Snowflake Monday

Are you ready to snowflake again?

I took my portable snowflake factory with me to Yellowstone last month because I really thought I could finish at least a few of the 23 Halloween gifts for grands in the evenings, especially since days are so short this time of year. I DID finish one quilt WIP in our hotel room, but the Halloween snowflakes did not get designed until the night we got back home. While I did laundry. And sipped on hot chocolate after seeing photos of the foot of snow Yellowstone got the night before we left Cody.

Nearly a month remained before Halloween when I finally got started on today's snowflake pattern, but I knew I'd need to get these babies in the mail, so I really needed to finish by about mid-October. I made four that first night, and the pattern was easy enough I thought I could probably finish four a day during the next week. Then this year's no-sugar Snowcatcher trick or treats would be done!

Well, the 23rd snowflake has yet to be made, and last night we saw our first real snowflakes of the season. I still have to get the buttons on, and I still need to string them!!! There was one stretch in the last six weeks when I didn't get to crochet for an entire week! Then I got no crocheting done this last weekend because the garden had to be winterized. This year's Halloween treats are really taking a good long while.

Check out the inspiration for this year's Halloween treat... (It's the center of one of Don Komarechka's fabulous poster snowflakes, another inspiration I would like to use again in the future for a bigger snowflake.)

I had to buy my buttons from a different vendor this year (my favorite button vendor's Etsy shop has been paused for a while, just like my own Etsy shop). It was fun to find a new vendor and be able to order this year's Halloween buttons by number instead of how many are on a card. (I could order the exact number of girl buttons and boy buttons I needed.) I wound up with nearly enough buttons leftover for next year. (Really fun Halloween-hued ponies, unicorns and horses.) Maybe I ought to get a start on next year's Halloween treats as soon as I get this year's in the mail, knowing how long these things take me these days.

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: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, optional shank button, 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

First Frost 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 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc as sl st, [1 dc in next sc, 2 dc in next sc] 5 times for a total of 18 dc.

Round 3: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc in next dc, [2 sc in next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc] 5 times; 2 sc in next dc (for a total of 24 sc); sl st in starting ch.
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 4 (counts as 1 sc and ch 3), [sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3] 11 times for a total of 12 sc and 12 ch 3 sp; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 4.

Round 5: [3 sc in next ch 3 sp, in next ch 3 sp work (2 sc, ch 12, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 tr in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, sl st in next ch, 2 sc)] 6 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in finishing end, but leave starting end to attach optional button.

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. Using starting end, attach button to center of snowflake. Dab knot with a dot of glue and allow to dry thoroughly before snipping tail. 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.

Tweet

Pin It