22 October 2012

Snowflake Monday

Twilight Peak

I don't know how Twilight Peak near Durango earned its name, but I suspect with the mining history of the Animas River Gorge, miners looked upon the massive mountain as a compass. Perhaps some miners stayed up all night trying to find their treasures.

The triple-summited Twilight Peak massif is but one of a handful of breathtaking mountains along US 550 between Silverton and Durango. Three of only five peaks in the West Needle Mountains, Twilight Peak, North Twilight Peak and South Twilight Peak are low thirteeners less frequently climbed because they are not fourteeners.

Early 1890s prospector Tom Estes discovered a rich vein of sylvanite in the West Needle Mountains and hauled a total of 14 bags of ore to the tune of $2,800, which was a fortune back then. He died unexpectedly after his third trip to his mine without ever revealing the location, and to this day, his cache has never been found.

US 550 from Silverton to Durango is an extension of Colorado's Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, which was paved in the 1930s. Some say the 25 steep and twisting miles cost a million dollars to pave; others say the road bed was crafted from a million dollars' worth of minerals from the nearby treasure-riddled mountains. The Million Dollar Highway is the eastern half of what is known as the San Juan Skyway loops, which includes the highway from Durango through Cortez and Telluride back to Ouray, one of the most scenic drives in the entire United States, particularly in autumn when the aspens display their own brand of golden treasure.

The San Juan Skyway was the first to earn the title of national scenic highway.

Twilight Peak seemed like a great name for a spooky Halloween snowflake and served as the inspiration for this week's designs. The mountain also made for a very pleasant rest stop on our return from Durango where we participated in our final organized bike ride of the year. The autumn colors were spectacular, and we discovered a previously unnoticed memorial in one of the Twilight Peak observation points along the San Juan Skyway.

Million Dollar Highway gold

San Juan Skyway Memorial

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes or owls you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Twilight Peak Snowflake

Twilight Peak Snowflake

Twilight Peak Snowflake

Glow-in-the-Dark Twilight Peak Snowflake

Glowing Twilight Peak Snowflake

Twilight Peak Snowflake

Finished Size: 6.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, 12 beads for eyeballs if desired (I used 6/0 glass beads, 6mm beads and glow-in-the-dark 9x6 barrel/pony beads), 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

Instructions

To make snowflake with bead eyeballs, string 12 beads onto thread. If using different colors beads for each owl, make sure like beads are adjacent, except for the first owl, which will be worked one eye at the beginning of the 7th round and the second eye at the end of the 7th round. Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (does not count as dc), 12 dc in ring; sl st across starting ch 2 and into starting dc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same dc, *sk 1 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same dc; repeat from * around 4 times; sk 1 dc, 2 dc in same dc as starting dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting dc to form final ch 3 sp.

end of Round 2

start of Round 3

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 of Round 2, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in next dc, * 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 hdc in next dc; repeat from * around 4 times; 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.

Round 4: To form owl eyes, ch 10 (counts as 1 dc and ch 7), * sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, ch 7, sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp (owl nose made), ch 7; repeat from * around 4 times; sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, ch 7, sk next 3 dc, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 10.

Round 5: 14 sc in next ch 7 sp. If working beads into eyeballs, pull one bead up in the middle of 14 sc, keeping bead on bottom of work so it will be inside eye opening when snowflake is finished. Eyeball placement is a matter of personal preference; you may place the bead anywhere along the opening you deem most visually effective. * Sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, sk next dc, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp; repeat from * around 4 times working in one bead in each 14 sc sequence if appropriate; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, sk next dc, 14 sc in next ch 7 sp, pulling up bead if appropriate; 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 6: To form wings and body, ch 23 (counts as 1 mega tr and ch 15), *1 sc in last sc of 14/sc sequence, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in 1st sc of next 14/sc sequence, ch 15, yo 7 times, yo and draw up loop through nose dc of Round 4, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 8 times (mega tr made), ch 15; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in last sc of 14/sc sequence, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in 1st sc of next 14/sc sequence, ch 15, sl st in 8th ch of starting ch 23.

Round 7: 3 sc in next ch 15 sp, to make toes, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times, 17 sc in same sp, 18 sc in next ch 15 sp, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times; 2 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Twilight Owls

Lacy Owl

Finished Size: 2.5 inches tall and 2 inches wide
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, 2 beads for eyeballs if desired (I used glow-in-the-dark 9x6 barrel pony beads), 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

Instructions

To make owls with bead eyeballs, string 2 beads onto thread. Make magic ring.

First Eye: 6 sc in ring, pull up bead and work into bottom of next sc so bead will be inside eye opening, 18 sc in ring for a total of 24 sc; sl st in starting sc; bind off; weave in ends.

Second Eye: 6 sc in ring, pull up bead and work into bottom of next sc so bead will be inside eye opening; 5 sc in ring, pull up loop from inside ring as if to form next sc and yo through one sc on side of First Eye, lining up bead eyeballs so they are positioned evenly, pull loop through 2 loops on hook, work one more sc joining to First Eye in same manner, 11 sc in ring of Second Eye for a total of 24 sc; sl st in starting sc. Do not bind off.

Body: To form wings and body, ch 15, yo 7 times, yo and draw up loop through joint between 2 eyes, making sure to go through at least 2 threads so as not to pull one thread loose, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 8 times (mega tr made), ch 15; sl st in 6th sc up from bead on First Eye, turn.

Final Row of Body: 18 sc in ch 15 sp, to make toes, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times, 2 sc in same sp, 3 sc in next ch 15 sp, [ch 3, sl st in last sc, 1 sc in same sp] 3 times; 17 sc in same sp; sl st in next sc of Second Eye; 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.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake or owl with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake or owl to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake or owl from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke or top of owl head, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake or owl twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake or owl also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle. Owl also may be hung from key chain or zipper pull of item that won't be washed often. Owl may be shaped and restiffened if washed.

Twilight Owl

Owl Fight Breast Cancer

24 comments :

  1. Wow, lovely colorfull photos.

    I love the owl :)

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  2. I have just started making owls, well, I have made one. :-) But I now have a folder with just crocheted owl patterns and of course this will go in both my snowflake pattern folder and my owl pattern!

    Another spectacular snowflake! And a great owl to hoot! Thanks again!!

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    1. Thanks, Brenda. I must confess, I've got a thing for owls, too, but I haven't picked up a lot of patterns yet. I do, though, think the owl finger puppets I saw on Ravelry, I believe, are just the cutest things!

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  3. Good morning. I was reading your instructions in round 2. It is talking about skipping dc. Was there dc's in round 1? I some times have trouble reading patterns so please forgive me. Hope you have a wonderful week. Connie

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    1. Thanks, Connie; I think you were an eagle eye without knowing it. The first round is all DC, but I had neglected to type that in. Thanks for catching it for me! I hope you have a great week, too!

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  4. What delightful ideas for autumn and Halloween- you could really dress up things with these designs. Very nice.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Karen! I've put a spider on my pink tree, but all the rest of my decorations this month are pink. Hard habit to break! May have to put out the spider lights before the neighborhood kids come trick-or-treating, though...

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  5. Beautiful fall photos. Makes me just a tad bit jealous.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Autumn always goes far too quickly for me!

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  6. EEEHHHRMEGEHRD THEY'RE ITTY BITTY OWLS!!

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    1. Thanks for the funny smile, Jackie!

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    2. You're welcome!

      Seriously though, Owl motifs bring back a lot of fond memories for me!

      When I was very small, my grandmother became obsessed with macrame. She must have made 15 large owls within a six month period. The largest and most complicated one she gave to my father, who put it up in our dark basement.

      That owl gave me nightmares. She used a large piece of driftwood for the base, which made it look like it had these giant claws. When my dad finally figured out why his 4-year old daughter refused to go down into the basement, he took it down and put it away.

      I finally uncovered the terrifying owl last summer as I was cleaning out my dad's garage. It now sits on my living room wall! Should my husband and I decide to procreate, I shall pass on the "scare the crap out of your child with a macrame owl" tradition!

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    3. Oh, Jackie, that's hilarious, in a sad sort of way! You reminded me I used to macrame owls onto old mesquite branches when I was Girl Scout-age. What a treasured memory now!!! (Mesquite fresh out of the desert is one of my favorite fragrances in the entire world!)

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  7. This is a glorious flake - and I'm ashamed to say I didn't see owls until the "Twilight Owls" photo. But what very clever construction! And owls are so hot right now - you'll be en vogue. :)

    I think the black one with orange beads is my fave - it's very elegant, and looks as though it might make a lovely shawl if the motifs were joined.

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  8. This is beautiful! I keep getting the finish of round 2 wrong, so I can't get round 3 to start or end right! My chain 3s that count as dcs and my chain 3 spaces don't work out right, I end up with either not enough DCs or not enough ch spaces to do row 4. I keep using different yarn and hooks trying to get a combination that I can see what I'm doing wrong, but now I'm just going cross-eyed!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Charlie Ann. It's difficult for me to picture the crochet without a hook in my hands, so when I get home, I will take a look and see if I can figure out what is happening, if that's what you need. I don't blame you for going cross-eyed though... I get that way trying to thread the beads!

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    2. Hi again, Charlie Ann. I didn't get anything done last night. I'm sorry. Difficult to focus, but I will still try to help figure this out if I can.

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    3. Thanks for looking at it again for me. I'm still playing with it today too.

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    4. Hi again, Charlie Ann. I apologize for taking so long to go through this pattern again and try to figure out what is happening for you. The last couple of weeks have been pandemonium, but I think I'm almost back on track now.

      I'm not sure, but I think what might be getting you off count is the first half double crochet in the same chain as the slip stitch. I've worked up another one and will post the pictures to this blog as soon as I can, although it might not be until tomorrow, to see if that might help you. In the meantime, you could work the half double crochet into the same space with the double crochet, and then work the next single crochet into the double crochet, just skipping over that chain 3 that counts as a double crochet all together. That should get your count right.

      Again, I apologize for taking so long to respond to you.

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  9. I understand hectic weeks! Its nearly midnight and its the first time I've looked at my mail all day! I feel silly filling up your blog comments with this, would it be appropriate to move the conversation to Ravelry inboxes?

    In any case, I think my snowflake starts getting off at the end of round 2, in the last section. "sk 1 dc, 2 dc in same dc as starting dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting dc to form final ch 3 sp." One DC in 3rd chain of starting, doesn't look anything like the other ch 3 spaces. And nothing looks right after that!

    I love your snowflakes! They make me so happy even just to look at yours.

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    Replies
    1. Hi again, Charlie Ann. I apologize once again for taking so long, but I finally got the photos of the end of Round 2 and the start of Round 3 up. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you are still having trouble, and I'll see what I can do to help.

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  10. IT is so creative the way you portray the snowflakes in different ways. I LOVE how the purple and black snowflake looks here, so formal, it could be worn instead of a tie or bow tie at the upcoming high school snowballs! And who but you would think to make owls out of the same pattern!!!
    When I was younger, I use to make snowflakes every year for friends and family. I can say that I had not made any for 10 years. I needed a grab bag gift for my spinning guild and thought I made snowflake stitch markers which I designed and made. Well, this got me hooked again! I have been cruising your web site obsessively sense I found it. Thank you for your wonderful web site again!

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    1. Thanks, Cathy! I used to make snowflakes (and tiny stockings, too) when I was a kid, and I got so many orders one yet right before Christmas, I had to start turning them down because my parents wouldn't let me stay up all night to crochet!!! Something about school being important... :)

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