Today's snowflake is inspired by my 2023 crochet temperature project motif. And it's named after one of the final 14ers I was able to climb on foot with Lizard. (We climbed two more 14ers on foot after Columbia, and we climbed three more 14ers via bicycle before Lizard was no longer able to climb.)
I've been so anxious for the week when I get to begin incorporating new colors into my 2023 crochet temperature project. I cannot wait to see what more new color will look like, and each day as I make a new motif now, my imagination runs wild with what the summer months might look like.
When I first decided to include the maroon in my project, I wasn't really sure I wanted it to preserve what likely will be a common color for the next few months. I don't gravitate to reds, but also, deep shades are difficult to achieve in dyeing. I kept thinking, what if I need this color for something else later on, and I can't ever get thread this dark again?
I opted to keep it in the project because I think it makes a great transitional color in my temperature project as warmer temperatures begin. To me, the maroon helps the pinks flow more naturally into the nature-created gradient. And, always game for a good challenge, this means I will have to one day attempt to achieve another deep wine red at some point. Who knows how many fun hues I will come up with in the process???
Nearly every medical appointment I take Lizard to, one of his specialists asks if I'm taking care of me, as well as him. They all want to make sure I'm not burning out and that I'm incorporating some "me" time into my days.
I make snowflakes, and I try to quilt when I can. I play in Photoshop, and sometimes I even play in AI. The big thing I'm doing for me every single day now is 15 minutes of 2023 crochet temperature project. I just love the way this beautiful fabric is coalescing right before my eyes!
Lizard and I climbed Mount Columbia back in 2007. Still can't believe it's been that long ago. We set out to do the double climb of Harvard and Columbia, but I was lucky to make it up just Columbia. I guess that's why I got only two more successful 14er summits after that. I didn't realize until I began writing this blog post how long ago it was when climbing became almost too difficult for me. Lizard went on to climb Harvard two years later. I bonked before reaching true altitude and spent my day photographing the Bear Lake basin ringed by Collegiate Peaks, no regrets. I've proudly claimed since then I went as far at Harvard as I could!
Roger Toll of the Colorado Mountain Club named 14,077-foot Mount Columbia after his alma mater in 1916 when he climbed it. When I went back to read my Columbia and Harvard trip reports, I realized I had set a goal to share a new (to me) stitch or technique for each of the Collegiate Peaks. I almost changed the name of this flake because I did not learn any new stitches or techniques for this pattern. However, the snowflake is inspired by my first daily non-digital temperature project, which includes lots of new things for me. Among them, when I wrote this blog post (back in March!!!), it was my 88th consecutive day of making the same motif every single day. Now I'm up to 121 days! I've never done that before. That counts as a Columbia-worthy education, right?
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: 8 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, 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
Mount Columbia Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 10, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, ch 1, 2 dc in ring] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off; weave in ends. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat. Pull magic circle tight.
Round 2: In any ch 6 tip work (5 dc), [in next ch 6 tip work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc)] 5 times; 5 dc in next ch 6 tip, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 3 d, csk next 4 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th 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 4: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 10, in next ch 3 tip work [1 dc, ch 3] 3 times, 1 dc)] 5 times; ch 10, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
Round 5: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and ch 5), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 12, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc, ch 7, 1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc) 5 times; ch 12, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 7 to form 6th ch 7 tip of Round.
Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [in next ch 5 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), ch 4, 1 sc over Round 4 and Round 5 chains, ch 4, in next ch 5 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), in next ch 5 tip work (5 dc, ch 12, 5 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 5 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.
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 snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.
I love that the core of this flake is the same as your temperature motif. Just shows how you can take what you've learned and build something beautiful on it. Very apropos for the collegiate theme!
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