Dinosaur Egg Monday

I've been wondering for quite a while how a colored snowflake rock might hold up in the garden. Not with my hand-dyed thread – I know that would fade pretty darned fast! I know the store-bought colors will fade with time, too, but what if they add a touch of color to a snow-covered garden in winter? Even for just a year or two?

It's been quite a while since I've shared a recipe for covering a rock with a snowflake, and today's snowflake made the perfect covering for a half dozen dinosaur egg-shaped rocks in my collection, so let's see how long these babies will hold their color.


Today's snowflake also is one I designed for my nephew Eli, who had asked for a dozen blue and white snowflakes for his 12th birthday last month. I confess, I didn't make all of his snowflakes this year. I have been away from the crochet hook quite a bit this year with work obligations and trying to catch up with my Moda Blockheads II (snowflake) project, so I raided my stash and found more than enough blue and white snowflakes (plus a starflake!) to fill the request.


I love how the inside picots form hearts when stretched out for stiffening. The hearts are a bit muted when stretched out on rocks, but in snowflakes, they are a crowning element.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes and/or rocks you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 3 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, dinosaur egg-shaped rock (approximately 4 inches long, 2 inches tall, and 6 to 7 inches around on the short circumference), 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

Dinosaur Egg Love Snowflake and Rock Covering Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc as sl st, [ch 3, 2 dc in next sc] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 hdc over post of dc directly below, 1 sc in same sp, [ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), in next ch 3 sp work (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc)] 5 times; ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, in next ch 3 sp work (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 1), 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 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 4: Ch 12 (counts as 1 dc and ch 10), [1 sc in next ch 3 tip, ch 5, 1 sc in same tip, ch 10] 5 times; 1 sc in next ch 3 tip, then follow directions below depending upon whether you are making a snowflake or a rock cozy:

FOR SNOWFLAKE:


ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 12; bind off. Weave in ends.

FOR ROCK


ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 12 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round. DO NOT BIND OFF.

Round 5: 1 sc over post of tr directly below, [ch 9, 1 sc in next ch 10 sp, ch 9, 1 sc in next ch 5 tip] 5 times; ch 4, 1 trtr in starting sc to form 12th ch 9 sp of Round.

Check to make sure cozy will fit around rock. Stretching the cozy out is okay. You want it to fit the rock tightly. If rock is too big to fit into cozy, repeat Round 5. Repeat again if necessary.

Rounds 6-7: 1 sc over post of trtr directly below, [ch 7, 1 sc in next ch 9 sp (ch 7 sp on Round 7)] 11 times; ch 3, 1 dtr in starting sc to form 12th ch 7 sp of Round.

Check again to make sure cozy will fit around rock. If rock is too big to fit into cozy, You may need to frog Rounds 6 and 7 and repeat Round 5 again. Repeat Rounds 6 & 7 as many times as necessary if Rounds 8-10 make the opening too small for rock.

Rounds 8-10: 1 sc over post of dtr directly below, [ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 7 sp (ch 5 sp on Rounds 9 & 10)] 11 times; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 12th ch 5 sp of Round.

I typically work the final 2 to 3 Rounds while the cozy is on the rock to make sure it will fit. Repeat the final Rounds as many times as necessary to bring the opening almost to a close. You want the opening to be 1 or 2 inches wide. NOTE: Almost every rock will be different! A tiny change in rock size will require fewer or more Rounds!

Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each ch 5 sp around; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Bind off; weave in ends. If desired, you may weave the end around the stitches on the final Round, then pull tight and bind off again. Your rock is now finished and does not need to be stiffened!


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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