I recently was working from home when I had to log into a program I had not used in a while. Updates had been made, and certain policies had not been applied, and I was the first one in our office to find the error. Now the entire office has access to that program again.
First time I logged into the rebooted program, I got several minutes of "thinking" animations, with cheerful, uplifting automated messages such as, "We're spiffying up the place for you!" and "We're decking the halls for you!", with quick little prompts in between pleading for me to be patient because the program would run so smoothly once they were done and not to shut down my computer until they were done. Really cracked me up. And that's just what we all need this time of year, right? Computerized enthusiasm!
Today's snowflake was originally designed back in October of 2012, and I ran out of that batch of hand-dyed gradient blue thread before the prototype was done. I quickly finished the (then uninspiring) flake and set it aside to write a pattern one day.
When I chose this snowflake to share today, I decided to give it a spiffy, cheerful upgrade to forever salute the people behind our technology who try to give us reasons to grin even when software and hardware don't meet expectations.
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: 5 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
Upgraded Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in ring, [ch 2, 3 dc in ring] 5 times; ch 2; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Don't pull magic ring too tight.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [in next ch 2 sp work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 5, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
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: 3 sc in gap before next dc, [ch 3, sk next ch 3 sp, in next ch 5 sp work (1 dc, ch 12, sl st in 11th ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 15, sl st in 13th ch from hook, ch 2, 1 dc, ch 12, sl st in 11th ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc), sk next ch 3 sp, 3 sc in gap between next 2 dc] 6 times, omitting last 3 sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.
Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.
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.
You can just hear the thread saying, "Please don't put down your hook. You'll have a spiffy new snowflake in no time if you keep crocheting a few moments longer." :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue! Thank you for always making me smile just when I need it!
DeleteIn 2015 a job relocated us to Hawaii (from Utah) and I decided I needed 50 snowflakes to take with me. It was such a joy to find your site, and am the proud owner now of over 100 snowflakes, all different, and at least 95 of them from your site! The big ones I hang in the windows. :-) (We are now back in Utah, and I brought my snowflakes with me!)
ReplyDeleteIt took me a minute but I did refind your Snowflake Directory. Is there a filter for them? I need to make 80 snowflakes this year, so I want a few patterns that are simple and fast. Maybe you could point me in the right direction....
Thanks again for your beautiful contributions!
Thank you, Rhonda, and WOW! What an adventure, and how cool that snowflakes accompany you! The snowflake directory is the best I can do; I code all this by hand during my free time, which doesn't happen all that much these days. I do have another directory that I don't update that has maybe the first eight or so years of patterns by size, so you would be able to do the smallest ones, which typically are fast and easy. I don't think links show up as links in the comments, so if this doesn't work for you, try searching in the upper left hand search box at the top of this page for Size Matters.
Deletehttps://www.snowcatcherphotos.com/blahg/patterns/SnowcatcherSnowflakesBySize.html