Snowflake Monday

Last week, Ane Scherrer challenged me to make my own string of snowflakes and beads. I was so inspired by the beauty of her work and the idea of combining shiny things with snowflakes, I decided to pass the challenge on to you and let you share in the fun and creativity, too!

I wanted my snowflake string to be different than what Ane has done, so I designed this Snowflake Inside a Snowflake on Friday night, began the stiffening process, then left town for the weekend to ride aspen-dotted mountain passes and shoot autumn color. The plan was to finish up my string of beads and snowflakes at a decent hour Sunday night then shoot photos and get this blog post published before bedtime. Unfortunately, our four-hour drive home nearly doubled when we had to take an alternate highway after something ahead closed our intended route and forced a mandatory detour.

So this project was not done at a decent hour, and I forgot to photograph the individual snowflakes until after I strung them together. (I also poked myself four times, wrapped my bleeding fingers in bandages so as not to transform my creation into something Halloween-inspired and uttered lots of grrrrrrs when six beads didn't have holes in the center! Grrrr!) I had to use things around the house because I wasn't about to go bead shopping in the middle of the night when I have to be at work and attentive bright and early Monday morning. I did not have any small suction cups at home, so for now, my beaded snowflake hangs by a thread. Literally.

To participate in this challenge, please use any snowflake pattern(s) (patterns not have to be your own) and beads, buttons, earrings and/or other embellishments you preferably already have to create a beaded snowflake ornament by midnight Mountain Time (US) Friday, October 15, 2010, and post a link to a photo of your design here as a comment on this post. (Please make sure I have a way to contact you so I can get your snail mail address if you design the winning challenge entry.) The winner will be selected by a panel of non-crocheting judges I have yet to assemble and will be announced the week of October 18. The winner will receive a handy dandy mile and a half of white size 10 crochet thread, which should last at least through this winter!

Good luck, have fun, and I can't wait to see your beaded snowflake ornaments!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Crocheted Snowflake Size: 10 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, optional beads or other embellishments, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Instructions

Note: New steps on Round 3 of Inside Flake as of October 9, 2010

Outer Snowflake

Ch 71; sl st in starting chain to form a ring, taking care not to twist chain when joining.

Round 1: Ch 1 (does not count as sc), sc in same ch as sl st and in each of next 2 ch; *hdc in next ch, ch 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, tr in next ch, ch 3, tr in next ch, ch 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, hdc in next ch, 1 sc in each of next 6 sc; repeat from * around 4 times; hdc in next ch, ch 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, tr in next ch, ch 3, tr in next ch, ch 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, hdc in next ch, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc; sl st in starting sc. You should have a total of 6 points, and the ring should have a natural circular/hexagon shape.
Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), *hdc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next tr, ch 3, tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, tr in same ch 3 sp, ch 3, dc in next tr, ch 2, hdc in next dc, ch 3, sk hdc and 2 sc, 1 dc in each of next 2 sc, ch 3; repeat from * around 4 times, hdc in next dc, ch 2, dc in next tr, ch 3, tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, tr in same ch 3 sp, ch 3, dc in next tr, ch 2, hdc in next dc, ch 3, sk hdc and 2 sc, 1 dc in next sc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5.
Round 3: Ch 6, *hdc in next dc, ch 5, dc in next tr, ch 5, tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, dtr in same ch 3 sp, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 4, sl sl in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next ch, sl st in ch below 2nd "branch", ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, sl st in 2 ch below 1st "branch", sl st in top of dtr, ch 3, tr in same ch 3 sp, ch 5, dc in next tr, ch 5, hdc in next dc, ch 5, sc between next 2 dc, ch 5; repeat from * around 4 more times; hdc in next dc, ch 5, dc in next tr, ch 5, tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, dtr in same ch 3 sp, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 4, sl sl in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next ch, sl st in ch below 2nd "branch", ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, sl st in 2 ch below 1st "branch", sl st in top of dtr, ch 3, tr in same ch 3 sp, ch 5, dc in next tr, ch 5, hdc in next dc, ch 5, sc between next 2 dc; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 6; bind off. Weave in ends.

Center Snowflake
Note: I added two new steps in the third row and how-to photos on Saturday, October 9, 2010.

Finished Size: 3 inches from point to point

Ch 4, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in 1st sc. Pull magic circle tight.
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same sc, 2 dc in next sc, *ch 3, 2 dc in next sc, 2 dc in next sc; repeat from * around 4 times; dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.
Round 3: Ch 1, sc around post of dc just made (counts as ch 3), *ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next ch, tr in next ch, dtr in next ch (see Photo 1 below), yo 3 times, bring up loop through sc at point (see Photo 2 below), yo and bring through 2 loops, yo 3 times, bring up loop through next ch, yo and pull through 2 loops 3 times, yo and bring up loop between 4 dc in ring directly below (see Photo 3 below), yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through 3 loops, yo and pull through 2 loops 3 times; ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, sc in next ch 3 loop; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 petals ending with sl st in starting sc instead of sc on final repeat; 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 foil.

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. 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.

For this Snowflake Inside a Snowflake, I used a beading needle, three sizes of white and clear beads and two mini Christmas ornaments. I strung beads and the mini snowflakes first, then threaded through the larger snowflake from the bottom working my way up toward the center, filling gaps with beads, then stringing the center flake in the middle of the larger flake, then threading up through the top of the larger flake, ending with a few more beads. My original plan was to attach a suction cup to the top after I purchase one, but I've decided I like the way the inside flake twirls freely inside the larger flake, often in the opposite direction, and it won't be able to do that against glass if I hang it on a window. Right now, I have the snowflake hanging from the ceiling, and if I still like it there next month when I put up the rest of our Christmas decorations, it may have earned a permanent home!

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