I kind of hoped I might be able to come up with a new Halloween snowflake for today, but my creative juices seem to have evaporated this spooky season. Just know I tried!
I couldn't even come up with just a plain, regular new snowflake pattern this week! Even though it's snowing as I type! (First of the season for us!!!) Mostly likely due to time constraints, NOT because I'm losing interest. Here is just a tiny sampling of time bandits from my last few weeks...
I even had to bury my Brussels sprouts because they are under the eaves and don't get much snow (or rain). I'd read the sprouts will become sweeter if I let them keep going when it freezes, but they are only good to 10 degrees. We are supposed to hit 9 degrees tonight and 8 degrees tomorrow night!!!
For this week's snowflake, I had to dip into my dwindling collection of unpublished patterns.
This week's pattern is a bit of a gem for me. I didn't realize it was still lurking in my undone stack. Back in November of 2011 (Wow!!! Have I really been blogging that long?!?), I published my first in a series of snowflakes designed with one theme and two common center rounds. I think Longs Peak may have been my first snowflake series all inspired by one snowflake design. (See also: Longs Peak II and Longs Peak III.)
Back when I first concocted my Longs Peak idea(s), I came up with motif projects, too, which are included in the above-linked patterns.
(And thank you so much to those who have been sharing tips about where to find Elmer's glow-in-the-dark glue!!! I have bought several bottles of purple, orange and blue Elmer's glow glue, and I'll probably never quit hunting for for the yellow that dries clearest, but I have stocked up on glow beads, glow glitter and glow-in-the-dark spray paint. So glow-in-the-dark adventures at Snowcatcher have not died!)
I don't have a new motif project to go with today's version of my Longs Peak Snowflake, which bears the name of the third of four mountain peaks flanking Longs Peak, but I am still occassionally working on the motif project that goes along with the fourth version of my Longs Peak flake, and I'm hoping to publish both of these new patterns, perhaps as soon as I finish my 2023 crochet temperature project. Wouldn't that be a great way to start 2024???
The stunning beauty of my crochet temperature project motivated me to get going on two other long-term motif projects earlier in the year, and for a few weeks, I actually did do one motif from each of the three projects every single day. As always, though, life got in the way, and soon I was back down to just the temperature motif on a daily basis. I've continued working on the Harvest Flower motif project as time allows, but the third motif project, also awaiting pattern publication, which awaits project completion, has, in essence, gathered a bit of dust while waiting. I'm hoping my avocado-pit-dyed thread project also will find the light of day once I get done with my 2023 crochet temperature project.
I've not climbed Pagoda Mountain or any of the other three 13ers flanking Longs Peak, but there was a time when all four were on my bucket list. I did climb Longs, my first 14er, and I've been up to Chasm Lake below the diamond face of Longs, one of my most favorite sunrise locations in Colorado, multiple times.
Now I'm not sure we will ever be able to climb again; we've done a few very short and easy hikes since Lizard was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and two at altitude. So Pagoda, Meeker, Lady Washington and Storm might be off my climbing map. But they definitely make thrilling notches on my crochet belt.
13,497-foot Pagoda Peak sits just over half a mile southwest of the summit of Longs along the picturesque Keyboard of the Winds. I've "Long"ed for years to create a crochet project using that name and inspiration!!! The name Pagoda, which the peak received because the mountain is a visual reminder of Asian eaves, inspired the points on this snowflake. Pagoda Mountain is the second-tallest subpeak flanking Longs behind Mount Meeker, and it sits prominently above the gorgeous Glacier Gorge. When you climb all four subpeaks in a day, you earn the title Grand Slam. If you throw in Longs, too, you get a Radical Slam. It never was my goal to climb all four peaks in a day or perhaps even a year. Now, if we do get to visit the area again one day, we'll likely have to be content getting peak reflections in nearby lakes. But, nothing wrong with that, right? It's still better than sitting on the couch!
I will leave you with a very old teaser photo of my yet unpublished Longs Peak-inspired motif project, and let's hope this baby will help ring in the new year in a just few cold, short (hopefully snow-filled!!!) months!
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: 7.25 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
Special Stitches:
dc cluster: [yo and draw up loop, yo and bring through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yo and bring through all 4 loops on hook
tr cluster: [yo twice and draw up loop, yo and bring through 2 loops on hook, yo and bring through 2 loops on hook] 4 times, yo and bring through all five loops on hook
Pagoda Mountain Snowflake Instructions
Make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 3, 2 dc in ring] 6 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Don't pull magic ring too tight.
Round 2: Dc cluster around post of dc directly below, [in next ch 3 sp work (dc cluster, ch 4, dc cluster)] 5 times; dc cluster in next ch 3 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in top of starting cluster to form 6th ch 4 sp 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 3: Tr cluster over post of dc directly below, [in next ch 4 sp work (tr cluster, ch 9, tr cluster)] 6 times, omitting last tr cluster of final repeat; sl st in top of starting cluster.
Round 4: Sl st in top of next cluster, [sl st in next ch, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 8 ch, [ch 14, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in each of next 7 ch, ch 9, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in each of next 5 ch, ch 7, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in each of next 3 ch, ch 7, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch, 1 dtr in next ch, ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook (spoke picot made), ch 5, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch, 1 dtr in next ch, working back down spoke, sl st in each of next 2 ch (diamond point made), ch 6, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in each of next 3 ch, sl st in ch between next 2 branches, ch 8, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in each of next 5 ch, sl st in ch between next 2 branches, ch 10, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, sl st in each of next 7 ch, sl st in next ch below bottom branch and in next ch, ch 2, sk next 2 tr culsters, 1 dc in each of next 9 ch] 6 times, omitting last nine dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; 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.
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