06 October 2014

Snowflake Monday

Heavy Metal

We've just kicked off a new Tour of Duty (quarter) on Ravelry's Starfleet Fiber Arts Corps, and new missions for the month of October have been posted! I didn't get to participate as much the last two quarters as I would have liked due to internet issues, work responsibilities and vacations/road trips, but I hope to finish a bunch of projects for this coming month and quarter. Particularly in December, when many of the missions have WIP (Work in Progress) themes. I'm all for completing what I've started before I start more. I'm just not very good at avoiding new starts before finishing old starts. Too many ideas always swirling in my head!!!

I often am able to incorporate snowflakes into mission requirements. A recent science mission entailed:

"Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D have been assigned to settle a dispute between two species regarding the territorial rights to Phoenar Prime, a planet which appears to be in ruins from a civilization long ago. Captain Picard, with his archaeological interests, has some expertise in this area. The Caldonians claim a right to the planet based on cultural and architectural markers, and Aldeans claim Phoenar's plant life is remarkably similar to their own. We have been called to assist the Enterprise-D in their objective judgment of the situation, which both species have agreed to respect.

"We have detected some unusual readings on the surface of Phoenar. In certain chambers of the ruins, there have been some strange energy readings. Additionally, charting the planet's orbit has shown it passes through an area of intense radiation every several hundred years or so. This type of radiation has never been studied by Starfleet. This month we will study the radiation and its effects on living organisms, and we also will investigate why the Aldeans and Caldonians are acting strangely in regard to it.

"Investigate the energy readings by using the spectral analyzer to find its color signature. Reproduce the energy by imprinting its color signature on a piece of yarn, fiber or fabric in your stash."


The science mission assignment was to make something in the round, in a triangle, or with stripes.

I managed to work all three into one project!

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!

Science Mission Snowflake

Finished Size: 6 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

Science Mission Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, remove hook, insert through 2nd ch of starting ch 2, and pull loop through 2nd ch (popcorn stitch made), ch 9, 5 dc in ring, remove hook, insert through 1st dc and pull loop through 1st dc, ch 9, 5 dc in ring, remove hook, insert through 1st dc and pull loop through 1st dc; ch 4, trtr in top of starting popcorn stitch to form 3rd ch 9 sp of Round. Pull magic ring tight.

Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 2 tr over post of trtr directly below, 3 dc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp, ch 3, [3 sc in next ch 9 sp, 3 dc in same sp, 3 tr in same sp, ch 3, 3 tr in same sp, 3 dc in same sp, 3 sc in same sp, ch 3] 2 times, 3 sc in in next ch ch 9 sp, 3 dc in same sp, 3 tr in same sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 4th ch of starting ch 4 to form 3rd 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 3: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, 1 hdc in same tip, 1 dc in same tip, 1 tr in same tip, 1 dtr in same tip, 1 trtr in same tip, [1 trtr in next ch 3 sp, 1 dtr in same sp, 1 tr in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 tr in same sp, 1 dtr in same sp, 1 trtr in same sp, 1 trtr in next ch 3 tip, 1 dtr in same tip, 1 tr in same tip, 1 dc in same tip, 1 hdc in same tip, 1 sc in same tip, ch 3, 1 sc in same tip, 1 hdc in same tip, 1 dc in same tip,1 tr in same tip, 1 dtr in same tip, 1 trtr in same tip] 2 times, 1 trtr in next ch 3 sp, 1 dtr in same sp, 1 tr in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 tr in same sp, 1 dtr in same sp, 1 trtr in same sp, 1 trtr in next ch 3 tip, 1 dtr in same tip, 1 tr in same tip, 1 dc in same tip, 1 hdc in same tip, 1 sc in same tip, ch 1, 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 4: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same sp, * ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook (dc picot made), 1 dc in gap between next 2 trtr, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in gap between next 2 trtr, ch 3, 1 dc in same gap, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, [ch 3, 1 dc in same sp] 3 times; repeat from * around 2 more times, omitting last 2 ch 3 and last 2 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form final ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same sp, * ch 12, sk next 3 ch 3 sp, 1 tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 tr in same sp, ch 12, sk next 3 ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, [ch 3, 1 dc in same sp] 3 times; repeat from * around 2 times, omitting last 2 ch 3 and last 2 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form final ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 6: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same sp, * ch 16, 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, [ch 3, 1 dc in same sp] 3 times, ch 16, sk next 2 ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, [ch 3, 1 dc in same sp] 3 times; repeat from * around 2 times, omitting last 2 ch 3 and last 2 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 7: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc in same sp, * ch 7, 1 dc cluster over Round 5 and Round 6 chains below, ch 3, sl st in top of cluster, ch 7, sk next ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp (middle ch 3 sp), ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 5, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 2 dc and last ch 3 sp of Round; sl st into 2nd ch of starting ch 5; 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.

Science Mission Snowflake

4 comments :

  1. interesting and pretty flake. I love the story behind it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. haha now that was a fun mission indeed. Hit it at your sea, never doubt thee with a snowflake

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, what a mission and what a story about it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1. Who writes those amazing challenges?

    2. Great flake! The center fascinates me ... every time I look at it I see different shapes. Nice job working in all the mission assignments. :)

    ReplyDelete


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