Several years ago, one of my loyal readers asked if I ever planned to crochet any of Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley's snowflakes. Bentley is one of the first known snowflake photographers. Interesting Trivia: He was born 95 years and four days before me.
Snowflake Bentley became interested in snowflakes as a teenager, just like me, but he took more initiative to study them than I ever did at that age. He tried to draw the snowflakes he saw through a microscope and built his first snowflake photography setup at the age of 20. I was taking pictures of snowflakes when I was 15 or 16... with a Polaroid camera. Those were some tiny snowflake images!!! Plus, we didn't get much snow at all in southern New Mexico, so I didn't get many opportunities to practice.
Bentley coined the idea that no two snowflakes are alike (which physics professor Kenneth Libbrecht has proven wrong by creating twin snowflakes in the lab at Caltech) after photographically capturing more than 5,000 snowflakes.
I own all of Bentley's books. I own all of Libbrecht's books. This last Christmas, I became the owner of Don Komarechka's book and poster. (Thank you, Lizard!!!) If Alexey Kljatov ever publishes a book, I'll likely add that to my collection.
My crocheted snowflakes have been inspired by Libbrecht, Komarechka and Kljatov, as well as a few other snowflake photographers more talented than me, but I had not really studied Bentley's snowflakes closely, possibly because there are so many of them. I often look through this book, but I think I must have been overwhelmed. Perhaps I had to see my own actual and somewhat primitive snowflake photographs to be able to visualize the color and form captured in the black and white photos before I could be truly inspired.
I opened up the book once again on New Year's Day, determined to create my first Bentley-inspired snowflake, and wouldn't you know it. I couldn't even get past the first page! Today's pattern is inspired by the first photo on the first page!!!
What I love most about this pattern is that deep down inside, I was secretly hoping to do heart-themed snowflakes throughout this month, not only in preparation for Valentine's Day, but also because my niece Layla requested 11 red snowflakes for what I thought was her February birthday. I missed the boat! I found out last week her birthday is in January. And it was last week! Oh, no!!!
So, I'm off to create 10 more red snowflakes, hopefully some with hearts, so she won't think I forgot about her birthday wish.
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: 6 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in one to five colors, size 7 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
Heart Motif Instructions
With 1st color, make magic ring.
Round 1: 6 sc in ring. Do not join. Pull magic circle tight.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around for a total of 12 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: Sl st in next sc, sk next sc, 6 dc in next sc, sk next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 5 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, sk next sc, 6 dc in next sc, sk next sc, sl st in starting sl st; bind off. Weave in ends. Leave center tail if desired to string through center of Fidget Spinner motif and Snowflake.
Fidget Spinner Motif Instructions
With 2nd color, make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic ring tight.
Round 2: Ch 6, 1 dc in 4th ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, sk 2 dc, sl st in each of next 2 dc] 3 times; sl st in base of 1st spoke; bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Toothy Smile Motif Instructions (make 3)
With 1st or 2nd color, ch 16.
Round 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 3 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, draw up loop in final ch, change to outline Round color, complete sc, 2 sc in same ch, working down bottom side of piece, 1 sc in each of next 15 st, 1 sc and sl st in end of motif; bind of. Weave in ends, or crochet over ends during Outline Rounds.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Bentley Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 2, 2 dc in ring] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. 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 over post of dc directly below, [2 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 10, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 1, sk 1 ch, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, sk next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 2 dc in same ch 3 tip] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc and last ch of final repeat; 1 hdc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form final ch 1 sp between spoke dc and 2/dc group.
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 hdc directly below, [ch 2, 1 sc in next gap between 2/dc groups, ch 2, 1 sc in next gap between 2/dc group and spoke dc, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, sl st in ch 4 tip, ch 16, sl st in 11th ch from hook, ch 5, sl st in same ch 4 tip, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, 1 sc in gap between next spoke dc and 2/dc group] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc, bind off here if not making outline Round or if making outline Round in different color. Weave in ends.
Outline Round 4: With outline Round color, 1 sc in any tip, [ch 24, 1 sc in next tip, ch 4, working into Toothy Smile motif with previously worked Outline Round color on the bottom, 1 sc in each of 16 st across top, making sure to catch one Outline Round color sc on each end of motif, ch 4, 1 sc in next tip] 3 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc.
Outline Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [1 dc in each of next 24 ch, 1 dc in tip sc, ch 3, 1 dc in same tip, 1 dc in each of next 4 ch, 1 sc in each of next 18 sc, 1 dc in each of next 4 ch, 1 dc in next tip sc, ch 3, 1 dc in same tip] 3 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; 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.
Heart and Fidget Spinner motifs may be glued onto Snowflake during stiffening or after, or use center tail of Heart Motif to string through center of Fidget Spinner Motif and Snowflake prior to stiffening.
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.
First page winner. Great when you have so much inspiration.
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