Snowflake Monday

Way back in early February, I started a batch of variegated crochet thread in two of my favorite pink dyes and a dark shade called oxblood. It was to be my Valentine thread for this year.




Lizard required an emergency procedure on February 10th. The thread got done, but I couldn't tell you where the rest of the month went even if I looked back in my journal.

Once I started making time to crochet again, my state and the office where I work went to Shelter in Place, and the hook got put away again. I had begun making some of my favorite patterns with the Valentine thread, and I was halfway through a tiny bear when the crochet bag got hung on the main closet doorknob, where it stayed until a death in the family on Good Friday.


Well, except for a heart flake I crafted when I first heard about the Heart Hunters. It was pretty exciting to me then that my Valentine thread could still see some good heart fun, even though it was more than a month too late for Valentine's Day.

When I pulled out the crochet bag again to make flakes for my brother and his sister-in-law, I realized my poor little bear still needed assembly. After the memorial flakes were in the mail, I finished crocheting a few more of my favorite patterns with my Valentine thread just for today's post.


Heart Hunters was started back at the beginning of April, as far as I know, as a place for people to "gather" and share the hearts they were putting on their windows, garage doors and in their gardens for children to "find" during walks once social distancing began to take an emotional toll. The day I learned about Heart Hunters, I dug out my bright-colored paper and my hole punches and decorated my front door for the children in my neighborhood.


I fully intended to look for other heartwork each time I went out with Lizard for a walk or a little bicycle ride and collect photos of all the hearts I could find for a Wordless Wednesday. It seems we got snow after snow after snow after that, and I've seen only two windows in all of my little village with hearts, and one is mine!

However, I know Heart Hunters is still going strong, and for some, it's a day brightener.

Hearts have always been a happy sight for me, and I love the challenge of trying to create a snowflake from something that doesn't have six sides.

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: heart motif, 1.75 inches across from side to side; snowflake, 6.5 inches across from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in 2 or more colors, 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:

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.

Heart Hunter Snowflake Instructions


Heart Motif Instructions

With red or heart color, make magic ring.

Round 1: [Pc in ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in top of starting pc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2, in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 3) 2 times, 1 dc in same ch 3 sp, [in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 3), 1 dc] 3 times, in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 3) 2 times, 1 dc in same ch 3 sp, ch 2, sl st in starting ch 3 sp.

Round 3: In next ch 2 sp work (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc), 9 dc in next ch 3 sp, [3 dc in next ch 3 sp] 2 times, in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), [3 dc in next ch 3 sp] 2 times, 9 dc in next ch 3 sp, in next ch 2 sp work (1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc). Bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.


Snowflake Instructions

Round 4: With white or snowflake color, 1 sc in ch 3 tip at bottom of heart motif, [ch 5, sk next 3 dc, 1 sc in next dc] 5 times, ch 5, 1 sc in Round 1 ch 3 sp at center of top of heart motif, ch 5, sk next 3 st, [1 sc in next dc, ch 5, sk next 3 dc] 4 times, 1 sc in ch 3 tip at bottom of heart, ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same ch 3 sp] 3 times, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, [3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch 3 sp, 1 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same ch 3 sp] 3 times, omitting last dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 7th V-st 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 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in top of next V-st, ch 3, 3 dc in same V-st] 5 times; ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in top of next V-st, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th shell ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 7: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, 3 dc in each of next 2 ch 3 sp, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, 3 dc in next shell ch 3 tip, ch 3, 3 dc in same tip] 6 times, omitting last 3 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.

Round 8: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 16, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 10, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc] 5 times; ch 16, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip, ch 3, 1 dc in same tip, ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 5; bind off. Weave in ends.

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 snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.