Many readers (and co-workers who've NEVER looked at my blog) have asked repeatedly over the years how long my snowflake rocks last. Or how to make them.
Going back through my photos, it looks like I started making snowflake rocks in 2012. Last year I lost the covering to one rock and had to redo it. This year, I found two more (so far) that need to be replaced (shown above).
The other 197 or so rocks still in my garden show no signs of giving up the battle. The rocks that have lost their coverings were in the line of fire (or line of pour...) of the Mountain Dew soda I dumped on my irises in 2015 when slugs were slithering rampant.
I conclude snowflake rocks, or any cotton-covered rocks, can last five years or longer. Just please don't get any Mountain Dew on them. Can you imagine what that stuff must do to your innards when you drink it?!? (No soda pop for me since 2000!!!)
Today's pattern is a variation of the Pasqueflower Snowflake Easter egg pattern, which had an error that has been corrected, modified to cover a rock, with complete instructions. Your assignment, should you choose to accept this challenge, is to find the perfect rock to fit this cozy.
You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes or snowflake rocks you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, 5.5- 7-inch round or oval flat rock
Rock Hard Snowflake Cozy Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through 2nd ch of starting ch 2 and replace loop on hook, pull loop through ch (popcorn stitch made), * ch 5; 5 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc (popcorn stitch made); repeat from * 4 times; ch 2, 1 tr in top of starting popcorn to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.
NOTE: Working the mesh stitch here, as directed below in Round 8, makes a super cute small rock cozy.
Round 2: Ch 8 (counts as 1 dc and ch 6), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 6, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 1 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 6, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 8 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
NOTE: Binding off here and weaving in ends makes a cute little snowflake. It makes an even cuter snowflake if you work the ch/10 tips in Round 2 before binding off, and it makes an adorable little rock cozy with the mesh stitch beginning here.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 7, 2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 2 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 7, 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.
NOTE: Beginning the mesh stitch as directed below with minor adjustments in Round 8 on any of Rounds 2 through 5 will make cute cozies for smaller rocks.
Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 8, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 3 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 8, 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.
NOTE: Adding the ch/10 tip to any of Rounds 3-5 and binding off makes a cute mini version of the Rock Hard Snowflake.
Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 3 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 9, [4 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 4 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 9, 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 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 10, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 10, 5 dc in same tip; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 10, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 5, 1 trtr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 10 tip of Round.
NOTE: If you want to make just the snowflake and not the rock, bind off here and weave in ends. Use stiffening instructions included with any of my other snowflake patterns.
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: 1 sc over post of trtr directly below, *[ch 9, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook] 3 times, ch 4, 1 sc in next ch 10 tip, ch 5, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 6 times, omitting last sc and last ch 5 of final repeat; ch 2, 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.
Round 8: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, [ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 loop] 23 times (23 mesh stitches made), ch 2, 1 dc in starting sc to form 24th ch 5 mesh of Round.
Rounds 9-15 (or number of Rounds required to nearly cover back of rock): 1 sc over post of dc directly below, [ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 mesh] 23 times, ch 2, 1 dc in starting sc to form 24th ch 5 mesh of Round. Check fit around rock several times as you go, but you don't have to keep the rock in the cozy until the final Round.
Round 16 (or final Round): Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each mesh stitch around. I do the first 5 or so before inserting the rock, which keeps the rock from falling out as I finish the Round. Take care not to scrape crochet hook against rock. At end of Round, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 and bind off, leaving a 3- to 4-inch tail. Weave tail through each dc and pull tight, then draw up a loop through next dc with remaining tail, then draw up another loop through next dc and pull through loop on hook, bind off again. Weave remaining tail under a few stitches, and cut off remainder of tail. Place rock in garden or on desk, and note the bright happiness it brings to the space around it, regardless of season or time of day.
I just assumed they lasted a while and that you had to have a lot out there to see. Blah to Mountain Dew and that other crap indeed, never touch the stuff.
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