Here's another cool word I found on Word Spy. A pair of bloggers coined the word in 2009, and news media picked it up a couple of times in 2011. The original bloggers started a new blog in 2010, and that has vanished like snow in summer. The word blizzaster looked as though it might melt away, too.
Well, now Blizzaster will live on for a very, very long time!
I have snowflake surprises all week long right here on Snowcatcher, leading up to Saturday's official Snowflake Day. Oh, you will not believe what I've made this time. I can't wait to share it with you!!! But wait is exactly what I'm going to do. The best snowflake thing I've ever made will be announced on February 6!
Feel free to join in the Snowflake Ball activities at Sisters of the Snowflake!
You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Size: 3.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, school glue (make sure it's water soluble), water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line
Blizzaster Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in 1st sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
Round 2: Draw up loop to near size of dc (counts as 1st of 4 dc cluster loops), [yo and draw up loop] 3 times, yo and draw through all 7 loops on hook (dc cluster made), ch 3, * sk next sc, [yo and draw up loop] 4 times, yo and draw through all 9 loops on hook, ch 3; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in top of starting dc cluster.
Round 3: *1 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; 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 4: 1 *sc in next hdc, 1 hdc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next hdc; repeat from * around 5 times; DO NOT sl st in starting sc!
NOTE: Working a favorite picot at the tips on this Round and binding off here makes a cute little snowflake.
Round 5: 1 *sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next hc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
NOTE: Working picots at the joints, working the Round 6 tip picots on this Round and binding off here makes a cute little snowflake.
Round 6: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 2), *2 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, sl st in top of last dc worked, [2 dc in same sp, ch 3, sl st in top of last dc worked] 2 times, 2 dc in same dc, ch 2, 1 dc between next 2 sc, ch 2; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with last 2 dc in ch 3 sp on final repeat, ch 2, sl st in 3rd 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.
Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. 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 snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.
Another good one indeed at your feed. All week long, so I'm not losing it haha Blizzaster is a fun word.
ReplyDeleteYes, Pat, 5 more, well, then the regular one next Monday, too! Snowing inside and out here, a real Blizzaster!
DeleteThese look like heavy spring flakes. They're definitely blizzaster flakes. What happened to our local blizzaster? Maybe I'm too impatient.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, beautiful flakes.
Well, what do you think of our 12 inches now, Lizard? Is that enough of a blizzaster for you? (Me either; I could have lived with two or three feet!)
DeleteI can't wait to see what your special surprise will be! I only managed to make two snowflakes last year (too many other projects), hopefully I'll be more inspired this year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Krista, and sometimes we all need to take breaks! Once I finish this year's fundraiser PDF booklet, I might be taking a break from flakes for a while. I'm ready for flowers and spring, as far as crocheting goes!
DeleteWhat a fun and chunky little snowflake. Blizzaster ... very interesting word! I think you need to coin a word. If you do, let me know and I'll start a buzz over at my place.
ReplyDeleteHey, just thought of a word myself. Blizzapointment: the feeling snow-lovers get when a much-hyped winter storm turns out to yield only a few inches of snow. (We're experiencing it right now.)
:D
I LOVE blizzapointment! And we had a bit of that here ourselves! They said we'd get at least 18 inches, and we got only about 12! Did get a snow day out of it, though. That was AWESOME!!!
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