02 April 2012

Snowflake Monday

Mount Eolus

I was able to finish two snowflakes while in a soft wrist cast; the hard cast limits hand movement, and I am not able to crochet while wearing it. Couldn't convince the doc to let me wear a removable cast, so the snowflake I'd planned for this Holy Week will have to wait until next year.

Fortunately, I was trying to build up a supply of snowflake patterns before my owie, so I will be able to get through many Snowmons, regardless of how long I must wear the cast or how much cycling training I have to make up.

Today's snowflake is another one designed specifically for my still unnamed and now on-the-back-burner quilt. It was influenced by the snowflake I wanted to create specifically for today, but the finished flake didn't have quite the appearance I was after. Nevertheless, I still love this snowflake, and it has jumped high on my favorites list.

unnamed and unfinished

Because it's one of three snowflakes designed for my quilt, this snowflake gets the name of the third peak in a group of remote 14ers in the Weminuche Wilderness, Mount Eolus. Mount Eolus was named for the legendary Greek custodian of the four winds, Aeolus, who is said to dwell north of Sicily, holding the winds captive in a huge cave. Hearing this story reminded me of a trip with my kids when they were young to Cave of the Winds right here in Colorado.

14,084-foot Mount Eolus was the final notch in Aron Ralston's seven-year solo winter peakbagging belt in 2005. Note that he did this particular mountain (and 13 others) with one hand. Chris Davenport skied down Eolus the following year in his quest to ski down all the 14ers in 12 months. Both renowned climbers also bagged nearby North Eolus, which is not considered an official 14er because the drop between the two summits is less than 300 feet.

Mount Eolus features a hair-raising traverse along a narrow ridge called The Catwalk or Sidewalk in the Sky. Some climbers even call it a tightrope traverse. Worth noting is North Eolus sometimes features a snowfield cross some have described as better than that on Mount of the Holy Cross, which mountain was my unachieved snowflake pattern goal for today. Here is a great trip report with photos showing the cross on North Eolus, as well as 2005 avalanche debris that took out a wilderness bridge.

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!

Mount Eolus Snowflake

Finished Size: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, school glue (make sure it is water soluble), water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Mount Eolus Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 2), * sl st into ring, ch 2, 1 dc in ring, ch 2; repeat from * 4 times; sl st in ring, ch 2, sl st into 3rd ch of starting ch 5. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, 1 dc in next ch, ch 3, * 1 dc in 2nd ch of next ch 2, 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc in 1st ch of next ch 2, ch 3; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: Ch 6 (counts as 1 trtr), 1 trtr in each of next 2 dc, ch 9, *1 trtr in each of next 3 dc, ch 9; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 6th ch of starting ch 6.
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 in each of next 2 trtr, *1 dc in each of next 3 ch, ch 5, sk 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 trtr; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 dc in each of next 3 ch, ch 5, sk 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 ch; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, *ch 4, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, ch 4, sk 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 6: 1 sc in same ch, 5 dc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, * ch 6, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 6, sk next 3 dc shell, 1 sc in next dc, 5 dc in next dc, 1 sc in next sc; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 6, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 6, sl st in starting sc; 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 plastic wrap.

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. 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 the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Mount Eolus Snowflake

4 comments :

  1. I hope you´ll get better soon...

    ReplyDelete
  2. This snowflake is beautiful, as is the quilt. Hope you are back to functioning sooner than you hope! Cave of the Winds ... the Goatmother went there as a child ... Garden of the Gods ... nice memories and what lovely rocks everywhere!
    By the way, a few first shots from the new camera up on the blog. See what you think!?

    ReplyDelete
  3. A lovely snowflake. I could see what you were aiming at even in the top photo. I think it came out really well.

    A soft cast sounds much better than a hard one!

    ReplyDelete
  4. hope ya get to feeling better.

    love the little skulls on the flake.

    ReplyDelete


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