Snowflake Monday

As I write today's blog post (Saturday morning), this is not what I wanted to be doing nor where I wanted to be. I had planned to be in the backyard, working on the landscaping, now that my backdoor stairs are finished. I didn't know how close to the house I could take my red sand and decorative flagstone, so this portion of the project has been on hold for months.

I've been working late every night for the last couple of weeks, which is typical this time of year, so I haven't had any daylight to get any landscaping (or more volunteer grape hyacinth bulb digging!) done during the week, so I've been really anxious to get outside to get some sunshine! (I'm replanting the hundreds of grape hyacinth bulbs EVERYWHERE! But I'm thinking a few might make great gifts, too…)

But it's 18 degrees outside, the wind is blowing furiously, and the water I keep putting out for the birds is freezing within minutes.

So I guess I'll be content to try to figure out my next flake pattern until the temperature outside warms up a bit.

I had this bright idea to crochet a Christmas star, then crochet "rays" around it before forming snowflake points around the outside. My first attempt had accurate math, of which I am beyond proud because I did it on the first try! I didn't have to frog! But the star doesn't really look like a star. Perhaps an icy Eye of Sauron, but not a Christmas star!

On my second attempt, I tried a chain 17, work down the chain and then back up the bottom side, and that "star" looked no different than my first attempt. I totally reworked the star portion of the flake on my third try, which was the most disappointing of all. It's a pretty flake, but there is no star in the center.

I decided perhaps I should work through the star first, without a flake, then try to figure out the flake while the star was pinned and drying. It's easier for me to figure out the hexagon shape from a non-hexagon start if I have guidelines to help me visualize the final project.

Finally, I created a snowflake that almost resembles what I saw in my head when I began. Merry snowflake!

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: 5.5 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

Christmas Star Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 16 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Don't pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 15 (counts as [1 trtr and ch 9), 1 trtr in same sc as sl st (or previous trtr in repeat), ch 5, sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, sk next sc, 1 tr in next sc, ch 7, 1 tr in same sc, ch 3, sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 5, sk next sc] 2 times, sl st in 6th ch of starting ch 15.

Round 3: Ch 5 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 2), sk next 4 ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 3, 1 dc in same ch, ch 2, sk next 4 ch, 1 tr in next trtr, ch 2, 1 trtr in next sc, ch 2, 1 tr in next tr, ch 2, sk next 3 ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 3, 1 dc in same ch, ch 2, sk next 3 ch, 1 tr in next tr, ch 2, 1 trtr in next sc, ch 2, 1 tr in next tr, sk next 4 ch) 2 times, omitting last tr of repeat; sl st in 3rd 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.

Round 4: Ch 6 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 3), [[1 fpdc around next dc, ch 3]] 4 times, ch 3, 1 fptr around next tr, ch 3, 1 fptr around next trtr, ch 3, 1 fptr around next tr, ch 3, [[1 fpdc around next dc, ch 3]] 2 times, 1 fptr around next tr, ch 3, 1 fptr around next trtr, ch 3, 1 fptr around next tr] 2 times, omitting last fptr of repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 6.

Round 5: [3 sc in each of next 2 ch 3 sp, ch 2] 12 times, omitting last ch of final repeat, 1 hdc in starting sc to form 6th ch 2 sp of Round.

Round 6: 1 sc over post of hdc directly below, [ch 3, in next ch 2 sp work ([[1 tr, ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 1]] 2 times, 1 tr, ch 6, sl st in 5th ch from hook, ch 1, [[1 tr, ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 1]] 2 times); ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 2 sp] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc; 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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