Snowflake Monday

The name for today's giant snowflake comes from one of the girls I used to teach so many years ago. She's now serving a full-time mission in Finland, and ilontulitus, which translates into the word "fireworks", literally means Joy Fire! I think I'm going to have to use Joy Fire for a future snowflake, too!

The inspiration for today's snowflake comes from one of my kaleidoscoped firework images from way back in 2008, before I began blogging (!!!). I sincerely apologize for the complexity of the spokes on the final Round, but as you can see in the finished and stiffened snowflake, the effort is more than worth the difficulty. I may give this another go soon to make a smaller version, but I do love the largest flake I think I've ever made! Nope. Just looked it up. It's a tie with High Roller!

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: 12 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

Ilontulitus Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Don't pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 3), 1 sc in next sc] 5 times; ch 3, sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 4.

Round 3: 3 sc in each ch 3 sp around; sl st in starting sc.
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: [1 sc in next (middle) sc (or middle sc of next 3/sc group in repeats), ch 5] 5 times; 1 sc in middle sc of next 3/sc group, ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc for form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of tr directly below, [ch 5, in next ch 5 sp work (3 dc, ch 5, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last ch 5 and last 3 dc of final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 12th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 6: Ch 6 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 5), in next ch 5 sp work (1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc), ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 6.

Round 7: Ch 9 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 7), sk next ch 5 sp, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 7, 1 fpdc around next sc] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 9.

Round 8: Ch 6 (counts as 1 trtr and ch 1), in same ch as sl st work (1 dtr, ch 1, 1 tr, ch 1, 1 dc), [ch 3, sk next 6 ch, 1 sc in next ch, ch 5, sk next sc, 1 sc in next ch, ch 3, in next fpdc work (1 dc, ch 1, 1 tr, ch 1, 1 dtr, ch 1, * 1 trtr, ch 1, 1 dtr, ch 1, 1 tr, ch 1, 1 dc)] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; sl st in 5th ch of starting ch 6.

Round 9: Ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 4), sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, [ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, 1 fpdc around next dtr, ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, 1 fpdc around next tr, ch 1, 1 fp dc around next dc, ch 2, sl st in next ch 5 loop, beginning next spoke ch 12, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, then sl st in next spoke ch, ch 12, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 6 ch, ch 8, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 6 ch, then sl st in next spoke ch, ch 13, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 8 ch, ch 8, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 6 ch, then sl st in * next spoke ch, [ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch] 2 times, working back down spoke ch sl st in * ch (same ch as previous branch joint sl st), ch 8, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 6 ch, ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 8 ch, then sl st in same * ch, sl st in each of next 2 spoke ch, [ch 8, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 6 ch] 2 times, then sl st in same ch as end of branches on opposite side of spoke, sl st in each of next spoke 3 ch, [ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch] 2 times, then sl st in same ch as end of branches on opposite side of spoke, sl st in next 3 spoke ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next 2 ch, sl st in each of next 8 spoke ch, sl st in same ch 5 loop (spoke completed), ch 2, 1 fpdc around next dc, ch 1, 1 fpdc around next tr, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, ch 1, 1 fpdc around next dtr, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 1, 1 fpdc around next trtr, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ** ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 fpdc around same trtr] 6 times, ending ** on final repeat; ch 1, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 6; 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.

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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