Snowflake Monday

Last February, my beloved husband took me to the Grand Mesa for some Valentine cross-country skiing. Some of the most beautiful snowflakes I've ever seen were captured that trip!

I thought all the snowflakes appear to have what looked like gemstones or fancy buttons in the center. When we got home, I bought this little package of fancy buttons specifically to make some snowflakes similar to what I saw on the Grand Mesa.


I finally got a chance to work up my first button snowflake, and I'm anxious to go back and buy more buttons now!

Well, I'm anxious to go back to the Grand Mesa for more cross-country skiing now, too!






The campaign I've been volunteering with for the last three months suggested a Do Something Nice Day the day after the election to counter some of the fears, worries and potentially emotional things that could happen that day. I LOVE the idea.


One of the volunteers then created a Project Kindness so we can extend goodwill all the way to Thanksgiving.


I had planned to mail a bunch of my snowflakes to Children's Hospital on Wednesday because that would spread my favorite kind of kindness to many little folks who really need cheer. Then the 8-year-old daughter of one of close friends became enamored with the prototype snowflake I was making to test today's pattern, and she inspired me to invite the girls I teach on Tuesday nights to come to my home tomorrow night and pick up a snowflake they can give to a shut-in, someone they know who might be lonely, someone who may have lost a family member or pet, or just anyone they think might need a kind deed.

So I'm going to encourage 22 little girls to join me in Do Something Nice Day on Wednesday, November 9, which hopefully spreads joy a lot further than I could have done it on my own, and I should still have enough snowflakes to send some to Children's Hospital, too.

Won't you join me, too, in spreading sunshine and snowflakes the day after the election, no matter who wins? Because regardless of who is president, we are still awesome people capable of doing magnificent things. Let's show the whole world what we can do!


Of course, I had to make red, white and blue versions because tomorrow is Election Day... Please vote if you haven't. And Friday is Veteran's Day. Please take time to thank a vet each time you get the opportunity. Spread smiles every chance you get.

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: 6.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, two-holed or three-holed .5-inch to .75 inch button, 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

NOTE: This snowflake may be pinned many different ways. I hope to finish another one in pink on the train this week for my sister-in-law, who should find out today or tomorrow if her lump is cancer. I'll probably do a variation of the blue version pinning for her.


NOVEMBER 14 UPDATE: My sweet sister-in-law got good news! Although she has FOUR cysts, three she did not know about, they are just cysts, not cancer. CELEBRATE! CELEBRATE! DANCE TO THE MUSIC!!! I also discovered three errors in the below pattern. I've fixed them.


Amer I Can Snowflake Instructions

Round 1: 1 sc in button hole, ch 5,[1 sc in same buttonhole, ch 5] 2 times if using a 2-holed button or 1 time if using a 3-holed button, * 1 sc in next buttonhole, [ch 5, 1 sc in same buttonhole] 2 times if using a 2-holed button or 1 time if using a 3-holed button; repeat from * in 3rd buttonhole if using a 3-holed button. You should have 6 sc and 5 ch/5 sp at this point, regardless of how many holes are in your button. Ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, * 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 4 times; 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, 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 3: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of tr directly below, * ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in gap between next 2 dc, ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 9, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 11, 1 sc in 9th ch from hook, ch 13, 1 sc in 11th ch from hook, ch 15, 1 sc in 13th ch from hook, ch 1, working back down branch, sk ch loop just made and next ch, 1 dc in next ch (Round 3 snowflake tip made), ch 11, 1 sc in 11th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 9, 1 sc in 9th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 7, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch on branch, 1 dc in next ch, ** 1 dc in same Round 3 ch 5 tip (snowflake branch or spoke made), ch 3, 1 dc in same ch 5 sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 2 dc and last 3 ch of final repeat (marked by ** above); 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 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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