Snowflake Monday

Back in the month of May,
When I couldn't ride or crochet,
Dyeing thread brought a smile
Though it would be a while
Before those gorgeous colors new
Might become a stitch or two.

So I've had this entire sack of beautiful hand-dyed threads for nearly five months now, and all I could do was look at it. I couldn't crochet because my right arm was in too much pain and my fingers were numb.


However, I did sneak in a snowflake or two just to see if I could do it. Today's pattern is one of those attempts. My elbow hurt so bad after I finished, I couldn't even type out the pattern. Look closely, though. Does this snowflake have a lot of heart or what?!?


I'm not out of the woods yet, even though I have finished paying for physical therapy. (Whew!) I expect I'll be doing my stretches and exercises the rest of my life. No complaints.

At this point, I still have pain when I crochet. Or shift the standard gears in my 4Runner. Or manage to sleep through sticking my arm under my pillow at night. But I can make one flake a day without getting my tender elbow and numb fingers into too much trouble.

My ergonomic mouse allows me to type without pain. Thank heavens! Retouching in Photoshop still gives me fits if I do it too long, which is why a lot of my blog and Instagram photos the past five months have been iPhone shots. No retouching necessary.

It's high school senior portrait season now, and teenagers usually need retouching. So I'm finding ways to get it done. I'm putting a lot of heart into it.

I'm not going to give up on crocheting, driving or retouching. I'm going to keep giving the things I love my whole heart!

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: 4.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in 2 colors, 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

Give You My Heart Snowflake Instructions

With white, make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, remove hook from loop and insert in 2nd ch of starting ch 2, insert hook back through loop of 4th dc and pull through ch loop (starting popcorn stitch made), * ch 10, 1 dc in 6th ch from hook, [ch 1, sk next ch, 1 dc in next ch] 2 times, 5 dc in ring, pull hook out of loop (dropped loop) and insert in top loop of 1st dc of this 5/dc group, insert in dropped loop, pull dropped loop through top loop of 1st dc (popcorn stitch made); repeat from * around 4 times; ch 10, 1 dc in 6th ch from hook, [ch 1, sk next ch, 1 dc in next ch] 2 times; sl st in top of starting popcorn. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: [Working up spoke, 2 sc in each of next 2 ch 1 sp, in ch 5 tip work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc and 2 sc, working back down spoke, 2 sc in each of next 2 ch 1 sp] 6 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Round 3: With contrast color, * 1 dc in middle dc tip of any spoke (or same dc on repeats), ch 1, 1 dc in same st, ch 1, sk 1 dc, 1 dc in next hdc, ch 1, sk next hdc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc, sk next sc, yo and draw up loop through next sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw up loop through top of next popcorn st, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, sk next sc, yo and draw up loop through next sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, yo and draw through all 4 loops on hook (dc dec made), [sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1] 2 times, ch 1, sk next hdc, 1 dc in next hdc, ch 1, sk next dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 1, 1 dc in same dc, ch 3; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting dc; bind off. Weave in ends.
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: With white, * 3 dc in any ch 3 tip (or same ch 3 tip on repeats), sk next ch 1 sp, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 7, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1 (heart center picot made), sk next 4 ch 1 sp, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last ch 3 of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in starting dc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and ch 5), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, * ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook (long picot made), 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in middle of dc of heart center picot (catching at least 2 threads) as shown below, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook (long picot made), 3 dc in next ch 3 tip, [ch 3], 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with [ch 3] on final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 7; bind off. Weave in ends.


catch at least 2 threads when making sc in middle of dc of heart center picot




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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