Snowflake Monday

Today's pattern is from the blue "dinosaur egg" I made for one of my grands for Easter. Can you figure out the dinosaur inspiration for today's Blue pattern name? I'll give you a clue later on in this post.

This flake and pattern have such a story to go with them. I finished the prototype flake one morning while aboard the commuter train. I walked 1.2 miles to the office where I work. I planned to write the pattern that day at lunch. I didn't get a lunch. I worked late. I rushed out of the building to catch the train (so I wouldn't have to wait another half hour for the next train), got a seat, then unzipped my backpack to pull out my crochet bag to make another flake just like the prototype, but from white or off-white, whatever I had in my bag.

But there was no crochet bag. No crochet hook. No range of hand-dyed colors. No miniature scissors. No prototype snowflake. I couldn't remember if I had left the bag on my desk at work, or if I had carried it to the train and somehow forgotten I was carrying it, dropping it. Or perhaps I didn't zip my backpack, and the crochet bag had fallen out. What if I'd lost it that morning during my walk??? I was devastated because my grandmother's crochet hook was in that bag, and I wasn't sure I'd ever see it again.

I was a little worried I might not be able to duplicate the rather unusual flake, but I was more concerned about losing that L'Oreal crochet hook. Yes, I can buy one on Etsy or Amazon or Ebay, but a purchased one would never be the same as the one my grandmother, who taught me to crochet, used, with failing eyesight, to make luxurious table cloths, collars and doilies.

I also was a bit sick to my stomach over the potential loss of eight or nine colors of hand-dyed crochet thread. I can dye more. I will dye more. But a part of me died inside because I'd lost my hand-dyed.

I could get off the train at the next stop and wait a half an hour or so to take the next train back downtown, wait for the elevator, go back to my desk and look for the crochet bag, then wait potentially another hour for the next train on the decreasing evening schedule. I was tempted. I even stood at the door and waited for the next stop, but didn't get off. I wanted to be able to spend what precious time I could with my husband that night, and going back would rob me of that sweet couple of hours.

Most evenings, I can't crochet on the train because it's too packed. This particular Friday night, I had a whole bench to myself, and no hook, no thread. All I could do was look out the window at the cloudy skies and feel the raindrops on my cheeks. Yes, inside the train. My cheeks were wet. It must have been raining inside the train.

Doesn't that make today's snowflake name fit this pattern even better???

That sleepless night, I got up and hunted through all my crochet hook stashes. I found all my super tiny steel hooks... 16, 15, 14, 13, a couple of 12s, about two dozen 10s (guess that must have been my favorite size at some point), a couple of 8s and a couple of 7s (one of which I set aside for the new crochet bag), a brand new, unopened package of three size 7 hooks, and a single L'Oreal crochet hook!!! It was not gone! I wisely had put it away for safekeeping! Probably after previously almost losing it... I put it away again, so thankful I had realized (and then forgotten) how important that hook is to me, and I probably won't ever use it outside my house again. I still couldn't sleep, but this time, it was because I was so excited. I felt as if I'd held my grandmother's hand! I lost her in 1979!

The following Monday, I picked out six or seven more hand-dyed threads, the size 7 hook I'd set aside, a different pair of tiny embroidery scissors and another crochet bag. I put them in my backpack, and Lizard and I disappeared out into the 5:30 a.m. dusk to walk and stalk wildlife before I had to catch the train. The sky was still threatening to rain, but all we got were a few countable drops. Just enough to frizz my hair.

I caught the train and designed a new snowflake during my commute. At the end of the line, I got off the train, took the elevator back up, and reported to my desk, where my crochet bag sat patiently waiting for me!

Hmmm... perhaps I'll have to name the flake I designed that morning Lost World...

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: 8 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, 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

Cloud Island Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2, [yo and draw up loop through ring, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook (beginning cluster stitch made), [ch 3, [[yo and draw up loop through ring, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yo and draw through all 4 loops on hook (cluster stitch made)] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in starting cluster st to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), [1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3] 5 times; 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip (or 12th ch 3 sp) of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [1 dc in next dc, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp] 6 times, omitting last ch 3 and last dc of final repeat; 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 9 (counts as 1 dc and ch 7), [1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 7] 5 times; 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in same ch as sl st, [1 dc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 tr in next dc, 1 tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 tr in same sp, 1 tr in next dc] 6 times, omitting last ch 5 and last tr of final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round.

Round 6: Ch 15 (counts as 1 dtr and ch 11), [1 dtr in next ch 5 tip, ch 7, 1 dtr in same tip, ch 11] 5 times; 1 dtr in next ch 5 tip, ch 7, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 15.

Round 7: Ch 4 (counts as 1 dtr), [1 dtr in next ch, 1 tr in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 tr in next ch, 1 dtr in next ch and in next tr, in next ch 7 tip work (3 trtr, 2 quadtr, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 4, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 4, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 quadtr, 3 trtr), 1 dtr in next dtr] 6 times, omitting last dtr of final repeat; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4; 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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