Snowflake Monday

I've always had this penchant for glow-in-the-dark. Always. I seriously mean always. I can remember being fascinated by fireflies when I was about 4 years old, even though I was a girly girl and hated bugs.

I was in love with the face on my dad's watch, which glowed in the dark.

When neon became popular, I think in the 70s, I was smitten. My neon paint set wasn't as awesome as anything that glowed, but I can remember many happy hours spent beneath a blacklight to try to make my painted doll furniture "glow". I even crafted a make-believe blacklight for my dollhouse, which my dad built for me in 1972.

Did you know wintergreen LifeSavers emit sparks of glow? Try chewing one in front of a mirror in a dark restroom. My grandkids LOVED learning this and testing the fact!

Ever since Elmer's introduced glow-in-the-dark glue (which was intended for making glow-in-the-dark slime), I've been crafting glow-in the dark snowflakes on almost a weekly basis. They make great gifts, and kids love them.

I recently decided I should look into glow-in-the-dark beads. What else to better embellish a snowflake?

I was shocked to learn there aren't many jewelry beads that glow. But there are glow-in-the-dark fishing beads!!!

When my first package (plain light-colored beads that glow in the standard pastel yellowy green) arrived, I immediately thought of one of the snowflakes on the shower curtain Lizard put up for me many years ago.

And that was the inspiration for today's flake.

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: 6 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, 18 beads (I used 8 mm glow-in-the-dark fishing beads), 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

Go Glow Snowflake Instructions

String 18 beads onto thread. Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 23 dc in ring, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 1), sk next dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 1, sk next dc, 2 dc in next dc] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 3.
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 6 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 4), sk next ch 1 sp, 1 fptrtr around next dc, ch 2, catching bead in 2nd ch, sl st in 1st ch and in top of fptrtr, ch 4, sk next ch 1 sp, 1 dc between next 2 dc*, ch 3, catching bead in 3rd ch, ch 9, 1 tr in 7th ch from hook, ch 3, catching bead in 3rd ch, working back down spoke, sl st in next 2 ch and in top of tr, ch 6, sl st in same ch as tr, sl st in next 2 ch and in bead ch, ch 2, 1 dc between same *Round 2 dc stitches] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 6; 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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