I've always been fascinated by snowflakes. I have multiple copies of Snowflake Bentley books because my family and friends all know how much I love snowflakes. When modern snowflake photographers first began sharing online the gorgeous flakes they captured, I hoped one day I might be able to photograph snowflakes as well as they did.
I'm still a novice, and I'm still admiring all the flakes captured by other photographers. Don Komarechka is one of my many favorites, and he has shared so many snowflakes I'd like to crochet! Here is my interpretation of one he captured in 2018. He called the features "circles, canyons and caves." His description alone took me back to my desert southwest days, where I rarely saw snowflakes. This beautiful specimen brought back many pleasant memories of Carlsbad Caverns; hence the snowflake name.
Today's pattern is another that enables a different look with each round. I was able to create eight snowflakes using this one pattern! Very helpful in my quest to finish 80 snowflakes for my mother-in-law's 80th birthday this year!!! Consider today's pattern sort of a bonus to make up for next week, when I will have no pattern. But please do visit each day next week for something special!
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: 7 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
Spelunker Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Don't pull magic circle too tight.
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), [1 fpdc around next sc, ch 1, 1 bpdc around next sc, ch 1] 5 times; 1 fpdc around next sc, ch 1, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 3.
Round 3: 3 sc in every ch 1 sp around for a total of 36 sc; sl st in starting sc.
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 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch as sl st, [ch 3, sk next 5 sc, 5 dc in next sc] 5 times; ch 3, 2 dc in same ch as starting 2 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 5: Ch 9 (counts as 1 dc and ch 7), [1 dc in next middle (3rd) dc of next 5/dc shell, ch 3, 1 dc in same dc, ch 7] 5 times; 1 dc in same ch as Round 4 sl st, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 9 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.
Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [7 dc in next ch 7 sp, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp] 5 times; 7 dc in next ch 7 sp, 3 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 7: Ch 13 (counts as 1 sc and ch 12), [1 sc in next ch 3 tip, ch 10, 1 sc in 6th ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, 1 sc in same ch 3 tip, ch 12] 6 times, omitting last ch 12 of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 13.
Round 8: [1 sc in each of next 12 ch, ch 2, in next ch 5 tip work ((3 dc, ch 3) 3 times, 3 dc,), ch 2] 6 times; sl st in starting sc.
Round 9: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 1), sk next sc, 1 tr in each of next 2 sc, yo 2 times and draw up loop through next sc, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times (2 loops remaining on hook), sk next 2 sc, yo 2 times and draw up loop through next sc, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times (upside down tr V-st made), 1 tr in each of next 2 sc, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 tr in next sc, sk next 2 ch and next 3 dc, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, [[draw up loop through middle of dc just made, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook]] 2 times (dc increase made), 2 dc), 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (4 dc, [[draw up loop through middle of dc just made, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook]] 2 times (dc increase made), 3 dc), 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, [[draw up loop through middle of dc just made, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook]] 2 times (dc increase made), 2 dc), sk next 3 dc and next 2 ch, 1 tr in next sc] 6 times, omitting last tr of final repeat; sl st in 3rd 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.
(I ran out of glow-in-the-dark glue.)
It's lvoely to see the snowflake grow. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Regula! I hadn't thought of it in that perspective, but I love thinking of flakes that way! I'll have to do this more often!
DeleteWOW ... you inspire me to no end!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patty!
DeleteI love this. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sue!
DeleteYour patterns are always so much fun to try, but I feel like I'm missing how to get the 'stolen from round 7 points' snowflake. Did you just block it differently or did you add chains to the points during round 6? Sorry if I'm overlooking something, I'm somewhat new to this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, BossLady! I did literally steal the points from Round 7. Instead of doing the ch 3 on each point, I worked the points as directed on Round 7. I thought it turned out pretty cool that way.
Deleteohh I see, I wasn't clever enough for your riddle! Thanks! =)
Delete