Last Minute - Part 2:Crochet Last Minute Snowflakes

It's beginning to look a lot like winter.  Which is strange for where I live currently.  This is a place where flowers bloom all year round and frost is spoken about as an oddity.  (Not exactly the place to be to make a snowman, or feel Jack Frost nipping at your nose.)

But this year, by strange happenstance there is a large fire nearby.  A large fire and just enough wind to blow the smoke and ash this way.  So if you look out the window and ignore the 70 degree temperature, it looks very much light it is lightly snowing.

This is of course bad news to the many people who have lost homes and livelihoods.  If you would like to help them out at all you can donate to the Thomas Fire Fund at United Way of Ventura County.

Now, to make your winter a bit brighter, and to remind us that snow is not gray, I present last minute snowflakes.

Crocheted snowflakes have always been a fall back of mine when there was not enough money or time to do real Christmas shopping.  They make good decor for whatever winter lodgings you have, and can be made fairly quickly.  There are a few tricks I've come up with along the way.
1. Make sure that the cork board can be taken on and off of the wall easily.  This aids to storage and gives snowflakes a place to dry that is out of the way.
2. Only get rust-proof pins.  That usually mean a nickle plating.  Keep a separate stash of pins just for snowflakes and discard of pins the moment that they look like they are going to rust or start catching on the threads.
3. Remove pins after the snowflakes are dry by pulling them straight out while lightly holding that point of the snowflake flat against the cork board.
4. Keep a small pair of needle-nose pliers handy in case a pin does not want to come out.  Make sure that the pliers are clean.
5. Blocking patterns can be re-used until they completely fall apart.
6. Waxed paper should only be re-used if you are blocking over a clean and unused portion.  Don't try flipping it over and pinning over the same spot again.
7. The paper towels can press out stiffener from more than one snowflake, just not in the same spot.  Be sure to use more than one paper towel at a time and try sandwiching the snowflake in the middle to press out excess stiffener.

And now, on to the pattern.

If you would like a PDF of this pattern and have a Ravelry account, a copy can be found here.

If you would like a PDF of this pattern from Etsy, it can be found here.

Feel free to change the yarn, gauge, or size to fit your needs.  Just please do not try to sell this pattern as your own.

If you have any problems that you think I might be able to help you with, email me at GridMammalCrafts@gmail.com

Last Minute Snowflakes

Materials:

·         1 Spool DMC Size 10 Crochet Thread, Cebelia, 100% Cotton, Color: Blanc

·         1 Size 6, 1.80 mm Crochet Hook

·         Rust-proof Straight Pins (Size 17 - 1, 1/16” Nickel-Plated Steel Satin Pins Preferred)

·         Liquid Fabric Stiffener

·         Small Ziploc Bag

·         Waxed Paper

·         Cork Board

·         Paper Towels

·         Blocking Pattern (provided)

·         Fishing Snap Swivel (optional, 1 per ornament)

·         1/8” Ribbon (optional, ~8” for each ornament)

Finished Size:

·         Snowflake A: Diameter =4, 5/8”

·         Snowflake B: Diameter = 4, 1/8”

Notes:

·         Picot = Ch3, sl st into the first ch

·         The pattern is written using American crochet terms.

·         Charts are designed to be read counter-clock-wise.

·         One spool of thread will make several snowflakes.

Key:

Instructions:

Snowflake A

Chart 1: Snowflake A

Start: Ch6, sl st into the first chain to make a loop

Round 1: Sc12 around the loop

Round 2: Ch4, (hdc into the next sc, ch1, dc into the next sc, ch1) x 5, hdc into the next sc, ch1, sl st into the third ch of the first ch4

Round 3:Ch10, (dc in the next dc, ch7) x 5, sl st into the third ch of the first ch10

Round 4:Ch3, (dc in the next ch, ch3, sc in the ch10 space, ch3, dc in the tenth ch, dc in the next dc) x 5, dc in the next ch, ch3, sc in the ch10 space, ch3, dc in the tenth ch, sl st into the third ch of the first ch3

Round 5: Ch3, (dc in the next dc and the next ch3 space, ch7, dc in the next ch3 space and the next 2 dc) x 5, dc in the next dc and the next ch3 space, ch7, dc in the next ch3 space and the next dc, sl st into the third ch of the first ch3

Round 6: Sl st into the next dc, ch3, (dc in the next dc, ch4, sc in the next ch7 space, ch4, dc in the next 2 dc, ch2, skip 1 dc, dc in the next dc) x 5, dc in the next dc, ch4, sc in the next ch7 space, ch4, dc in the next 2 dc, ch2, sl st in the third ch of the first ch3

Round 7: ch3, (hdc in the next dc, ch5,  pic, ch5, hdc in the next dc, dc in the next dc, ch1, dc in the next dc) x 5, hdc in the next dc, ch5,  pic, ch5, hdc in the next dc, dc in the next dc, ch1, sl st into the third ch of the first ch3

Round 8: ch9, ([sc, ch4, sc] into the next pic, ch7, dc3tog the next [dc,ch,dc], ch7) x 5, [sc, ch4, sc] into the next pic, ch7, dc2tog next [dc, ch1], sl st into second ch of first ch9

Round 9: Ch28, ([tr in the next dc3tog, ch24) x 5, sl st into the fourth ch of the first ch28

Break thread and weave in ends.

Snowflake B:

Chart 2: Snowflake B

Start: Ch6, sl st into the first chain to make a loop

Round 1: Sc12 around the loop

Round 2: Ch4, (dc in the next sc, ch1) x 11, sl st into the third ch of the first ch4

Round 3: Ch10, (skip 1 dc, dc in the next dc, ch 7) x 5, sl t in the third ch of the first ch10

Round 4: ch1, sc in the same ch, ([sc2, hdc2, dc2, tr, dc2, hdc2, sc2] in the next ch7 space, sc in the next dc) x 5, [sc2, hdc2, dc2, tr, dc2, hdc2, sc2] in the next ch7 space, sl st into the first sc

Round 5: Sl st in the next [2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, tr], ch18, (dc in the next tr, ch 15) x 5, sl st in the third ch of the first ch18

Round 6: Ch1, sc in the same stitch, (ch20, sc in the next dc) x 5, ch20, sl st  in the first sc

Round 7: ([(sc3, pic) x 3, sc2, hdc2, dc, tr, dc, hdc2, ch2, (pic, ch3) x 3] in the next ch20 space) x 6, sl st in the first sc

Break thread and weave in ends.

Blocking Chart:

Chart 3: Blocking pattern for snowflake

Print out blocking pattern and lay it down on the cork board.

Cover the pattern with waxed paper.

Place a bit more liquid fabric stiffener into the Ziploc bag than will be needed to coat the snowflake(s).

Put the snowflake into the bag with the fabric stiffener, push the air out, and move the snowflake around to coat it.

Remove the snowflake from the bag and press it between paper towels to take away excess stiffener.

Place the snowflake on the waxed paper over the blocking pattern.

Stretch the snowflake and pin in place.

Allow enough time for the snowflake to dry completely.

Remove the pins and waxed paper from the snowflake.

Insert the swivel around the snowflake in any desired position.

Lace the ribbon through the swivel and knot it in a loop.

Hang and enjoy.