Snowflake Monday

This week I celebrate a quarter of a century working at the same place. Later this year, I will celebrate a decade of snowflake patterns here on Snowcatcher. I thought a cute way to mark these momentous events would be to give my first published snowflake pattern a fresh update. My first attempt was made with silver Lizbeth Metallic, which I bought last year while making golden snowflakes for my parents' 50th anniversary. At the time, I thought if I was going to buy the gold, I might as well buy the silver, too. Never know when it might come in handy…

In December I wished I had bought the Christmas green and Christmas red, too, and now, with July 4 looming, I'm wishing I had suggested they make a blue suitable for a patriotic flake, which I would combine with the Christmas red and either the iridescent (which I also bought last year, because, you know...) or the silver. It's too late to suggest a new color in time for July now. (And I see they aren't accepting color suggestions for the metallic thread anyway, darn it.)


I've always thought I would make a silver snowflake to name after La Plata Peak, my sixth solo 14er (although you're NEVER truly alone on any of Colorado's high peaks), using the silver toner bags we used to get every week at work back when I first started making snowflakes every single week nearly ten years ago. I saved about three bags and put out the word to all my co-workers that I could beautifully recycle their bags, if they would just save them for me. I think one co-worker remembered to give me a used bag before the packaging was changed, mostly likely to be more eco-friendly. So I never got that particular plarn-like snowflake made.


Perhaps I'll find another source of silver wrapping to recycle into another snowflake pattern in time for the tenth anniversary this fall. In the meantime, I absolutely loved updating my first published pattern. Perhaps I need to go back and redo some of the others. Ugly Snowflake comes to mind...


the first snowflake pattern I published and shared
La Plata means silver. A very special trip report on that peak will appear on my blog tomorrow. I might even try to throw together a Wordless Wednesday with archive La Plata photos, too. If I have a chance, I'll run up there. But Independence Pass was still closed with heavy snowfall as I wrote this post.

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: 9 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

SPECIAL STITCHES:

Popcorn Stitch (pc)

Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Foundation Double Crochet (fdc)

Ch 3, yo, draw up loop through 3rd ch from hook, yo and draw through 1 loop on hook (foundation chain or fch made), [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times (starting fdc made), yo, draw up loop through fch, yo and draw through 1 loop on hook (fdc made), [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times (continuing fdc made).


La Plata Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [Pc in ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last ch 3 of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in top of starting pc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 point of Round.

Round 3: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc] 5 times, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
NOTE: Binding off here makes a cute little flake.


Round 4: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), [sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc dec across next 2 dc, 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc dec across next 2 dc, ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next dc, * ch 3, 1 dc in same dc, ch 3] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round (and 18th ch 3 sp of Round).

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 5, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc dec across next 3 dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc dec (picot made), ch 5, sk next ch 3 sp, 2 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same ch 3 sp] 6 times, omitting last ch 3 and last 2 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc into 2nch ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
NOTE: Working ch 7 tips instead of ch 3 tips and binding off here makes an adorable little flower flake.


Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc, 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 11, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 5 times; ch 11, 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.

Round 7: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc, 3 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 13, in next ch 3 tip work (4 dc, ch 3, 4 dc)] 5 times; ch 13, 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 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc, 4 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 7, 1 sc over Round 7 ch 13 and Round 6 ch 11, ch 3, 1 sc over same chains, ch 7, 5 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, work fdc into 3rd ch from hook, work 5 more fdc, ch 7, sl st in 4th ch from hook, 1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, work 5 more fdc, ch 2, sl st in fch, 5 dc in same ch 3 tip] 6 times, omitting last 5 dc of final repeat; sl st in starting ch 2 ; 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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