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I had to look up in my journal what I was doing on November 8 last year when I discovered a brand new "lost" snowflake. Unfortunately, the day was so stressful, I didn't write anything about my newest "lost". Thank heavens I recorded the day I photographed it, 20 December 2012, because I don't remember what I did with the original photo, and the copy I made and enlarged for my online gallery doesn't have the original photo's creation date in its properties. I also looked up December 20 in my 2012 journal, and what I wrote that day didn't reference this particular flake, but it was snowflake-related and extremely memorable. I'm SO thankful I keep a daily journal, and I'm so thankful I looked up that memorable day.
"I can't believe what a day this has been. The Connecticut PTA has asked for snowflakes to entirely cover the insides of the new school for the Sandy Hook kids. I've been wanting to do something like this because it would be so beautiful and uniting, but I didn't know if something like this would be appropriate while people are mourning. Now someone has created a project that shouldn't offend anyone!
"My heart is so full. I cannot even begin to explain how deeply this touches my heart. If I can get a lot of people to participate, we will all be coming together and doing something really good in the wake of something very ugly, dark, sad and evil. We will be doing something that could change at least a tiny part of the world.
"I just designed a new heartflake specifically for this project. I'm publishing a special Snowflake Saturday to publicize the effort. I've even made a widget for my blog.
"And, get this, I've decided, with Lizard’s help and support, to start our own MS-150 team. Team Snowcatcher!"
I don't think I made the prototype of today's snowflake for the Connecticut project, but I hope that's where it ended up. I remember sending a big package of snowflakes, and I probably sent everything I had at that time. I hope that purple snowflake brings memories of love and worldwide virtual hugs to whomever ended up receiving it. I hope sending snowflakes to people who are suffering doesn't resurrect painful memories when recipients look back at their crocheted gifts.
On 19 December 2012, it turns out, I mailed snowflakes I was sending as Christmas gifts. I also left snowflakes on the desks of my bosses and co-workers. I'm assuming this purple flake didn't make it into that pile because I photographed it the next day. I guess I'll never really know unless someone recognizes it and drops a comment or note! (Hint! Hint! Hint!)
I thought my catalog of "lost" snowflakes was complete. I collected "lost" photos (snowflakes with no written patterns) and "lost" snowflakes (unstiffened snowflakes piled on the corner of my computer desk) several years ago and keep the started-but-not-finished patterns in an electronic folder on my computer. I still have 29 "lost" but unfinished patterns I can draw upon when I have no snowflake inspiration.
I don't remember how I discovered today's snowflake had no pattern. I think the photo popped up in my daily OneDrive Memories email (that I never asked for but sometimes really appreciate). I wasn't even aware any of my photos back then were being saved to some gigantic cloud database connected to my email address until last year! I didn't recognize the flake when I saw it. I checked my "lost" archive and my entire snowflake pattern directory, photo by photo. This is a new one! And oldie but goodie I had to reverse engineer. Definitely fueled by my triangle-flake fettish. In some ways, today's snowflake may forever remain a mystery. But at least I now have some wonderful memories I can attach to the inspiration behind today's pattern!
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: 10 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
Mystère Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, [ch 7, sl st in 7th ch from hook, 5 dc in ring] 2 times; ch 3, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 3rd ch 6 loop of Round. Don't pull magic circle too tight.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [ch 2, 1 sc in middle dc of next 5/dc group, ch 2, in next ch 6 loop work (5 dc, ch 7, 5 dc)] 2 times; ch 2, 1 sc in middle dc of next 5/dc group, ch 2, 5 dc in next ch 6 loop, ch 3, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 3rd ch 6 loop of Round.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [ch 4, 1 fptrc around next sc, ch 4, in next ch 6 loop work (5 dc, * ch 7, 5 dc)] 3 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 3, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 3rd ch 6 loop of Round.
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 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [1 dc in each of next 5 dc, ch 4, in next fptr work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) (V-st made), ch 4, 1 dc in each of next 5 dc, in next ch 7 tip work (5 dc, * ch 3, 5 dc)] 3 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
Round 5: 3 sc over post of dc directly below, [1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in each of next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, ch 5, sk next 2 dc and next 4 ch, in next ch 3 sp (V-st) work (1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr), ch 5, sk next 4 ch and next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, 1 hdc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 sc, * ch 5, 3 sc)] 3 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 3rd ch 5 tip of Round.
Round 6: 3 sc over post of tr directly below, [1 sc in each of next 3 st, 1 hdc in each of next 3 st, 1 dc in each of next 3 st, ch 8, sk next 2 dc and next 5 ch, in next ch 3 sp work (1 dtr, ch 3, 1 dtr), ch 8, sk next 5 ch and next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 st, 1 hdc in each of next 3 st, 1 sc in each of next 3 st, in next ch 5 tip work (3 sc, * ch 5, 3 sc)] 3 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 3rd ch 5 tip of Round.
Round 7: Ch 5 (counts as 1 trtr), 1 trtr over post of tr directly below, [ch 5, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), ch 7, sk next 5 sc, [1 dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made] in each of next 4 st, sk next 2 dc and next 8 ch, ch 10, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), ch 2, in next ch 3 tip work (2 trtr, ch 9, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook, ch 6, 1 dc in same ch, ch 6, sl st in same ch, ch 2, 2 trtr), ch 5, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), ch 7, sk next 8 ch and next 2 dc, [1 dc, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made] in each of next 4 st, ch 10, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), ch 2, sk next 5 sc, in next ch 3 tip work (2 trtr, ch 9, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook, ch 6, 1 dc in same ch, ch 6, sl st in same ch, ch 2, 2 trtr)] 3 times, omitting last 2 trtr of final repeat; sl st in 5th ch of starting ch 5; 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.
