ch 6 sp of Round.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of tr directly below, * ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 3 dc in next ch 6 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 3 dc in next ch 6 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of dc directly below (or in same sp on repeats), * ch 5, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 5, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.
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: Ch 5, counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, * 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 sc over next ch 5, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting second to last dc, last ch 3 and last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5; 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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