Showing posts with label Cold Shivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cold Shivers. Show all posts

08 August 2017

Cold Shivers, the Sequel


Cold Shivers Snowflake was designed in my head as I pedaled up Colorado National Monument in 2012 following three months off the bike due to a disc-crushing bike accident. Cold Shivers is the name of the rest stop at the top of a huge climb. Your sweat and the desert breeze give you cold shivers as you take in the magnificent red rock scenery.


I didn't know if I'd be able to climb again because my back hurt so much. As I reached the pullout, Sammy Hagar and Van Halen were crooning, "Baby, dry your eyes; save all the tears you've cried. That's what dreams are made of!"

The beads on the snowflake represent a tiny portion of the tears I cried... tears of joy at Cold Shivers because I made it!!!


This spring I thought I'd have to have surgery when we learned I have two more collapsed discs in my neck. Physical therapy has been working, and last week I got permission to get back on my bike. I'm riding only 15 miles at a time now, trying to work back up slowly and make sure the nerves in my arm aren't going to be obstructed anymore.

Thursday morning I rode 15 miles to the park and ride, third time back on the bike. Ten hours later, I got back on the bike and rode home from the park and ride for the first time in so long, I have to look it up because I don't remember! (I looked it up, and on March 28, 2015, we did a weekend recon tour to see if the flood-damaged sections of the bike path were repaired, and it would still be several months. That was the most recent time my bicycle tires had traveled south on the path near the park and ride.)

The ride home is filled with some pretty big hills, not as big as Cold Shivers, but significant given I haven't done any climbing at all since March. I wasn't sure I could make it up the biggest climb and then the rest of the way home, too.

As I topped that hill, Cheryl Crow was singing, "I'm still the king of me!" Black storm clouds were pushing east, and I started singing right along with her:

"I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone!!!"

15 October 2012

Snowflake Monday


Cold Shivers Snowflake

What could be a better name for a snowflake than Cold Shivers?

And these are all the tears I've cried:

Cold Shivers Snowflake

Cold Shivers Snowflake

Cold Shivers Snowflake

Cold Shivers Snowflake

This snowflake has one move on the second round that might drive you nuts; but trust me, it works. You will be working a mega treble crochet to complete one of the chain-24 loops, and then you will be working right over that odd stitch as if it was a chain. The alternatives are to slip stitch all the way up the side of a chain-24 loop to get to the top to start the next round, which I hate because that loop will look different than the rest, or cut the thread and join again at the top, which is doable but means more ends to weave in. Hopefully this makes it easier to understand why I've included something that seems so crazy and unorthodox.

Cold Shivers Snowflake

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!

Cold Shivers Snowflake

Finished Size: 6.5 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
NOTE: beading requirements and instructions at end of pattern

Cold Shivers Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Do not pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: 1 sc in same sc as sl st, * ch 24, sk next sc, 1 sc in next sc; repeat from * around 4 times; to form final ch 24 loop, ch 11, yo 11 times, draw up loop through starting sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook 12 times (something akin to a double qtr).

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same loop, 2 hdc in same loop, 2 sc in same loop, * ch 6, 2 sc in next ch 24 loop, 2 hdc in same loop, 2 dc in same loop, ch 3, 2 dc in same loop, 2 hdc in same loop, 2 sc in same loop; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 6, 2 sc in next loop, 2 hdc in same loop, 2 dc in same loop, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 to form final ch 3 sp.

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc, 2 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, * ch 8, sk next ch 6 sp, sk next 2 sc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 4 st; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 8, sk next ch 6 sp, sk next 2 sc, 1 dc in each of next 4 st, ch 1, 1 dc in 3rd ch of starting ch 3 to form final ch 3 sp.
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 5: Ch 9 (counts as 1 dc and ch 6), * 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, ch 10, sk next ch 8 sp, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, ch 6, 1 dc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, ch 10, sk next ch 8 sp, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 5 st, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, sl st in3rd ch of starting ch 9; bind off. Weave in ends.

To make beaded snowflake, string 240 (204 adjusted) beads on thread prior to beginning snowflake. (I always string extra beads, just in case.) If you don't want to count beads, use a package or container of beads with more than 230 beads, and string the entire package. (I used two containers of 150 6/0 glass beads.) On Round 2, work one bead into the first 8 and last 8 chains on each petal. On the mega treble stitch at the end of the Round, work one bead into each of the first 8 yarn over/draw through 2 loops on hook segments. My beads were bigger than my chain stitches, so I had to adjust the side chain spaces on Round 3, 4 and 5. On Round 3, work one bead into each chain of the chain 6 spaces (my adjustment was 5 chains, but I probably could have achieved a tighter snowflake had I used 4 chains). On Round 4, work one bead into each chain of the chain 8 spaces (my adjustment was 6 chains, and I probably could have done 5 instead). On Round 5, work one bead into each chain of the chain 10 spaces (my adjustment was 7 chains, and I probably could have done 6 instead).

Also, beads make this snowflake heavier, so it needs a strong stiffener. I've been using liquid starch to stiffen my snowflakes for quite a while now, and that would not have worked with the beaded version. I used full-strength school glue, then dabbed the beads with a wet cotton swab to clean the glue off them.

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.

Cold Shivers Snowflake
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