Snowflake Monday

Today's pattern was intended to be an Easter egg (bonus) pattern on an extremely old blog post. As HTML develops and progresses, it's becoming more and more difficult (and time-consuming) for me to update coding on old patterns. Coding I used back in the 20-teens is super buggy in 2023.

I added a new Easter egg (bonus pattern) last week to a 2013 pattern, and the process required more than two hours to fix the old blog post simply because I opened it to edit it. The actual blog post would not display correctly after I opened the HTML, even though I did not change a thing. Turns out something in the old photo insertion codes does not translate into HTML5, which is, I guess, what we're universally using now. I ended up having to recode the entire post manually, code by code, testing every step of the way, sometimes hitting major hurdles because old coding does not play well with new coding.

I still manually code every blog post I write. I've done that from the beginning back in 2009. I learned (some) HTML5 while I got to miraculously stay in the hospital with Lizard during his 2020 emergency back surgery. ON MY PHONE!!! The long-promised HTML5 apparently kicked into full gear while Lizard was in accute rehab... because the entire world was bored stiff with pandemic restrictions by summer 2020, right??? Coders apparently had nothing better to do, so they finished up all the tweaking and released this new standard, which actually is quite fine and in some ways easier to read on the editing screen. But, given a choice, I would NOT try to learn how to write new code on a phone ever!!!

I know I've made this story much longer than it needed to be, but it gave me a chance to insert some oldie but goodie photos. And hopefully, it explains why I didn't add today's pattern to the 2011 original, which, in my opinion, is worth looking back at in its original form. I will update my prehistoric pattern format on the Chocolate Caramel Snowflake pattern (and the purse) one day. Both patterns can stay the way they are for now because I don't have another couple of hours each to update all the coding. It's time for me to start working on 26 Halloween snowflakes for grands!!!

I must say, though, this whole blog post has made me really hungry for something I really don't need to be eating right now!!!

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: 3.5 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

Salted Caramel Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 7 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 6), 1 sc in ring] 5 times; ch 3, 1 tr in 1st ch of starting ch 7 to form 6th ch 6 petal of Round. Pull magic circle tight.
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 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), over post of tr directly below work (1 dc, 1 tr), [ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 3 ch, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, working back down spoke sl st in next ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, sl st in next ch of spoke, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, sl st in next ch of spoke, ch 1, in next ch 6 petal work (2 dc, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr, 2 dc)] 6 times, omitting last tr and last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer. But I'm sharing my old instructions below so you may choose how you want to stiffen your flakes.

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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