Wordless Wednesday

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Think: Celestial

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Snowflake Monday

Today's snowflake is inspired by my crochet temperatature project motif, but it's the snowflake I was working on when I learned our Sister of the Snowflake Patty Foley had honorably concluded her brave five-year battle with cancer.

Patty was beloved by her community and was a master lace maker and teacher. I never met her in person; she won one of the contests I conducted many years ago, and she participated in our first (and so far only) Sisters of the Snowflake annual Make a Snowflake Day video conference call. I got to watch her working on a snowflake while we talked about our snowflake inspirations.

Patty made needle lace and could knit, crochet and tat. She sent me a pair of tatted snowflakes many moons ago when I disclosed I hoped to one day learn to tat. My grandmother was a tatter, and I inherited her shuttle. To this day, I still have not learned to use it.

I remember when Patty's work was featured in an international crochet project, the giant crochet sea urchins in Singapore. I remember how proud and excited she was! I was jealous because I'd never been asked to participate in anything like that. And yet, I was overflowing with admiration for Patty's work.

People like Patty are among the host of reasons I continue to keep trying to come up with new snowflake patterns every single week.

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: 6 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

Special Stitches

Cluster Stitch (cl)

Yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, [yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo, draw through all 4 loops on hook.

Mini Snowflake for Patty Instructions

(because with a few small changes, it makes such a cute one-round snowflake)

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 cl in ring, ch 12, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 7, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 9, 1 sc in 9th ch from hook, ch 7, 1 sc in 7th ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, 1 dc in in next main spoke ch (below all 5 sc) and in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, ch 1] 6 times; sl st in top of starting cl; bind off; weave in ends. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

A Snowflake for Patty Instructions

Round 1: [1 cl in ring, ch 13, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, ch 1] 5 times; 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting cl, 1 fsc, 2 fhdc, 2 fdc, ch 3, 1 tr in bottom of last fdc to form 6th ch 5 tip of Round; OR, if foundation crochet is too difficult, work repeat 6 times; sl st in top of starting cl; bind off; weave in ends. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat. Begin next Round on any point with 1 dc instead of ch 2.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, dc in next ch (pointy picot made), in next ch 6 tip work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 5 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
NOTE: Binding off here makes a cute little snowflake with point-pinning options... innies and outies! Ha ha!

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 1), 1 dc in same ch 3 tip, [ch 1, 1 dc in next dc, sk next dc] 2 times, ch 1, 1 dc in next dc, sk next pointy picot, [ch 1, 1 dc in next dc, sk next dc] 3 times, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, * ch 3, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc)] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 3 to form 6th ch 3 tip 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), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [2 dc in each of next 9 ch 1 sp, in next ch 3 tip work (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc)] 6 tines, omitting last 2 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of staring ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.
Binding off here makes a cute flake.

Round 5: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, [ch 12, sk next 10 sc, 1 sc tightly between 2/sc groups, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc tightly between 2/sc groups, sk next 10 sc, in next ch 3 tip work (1 sc, ch 5, 1 sc)] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.
There are two different ways to pin this snowflake; three if you count forgetting to pin the heart points on the 2nd Round inward. (I had to restiffen to correct my mistake.)

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. 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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Friday Fantastic

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Fiber-starved

The closest thing I got to fiber arts this week was installing fiber drawers on one of two desk shelves I bought to enable myself to work at my new used standing desk. When the office where I work moved from one building to another this summer, many usable things were put up for grabs because, they say, it is cheaper to buy new than to pay to move old.

I couldn't afford to buy another nice standing desk in 2020 when we all had to start working from home. So I bought a cheap table for my personal computer, which I'm still using. I wanted something a little sturdier and more professional for my at-home work station, which has been set up on one of Lizard's old drafting desks since about 2021. I've wished since 2021 I had another standing desk so I wouldn't have to sit when I work.

I had asked if there were any standing desks available when we moved; the company I work for had installed (very fancy) adjustable standing desks at every work station in the new building. Employees who had invested in portable standing desks wouldn't need them anymore. They would be donated if not claimed.

In July, I finally brought home the standing desk my bosses bought for me way back in about 2013 or 2014. I set it up for Lizard's accessible computer and his coloring books. He still hasn't used his new computer/art station at all. (The accessible laptop had been set up on our dining room table since Lizard's LOUD Zoom classes back in 2020.) Even though he's not using it now, all his stuff is set up if and/or when he decides he's ready to sit (or stand) at a desk again.

The standing desk I inherited from work is a smaller version but easier to lift and raise because it's hydraulic. It's big enough only for the monitor and, if I choose to put it there, the keyboard. No room for the mouse. Can't help but laugh at that because we have occasional mice in the basement and garage. No room for them, either!!!

To get my work-from-home desk set up, I would need risers for the keyboard and mouse. I found two 7-inch-tall shelves (that required assembly), and I figured out how to work these weird locking screws I've never even seen before. As of Wednesday night, the new used standing desk is all set up, the shelves for the work laptop, keyboard and mouse are all set up, and I'm typing on the keyboard right this very minute, trying to get used to the new set-up before I have to pull an eight-hour shift on Thursday. For the time being, I'm pretty happy with this, even though it feels awkward right now, and I think I doubled the available amount of desk space by adding the shelves. I've got fabric drawers big enough for pens, batteries, notepads, paper clips and stamps I didn't have room for once I put up the new used standing desk. The keyboard could easily be about four inches higher, but for now, it will work.

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Wordless Wednesday

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