Snowflake Monday

I've been trying to work on portable crochet projects while waiting for Lizard during his PT, and I needed some snowflake inspiration, I guess because it's just been so hot. It's finally cooling down... YAY!!! While looking for inspiration, I came across this Wave shot, originally created in pink, from Valentine's Day 2012, and a swarm of the most wonderful memories enveloped me. Valentine's Day, The Wave, and Shonna... I shifted the hue in the manipulated image below from pink to teal because today is the first day of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Today's snowflake is inspired by this image and fueled by so much love and warmth.

The Wave is one of my favorite places in the world, but also, I used to spend hours back then pumping my favorite images through a Photoshop kaleidoscope extension on my laptop. The Wave was one of my favorite image collections when creating kaleidoscopes. When I had to replace that laptop in 2016, my favorite Photoshop extensions wouldn't work on the new computer. I bought another kaleidoscope-generating program, but it was nothing like the wonderful extension I'd been using since about 2009. I rarely used it. I had to replace the 2016 laptop during the pandemic, and I've yet to find a suitable kaleidoscope generator for this baby, the computer I'm using now. I've manually created a few kaleidoscopes in Photoshop. There are all kinds of tutorials out there with good instructions. But nothing runs as smoothly as the old program that was never converted to newer technology. I also have two apps on my phone that create kaleidoscopes as I take photos, and I do enjoy using that every once in a while. It's not the same as manipulating an existing photo, however. Good thing I have about 2,000 archived kaleidoscopes in my stash to work with when I need inspiration these days!

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: 7.5 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

September Wave Snowflake Instructions

SPECIAL STITCHES:

Popcorn Stitch (pc)

Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc in ring, ch 15] 5 times; 1 pc in ring, ch 7, 1 quintr (which is 6 yo)(counts as 7 ch in next Round) in starting pc to form 6th ch 15 sp of Round. Don't pull magic circle too tight.
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 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [1 dc in next ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, sk next ch, next pc and next ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), 1 dc in next ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 21, 1 sc in 10th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 3, sk next 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Round 2, Rock Covering: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [1 dc in next ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, sk next ch, next pc and next ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc), 1 dc in next ch, in next ch work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 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.
NOTE: Binding off here makes a cute little flake.

Round 3, Rock Covering: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and [[ch 5), 1 dc in next ch 3 loop] 17 times; ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 7 to form 18th ch 5 sp of Round.

Rounds 4-?, Rock Covering: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 5), [1 dc in next ch 5 sp] 17 times; ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 7 to form 18th ch 5 sp of Round. Continue with Round 8 until snowflake fits snugly around rock, leaving about a 1- to 2-inch opening on the back or bottom side.

Final Round, Rock Covering:Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each ch 5 sp around, inserting rock after about 2/3rds of Round, gently stitching while finishing Round and closing up hole so as not to damage crochet hook; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off, leaving 4- to 5-inch tail. Weave end through final Round of dc and pull tight. Bind off again, weave in end. Place in garden!

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.

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