Twin Two Through

I made quick work of my Snowville charm pack, a yard of fabric for the backing, and a bunch of snowflake scraps from my stash. I used my longarm to draw snowmen all over the sandwiched layers to match last week's first twin quilt. This baby was finished in three days, and both quilts are now in the mail to my mother-in-law for her neighbor's preemie twins.

I initially had thought I could do disappearing four-patch or nine-patch cuts on this quilt, but on the diagonal, so it would sort of be in harmony with the first twin quilt. But this fabric line isn't as charm-friendly, in my opinion. Many of the prints are better suited to a layer cake; some of the charms don't have much of a design on them because the polar bears and penguins are too far apart. So I decided to use the charms intact to preserve theme elements that did exist.

If I'd had both the Snow What Fun and Snowville charm packs on hand when I began the first twin quilt, I would have purposely switched a couple of charms so both quilts would have one block from the other twin's quilt. After I finished piecing this latest creation, I realized I could have cut another couple of frosty mug charms from my stash to match what I did to fill in a couple of holes on the first quilt (and to replace the two charms that don't have polar bears or penguins). I was kicking myself in the behind for not thinking of that before I finished piecing.

But then I realized both quilts have blocks made from snowflake fabrics from my stash, and both quilts are bound with the snowflake binding leftovers from previous snowflake-themed quilts I've finished in the past. A couple of the snowflake fabrics in each quilt even match. So, mission accomplished!

This twin quilt journey began while we were visting my mother-in-law in September. She took us to a quilting shop in her town, and I purchased the Snow What Fun charm pack to show her how fun disappearing four- and nine-patch designs can be. She's still somewhat intimidated by the entire quilting process beyond rag quilts. Her birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I'm including a present for her in the twin quilt package because I'm still hoping to get her addicted to quilting.

Sometimes it takes just the right fabrics to make you anxious to begin a new project. I found this charm pack and bought two yards of the coordinating fabric, then cut 42 charm squares from the solid. Lizard says his mom's favorite color is teal. Hopefully, this is just what my cowboy-lovin' mom-in-law needs to brave drowning in the love of quilting!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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White Friday

On the day after Thanksgiving last year, the mountains were getting a whopping 18 inches of snow! I couldn't make it up the hill, though, until most of that storm melted. However, we had white skies, and I got some dramatic photos in Roxborough State Park, a gem of the county we've lived in for more than a decade but didn't discover until 2018.






Here are a few of my favorite seasonal white shots from my little corner of the world.










Because I couldn't go up in the mountains on actual White Friday and because I had only a couple hours of free time before family obligations, I wound a few hanks of white thread for dyeing, and I parked two of the three long-sleeved white T-shirts I'd bought earlier in the summer in dye. The dyeing took a week, so I didn't have results until almost as long as it took for snow to fall again.








During the White Friday family dinner, we enjoyed, among other Thanksgiving tasties, leftover mashed potatoes, riced cauliflower, and even a few taterless cauliflower tots, which are white on the inside. I'd discovered exciting cauliflower recipes earlier in the year, and Lizard likes a few but not all of them. It was the first time our extended family members had even heard of making creative things with cauliflower.


Back at home later that night, I made the rounds, pinching all the white flies attempting to take over my indoor garden.


Once again, my white picotee amaryllis wasn't ready to bloom, but it was putting up the first signs of white to come.










The twin white Christmas cactus blossoms opened on the right day!!!






The pepper plants I brought indoors prior to our first freeze took a few weeks to adapt to the change in their surrounding climate, just like they do every year. The ghost pepper plant still wasn't quite sure what was happening, but the Serrano and Ancho chili plants were at full bore! There must have been at least 15 blossoms, plus another 15 or so emerging blossoms. I must pinch the blossoms after I bring the plants indoors in order for the peppers to pollinate. That gives me the chance to smoosh the little aphids I can't usually see with the naked eye.










Now we're getting into Green Friday, right??? Ha ha!


The blossoms were so plentiful, I would be able to make plenty of white chili (turkey or chicken instead of red meat) for the next six months! I even made some with "white" beans, just for this blog post!


I made (and stiffened) three white snowflakes (plus one really pale blue one... does that count???).


I finished off the long weekend with tiny white snowpeople. (I'm making a snow village, not trying to be politically correct!)

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Snowflake Monday

I was assigned to bring in a pie for our annual Thanksgiving potluck at work, but I wanted to crochet on the train. I had this idea…

So I took in the ingredients for a pudding pie with smashed Oreos (all of which I had at home and did not have to buy), and I crocheted a new trio of snowflakes on the train! We don't have a full kitchen at work, and it was full anyway, with people helping with lunch set-up, so I made my pie at my desk.

My pie was a hit. Not a single slice remained.


And I think my newest snowflake pattern is hit, too. What do you think???


In case you are wondering, Snögubbe is Swedish for snowman. And a cool-sounding word, as well!

Of course, just about any snowflake could be used instead of today's pattern to build a snowflake snowman. I like a more solid snowflake for my snowpeople, but feel free to construct your own snow village however you like.

(And no, I'm not trying to be politically correct at all. I love the term snowpeople, and I think it would be cool to make an entire village of little snowmen, snowladies and snowkids. The whole concept is so inspiring!)

Speaking of solid snowflakes, I'm planning to announce an embellishing contest next Monday to see what kinds of designs you can come up with for my Polar Snowflake, featured in this year's fundraising pdf pattern booklet, "Up to Snow Good." Read more about the booklet here.

Also, I didn't realize when I set up the fundraising pages that the Davis Phinney Foundation would not provide donor email addresses to me, so I am unable to send the booklet if that's where you make your donation until you contact me with the email address you would like me to use. My new email address is flake at snowcatcherphotos dot com, and please check your spam folder if you don't hear back from me. I don't want to be spam, but it's a brand new email address, with a dot com suffix to boot, so some email hosts don't know yet if I'm trustworthy.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes and or snowman (or snowpeople) you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: snowflakes=1.75 to 2.25 inches from point to point; snowmen=5 inches tall
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in three or more colors, googly eyes or beads or sequins or pompoms or desired applique for eyes and nose, 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

Snögubbe Snowflakes Instructions


Snögubbe Head

With white, make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic ring 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 same sc, [2 dc in next sc, ch 1, 2 dc in next dc] 5 times; 2 dc in next sc, ch 1; 1 sc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: 1 sc in each of next 3 dc, [1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc] 5 times, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp; bind off, leaving a long tail if making snowman. Weave in ends if making snowflake.


Snögubbe Middle

With white, 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 circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, [2 dc in next dc, ch 1, 2 dc in next dc] 5 times; 2 dc in next dc, ch 1, 1 sc 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: 1 sc in each of next 3 dc, [1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc] 5 times, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp; bind off, leaving a long tail if making snowman. Weave in ends if making snowflake.


Snögubbe Body

With white, make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 17 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, [1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 1, 2 dc in next dc] 5 times; 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 1, 1 sc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, [1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, 1 sc in same sp, 1 sc in each of next 5 dc] 5 times, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, 1 sc in same 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 4: [1 sc in each of next 7 sc, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 1 sc in same sp] 6 times; bind off, leaving long tail if making snowman. Weave in ends if making snowflake.

Snögubbe Hat

With hat color, ch 9.

Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 7 ch; ch 1, turn.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Rows 2-6 or 8: 1 sc in each sc across; ch 1, turn.

Row 7 or 9: Ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 sc in each sc across, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch; sl st back into main body of hat; bind off. Weave in ends.

Snögubbe Scarf

With scarf color, ch 60.

Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; ch 1, turn.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Rows 2-3: 1 sc in each sc across; ch 1, turn. After 3rd Row, bind off. Cut several pieces of thread about an inch long for fringe, and tie or loop into scarf ends. Trim ends even.

Finish: Connect snowflakes, smallest to largest, using tails. Weave in ends.

NOTE: Connecting by points may done during the flake-crocheting process instead of sewing together after completion, if desired.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflakes and/or snowman and hat 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 snowflakes and/or snowman and hat with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter if desired. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflakes and/or snowman and hat to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflakes and/or snowman and hat from wax paper or plastic wrap. Wrap scarf around snowman neck. Glue on eyeballs, nose and hat.

Attach 10-inch clear thread to top of hat, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake and/or snowman twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake and/or snowman also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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