03 March 2014

Snowflake Monday

Kenneth Libbrecht's Snowflake
Kenneth Libbrecht's snowflake

This snowflake is inspired by one of Kenneth Libbrecht's gorgeous crystals, shown above. I worked out this design during my recent road trip to The Wave, so I thought a name from somewhere along the route might be appropriate.

San Rafael Swell

En route to The Wave, we once again drooled over the beauty of the San Rafael Swell and once again vowed to spend time there next time we are in that little corner of the world. We say that every time we drive through but have yet to keep the promise because we always seem to be on deadline to reach a specific destination.

I could learn much from another snowflake photography master, Wilson Bentley, who said, "When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind."

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!

San Rafael Swell Snowflake

Finished Size: 7.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, 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

San Rafael Swell Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 7 (counts as 1 tr and ch 3), *2 tr in ring, ch 3; repeat from * 4 times; 1 tr in ring; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 7. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: * 3 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 11, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 9 ch, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; 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 3: * 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, sk next sc, [1 sc in next sc, ch 1, sk nex sc] 2 times, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 tr in ch 1 tip of post, ch 3, [3 tr in same sp, ch 3] 2 times, 1 tr in same sp, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, 1 hdc in next sc, [ch 1, sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc] 2 times, sk next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, sk next 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.

Round 4: * Ch 2, 2 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, 2 hdc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, [2 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2] 2 times, sl st in same ch 1 sp, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), 2 dc in same ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 2 dc in same ch 3 sp, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, sk next tr, 1 dc in next tr, 1 hdc in next tr, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 6, working back down spoke, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in each of next 2 ch between sc picot and sl st picot, ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st in ch between sl st picot and 2/sl st picot, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, sl st in ch between 2/sl st picot and 3/sl st picot, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, sl st in next ch directly after 3/sl st picot, ch 1, 1 sc in same ch 3 sp as previous sc, 1 hdc in next tr, 1 dc in next tr, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 2 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 2 dc in same ch 3 sp, ch 2, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in same ch 3 sp, sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, 2 hdc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, 2 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 2, sk next 3 sc, sl st in small joint between 2/sc groups (main body center between spokes); repeat from * around 5 times; 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 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 the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Eagle Canyon

23 comments :

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Charlotte! I wish you a happy week!

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  2. Beautiful as always sweet friend. :)

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  3. Really like how that first one shines away at your bay

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    1. Oh, figures, Pat! I didn't do that one!!! ;)

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  4. Your snowflakes will never melt .... :)

    So much beauty in this post - that top photo is breathtaking. Doesn't it make you feel happy just to look at it? I love the tiny variations at the tip of each arm.

    And your snowflake is breathtaking too - a worthy reflection of its inspiration image.

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    1. That is the nice thing about crocheted snowflakes, Sue... they don't melt. They just turn yellow with age if you didn't stiffen them properly. Ha ha ha!

      I love Libbrecht's images. I hope one day I can capture God's majesty the way he can!

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  5. In round 2, you are made 3 SC, a spoke, then 3 SC, but in round 3 you only worked 2 SC around the base of the snowflake. Am I supposed to skip over the 3rd and 4th SC? Or did I miss count something?

    (spoke) SC6 SC5 SC4 SC3 SC2 SC1 (spoke)

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    1. You are correct, Krista. I can't believe I made this snowflake several times and didn't notice the skip 2 sc at the end of the repeat. Good catch.

      I had to make this snowflake again to find out what you meant because your string of sc numbers really threw me, and I found a spot on the next round that says dc but should say tr, although it doesn't affect the stitch count or shape, so I'm changing that, too. Thanks again for your help!

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    2. Just one more thing, when you are working up the spoke, the second time you chain 4 doesn't match up with pattern when you work down the spoke.
      "ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, sk next tr..."
      "sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 2 dc in next ch 3 sp..."

      You just need change the first one to 'sl st in the next 2 ch' or change the second one to'1 sc in each of next 2 ch' depending on which way you worked the pattern.

      This one turned out beautifully!

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    3. Thanks, Krista, and I apologize for the delay in checking this one and in responding to your comment. I was on the road and unable to check the pattern or make the flake. Now that I'm on solid ground again, the way I see it, it reads exactly as you are saying it needs to, so I don't know if the change had already been made, or if you're seeing something I'm not. It currently reads ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch on both sides, so if there is still a problem, I hope you will let me know...

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    4. I am still seeing what Krista said - just had to go back and fix it (not sure if I even noticed it the first time I made this flake last year - it's a very minor difference to that picot). On the way up the right side of the tree, just before you start working into the tr crochets, pattern reads: "ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, sk next tr, 1 dc in next tr, 1 hdc in next tr"

      and on the way down, just AFTER working into the tr crochets it reads: "1 hdc in next tr, 1 dc in next tr, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch"

      So on the way up the picot has 1 sl st & 2 sc, on the way down, all sl st.

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    5. Thank you again, Elisa. I'm having trouble working this one through my head... perhaps because I'm so busy at work right now and not holding a crochet hook in my hand. I'm looking for what you are referring to, and as of this moment, I haven't found it. If it's not fixed by Wednesday morning, I might need more direction. I think I just can't see straight tonight!

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    6. Okay, I think I finally found it; I had to look at a blowup of the photo to see what I did in the actual snowflake. Reading the pattern while not crocheting was totally confusing me, so I can only imagine what it must have been doing to readers! It looks like on the way up, I did indeed sc instead of sl st, and on the way back down, I did the same thing but wrote the sl st instructions instead. So I've changed the sequence on the way back down to match the going-up side. (I think that looks more attractive than a plain 3-slip stitch picot.)

      I think you probably are right; I probably saw in my head how to match the first side as I worked and didn't see that the second side wasn't the same, but also because as I recall, there were adjustments on the way down that are different than on the way up so they would look the same when worked from opposite directions. But that's just from memory.

      Thank you again for trying to help me get this one straight!

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  6. Thankyou for sharing this beautiful snowflake pattern, I'm going to attempt it this evening, we have no real snowflakes here yet this Winter, so I'm going to make some! :)

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  7. This is the most epic snowflake pattern ever!! As someone else said on Ravelry, not something to do when you're tired, but it's so detailed & amazing & fun. Thank you so much for sharing these with the world for free!

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    1. Thank you, Elisa! I remember in trying to write the pattern, it was not something to do when I was tired. I think I had to go back to it several times...

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  8. This is lovely! I saw it and new I had to do it at once! Worked it up this evening! That last row took so much concentration! I cannot wait to block it!! Thank you so much for sharing your incredible gift with us!

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    1. Thank you, Diana, and thank you for sticking with it to the end. This flake is worth all the heartache and eye ache, don't you think??? :)

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  9. Your San Rafael snowflake is gorgeous. Not sure I am doing it right. Giving it a go, however. Am stuck on The
    4... "Slip in each of next 2 chains between SC picot and slip st picot". Could you better define where that would be placed? Am trying. Thank you

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    Replies
    1. Hi, there, and thank you! You have already worked up the spoke, and now you are working back down the spoke. There is a single crochet picot and a slip stitch picot on the opposite side, and you are working directly into the chains between those picots. You are forming the second gap in the top of the spoke. I hope that helps. If not, try joining the Sisters of the Snowflake Facebook group, and there may be someone in there who can be more visual than I am after a full day of work and with no crochet hook in my hand. :)

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