Snowflake Monday

I recently had to spend crochet time in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles because I walked away from a very old (22-year and 433,000-plus-mile) friend and am attempting to build a good relationship with a new (25,000-mile) used friend. I was warned in advance the wait could take a couple of hours. I opted to spend that couple of hours outside in the beautiful spring weather before the office opened. I took a folding chair so I could sit and crochet while I waited.

I was first in line!!! Three people were behind me within in seconds, and by the time the office opened, there were at least 11 more people in line, all six feet apart, and no smiles showing due to masks. That alone had the potential to turn a painful time even more sour.

Getting there early paid off; I was in and out of the building in just a few minutes. However, I have to go back because Lizard, who is not able to wait in long lines and had to stay home, has to sign one more piece of paperwork.

I plan repeat the process when I return. I wonder if I'll have just enough time to make another snowflake, like I did the first time around. And I wonder if everyone in line will bring their own lawn chairs. That first time, every person who got in line commented they should have brought a chair, too.

As I was typing this blog post, I was trying to decide what to name the snowflake, which, by the way, I absolutely love. This snowflake helped turn some of my grief into hope and a tiny bit of my feeling of loss into a tender smile – because how can you not smile when you look at all the little hearts? That loss inspired this snowflake.

I made myself giggle when I combined the two words that resulted from my DMV visit, and I decided template would be a good name because the word means pattern… a process for turning something into something else. This snowflake (and the entire experience) is a model for turning something somber into something cheerful.

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: 5 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.

Template Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [Pc in ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in top of starting pc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 5 times; ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, 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.
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 3: Ch 12 (counts as 1 dc and ch 10), [in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), ch 10] 5 times; 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 12 to form 5th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [in next ch 10 sp work (2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc), in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch (branch made), ch 7, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch (right half of heart picot made), ch 4, 1 dc in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch (left half of heart picot made), work 1 dc in top and 1 dc in bottom of 3rd dc of right half of heart picot, sl st in next ch (heart picot made), ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch (branch made), sl st in next ch (beneath 1st branch) ch 1, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of 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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