Snowflake Monday

NOTE: Fundraising for 2016 has concluded. I haven't decided whether to do another booklet for 2017 because we haven't decided whether we can afford to participate in another MS-150 in 2017. I'll announce our decision as soon as we make it.


Today's snowflake was inspired by the hibiscus colorway by Sara's Colorwave Yarn, and hibiscus seems like a pretty good name. I tested the pattern with a Lizbeth colorway, raspberry frappe, very similar to my own hibiscus in my backyard each summer.

This pattern is featured in this year's snowflake pattern PDF booklet benefiting the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The 25-pattern PDF booklet includes my turtleflake pattern (of which I provided a sneak peak last Wednesday), 16 of my personal favorite Snowflake Monday patterns previously published here on my blog but not included in the previous two pattern PDF booklets, and seven brand new two-color snowflake patterns I am not planning to publish anywhere else. Today's pattern is a sneak taste of the seven new patterns, five of which are featured on the PDF booklet cover.


To obtain a copy of the PDF booklet, please make a tax-deductible contribution either in my husband's name or my name. Each time a contribution is made, the NMSS notifies us, and then I send the PDF to the email address provided to the NMSS at the time of donation.

We both try to check our email accounts each day, but please don't be alarmed if you do not receive an immediate response. Sometimes we have no internet signal, sometimes during the workday we are unable to do personal things, and every once in a while (about twice each year in the past), the NMSS email notification system burps and doesn't get through. If you do not hear from us within three days after making a donation, please contact me at the email address in the sidebar to the right.

We do not make one penny from doing this. All donations go directly to the NMSS, which helps people afflicted with multiple sclerosis. These donations enable us to ride in the annual MS-150 (now called BikeMS) in June. Each rider must raise at least $400 just to participate. We pay our own registration fees, we pay our own way to get to and from the ride, and we pay all our own expenses associated with participating in the event. None of the money donated is given to us.

We provide this PDF booklet to donors as a special way of thanking them because this is a tough economy for both donors and us. Think of it as an elaborate, valuable electronic thank you card. :) Without this fund-raiser, we probably would not be able to raise enough money, and we'd have to pay the required donation amount out of our own pockets. OUCH.

This is only one of several charitable causes we support throughout the year. This one is near and dear to our hearts because two of my co-workers battle multiple sclerosis and two of my husband's family members are afflicted with MS. We also have a number of friends who have relatives with MS. Colorado has the highest concentration of people with multiple sclerosis in the country. We hope to one day see an end to the devastating effects of this horrible disease. We're trying to do our part to bring that about.

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: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in two colors, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter (I did not glitter this flake), small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Hibiscus Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: With main color, 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Don’t pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: 1 sc in same st as sl st, ch 1, 1 dc in next st, ch 1, *1 sc in next st, ch 1, 1 dc in next st, ch 1; repeat from * around 4 times for a total of 6 points; sl st in starting sc.

Round 3: Ch 1 (does not count as anything), 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp; 1 dc in next dc, 1 tr in same st, 1 dc in same st, 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting hdc.

Round 4: Ch 1, 1 sc in same hdc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next tr, ch 1, 1 tr in same st, ch 1, 1 dc in same st, 1 hdc in next dc, *1 sc in each of next 2 hdc, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 dc in next tr, ch 1, 1 tr in same st, ch 1, 1 dc in same st, 1 hdc in next dc; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in next hdc; sl st in starting sc; bind off.

Round 5: With contrast color, 1 sc in any hdc on left side of point, *[yo and draw up loop through sc on Round 2 below, yo and bring through 2 loops] 3 times, yo and bring through all 4 loops on hook (drop cluster made), 1 sc in next hdc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, 3 sc in next tr, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc in next hdc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc instead of final sc of final repeat; bind off.
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: With main color, 1 sc in any 2nd sc after drop cluster, 1 sc in next st, *1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in next st, ch 1, 1 tr in same st, ch 1, 1 dc in same st, 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 2 st, sk next sc, drop cluster and sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc instead of last 2 sc of final repeat.

Round 7: *1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next hdc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp, 2 dc in next tr, ch 3, 2 dc in same tr, 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc in next hdc, 1 sc in next sc, sk 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off.

Round 8: With contrast color, 1 sc in any middle sc on left side of point, *1 drop cluster into space above drop cluster below, 1 sc in next middle sc, 1 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next hdc, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 5 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, 1 sc in next hdc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc instead of last sc of 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 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.

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