jrnylst Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) Welcome to a new year! I hope you had a great Christmas and at least one day off to breathe and relax! This CAL was born about four years ago, I think, and encourages snowflake aficionados to make at least one snowflake every Monday (or whatever day of the week is best for you), with the goal of 52 snowflakes by Christmas, more than enough to decorate your tree with plenty leftover to gift. Last year, I added my new pattern each week to the CAL to keep the thread from getting buried and lost. Maintaining a weekly list is overwhelming for anyone, so this Crochet-A-Long is evolving yet again. All participants are welcome and encouraged to post their own patterns and/or pictures throughout the year to keep us all enthused and motivated. Please help keep this thread alive by sharing your work! Throughout the years, participants have asked if they must stiffen flakes, if they can use yarn instead of thread and how to do specific stitches and/or patterns. You may make your snowflakes with whatever you choose. You can even make them with embroidery floss, plarn or ribbon! Stiffen them if you like, and don't if that's not your cup of tea. Feel free to ask questions here any time, and someone is sure to try to help. Many snowflakers will pitch in and help whenever anyone has a question. Hopefully this CAL has not seen its glory days and instead will continue to grow. Let's cover the world with a blanket of snow that doesn't cause frost bite! And PLEASE share photos of your snowflakes! Snowflake photos make us drool! Happy 2012! And let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Here is the best list of free snowflake links I know of. Here is the list of 2008 snowflakes. Here is the list of 2009 snowflakes. Here is the thread for the 2010 CAL. Here is the thread for the 2011 CAL. Snowflake Books or Leaflets 99 Snowflakes More Snowflakes to Crochet by Mary Thomas Our Best Christmas Thread Crochet has 12 snowflake patterns out of 42 projects. Copyright 1997. White Christmas in Thread Crochet 25 snowflake patterns. Copyright 2001. American School of Needlework's 101 Snowflakes by Delsie Rhoades and Kathy Wesley. Crocheted Snowflakes and Angels by Wilma Stash. Leisure Arts leaflet 255. Big Book of Thread Ornaments by Leisure Arts. Copyright 2009. 100 Snowflakes to Crochet: Make Your Own Snowdrift---to Give or to Keep by Caitlin Sainio. Copyright 2012. (Special thanks to Marikamum and Apak for compiling the above list!) Other snowflake-related links: Stiffening Snowflakes Blocking Snowflakes Snowflake Blocking Diagram (Very special thanks to Noël V. Nevins for providing such timeless information for free for more than a decade now! Noël, if you ever read this, I still would sure love to meet you one day!) Edited December 22, 2012 by jrnylst correcting missed typos; adding new snowflake book Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 3, 2012 Help!!! I'm melting, melting, melting... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dedee1ca Posted January 5, 2012 Help!!! I'm melting, melting, melting... I think this snowflake is cute, didn't find a link to the pattern and u can tell it's "melting". Love it. Clicked on the link to your site and found the pattern for Mount Sneffels I love it so pretty. Looking forward to all the Mondays in this new year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kittyloverdeb Posted January 5, 2012 Oh how I wish I had half your talent for snowflakes! They are always so beautiful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apak Posted January 5, 2012 Thank you for keeping this CAL again! It's always very inspiring for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 9, 2012 I think this snowflake is cute, didn't find a link to the pattern and u can tell it's "melting". Love it. Clicked on the link to your site and found the pattern for Mount Sneffels I love it so pretty. Looking forward to all the Mondays in this new year. Thanks, Darlene! That pattern is coming in a couple of weeks or so. I was dumbfounded I made the same mistake twice in one flake without noticing until I started pinning. So I had no choice but to do something funny with it. It was one of six Christmas Eve snowflakes, so I thought it was a perfect way to start the new year. With a smile... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 9, 2012 Oh how I wish I had half your talent for snowflakes! They are always so beautiful. My head's getting too big. Thank you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 9, 2012 Thank you all three of you for keeping the thread from getting buried! Now let's see some snowflakes!!! Here's another booboo I caught BEFORE I finished, so, fixed! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 9, 2012 Oh, and here was some camera playtime at Christmas... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 9, 2012 I just noticed your signature line, too, and what an AWESOME idea!!! I copied you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apak Posted January 9, 2012 The effect of "Christmas camera playtime" is impressive! I like the idea of CAL's signature BUT then does every snowflake counts or every snowflake pattern? If I make 10 the same snowflakes - does it count as 10 or as 1? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 10, 2012 The effect of "Christmas camera playtime" is impressive! I like the idea of CAL's signature BUT then does every snowflake counts or every snowflake pattern? If I make 10 the same snowflakes - does it count as 10 or as 1? Tee hee hee! You evil person! I wondered the very same thing, and since I'm working on a motif project right now with the same flake over and over and over and over... well, I'm counting patterns designed instead of flakes crocheted. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ambshp Posted January 11, 2012 I would love to join in on this CAL. Since I moved to Georgia I so miss my snow! I may only have time to do one a week but at least that is a start to my snowstorm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apak Posted January 11, 2012 Tee hee hee! You evil person! I wondered the very same thing, and since I'm working on a motif project right now with the same flake over and over and over and over... well, I'm counting patterns designed instead of flakes crocheted. OK then, I'll count each pattern too... Although I haven't made any snowflakes this year YET ( I have to finish my long-term curtain first!!!!!!!! ) But I hope to catch up soon I would love to join in on this CAL. Since I moved to Georgia I so miss my snow! I may only have time to do one a week but at least that is a start to my snowstorm. ambshp , good to see you here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unicorn37757 Posted January 12, 2012 I want to join this one too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ambshp Posted January 12, 2012 This is my 1st time at making snowflakes and I think I found a new love. It is so much fun to make it snow! They are not very stiff since I only used a spray starch. I will probably try to make my own cornstarch stiffener this weekend since I found the great recipe on Snowcatcher's website. By the way I love all your patterns and I will be trying them out soon! I got the pattern for the 1st snowflake from http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-my-favorite-snowflake/ The second one is from http://www.bhg.com/christmas/cards/crochet-a-snowflake-gift-topper/ I think I want to try a beaded snowflake next. Any good suggestions? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apak Posted January 13, 2012 :welcomeunicorn37757 ambshp - your first snowflakes are beautiful! I made beaded flakes once or twice, but I sew the beads at the end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apak Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) OK, so I made my first snowflake this year - it's Century Six Point Snowflake by jrnylyst . I'll post picture when I starch it. I tried to draw the charted pattern, because my aunts who love making snowflakes don't know English at all. So they always ask me to draw the patterns Well I'm not sure if I was right with hearts 'cause I didn't have time to check the video tutorial, but I will do it Edited January 15, 2012 by Apak Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaraLouise Posted January 16, 2012 Hey fellow snowflakers! So glad to know I'm not the only 'flake' out here! I have been crocheting snowflakes as gifts for the past 18 years- a different design each year. This past Christmas season I also started to sell them and am amazed at how well these little lacy bits of thread did for me. I am excited by this crochet-a-long...I know I'm a couple weeks late joining in so I have some catching up to do. And I may be a bit boring, but I am thinking I may just alternate between only 2 patterns and collect them for my craft show sales. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaraLouise Posted January 16, 2012 thank you for this photo...pink is my color and it inspired me to look for the pattern. when I discovered it was your Mt. Hope snowflake I knew I had to make it. I don't have any pink threads with me at the moment so I am making it in white w/ multi-colored sparkles. when I make some pink ones though I too will donate any proceeds to Susan Komen... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CaraLouise Posted January 16, 2012 update...I just finished snowflake number 1- snowcatcher's Mt. Hope pattern. now I trying a slightly altered version of the same pattern hoping to get a smaller version, so by day's end I will have caught up...no that's not right, I'm still a week behind, aren't I? well, I'll make sure I do another one before the end of the week then! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everydayepiphanies Posted January 17, 2012 I think I'd like to join in here, although I'm not sure I'll be able to make one snowflake per week. I think I'll try for one per month. I made an amateur version of Snowcatcher's Grays Peak snowflake (just posted on her blog today), thanks to a relaxing day off. I'm pretty inexperienced at stiffening, so it's only been lightly steamed for now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 17, 2012 This is my 1st time at making snowflakes and I think I found a new love. It is so much fun to make it snow! They are not very stiff since I only used a spray starch. I will probably try to make my own cornstarch stiffener this weekend since I found the great recipe on Snowcatcher's website. By the way I love all your patterns and I will be trying them out soon!I got the pattern for the 1st snowflake from http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-my-favorite-snowflake/ The second one is from http://www.bhg.com/christmas/cards/crochet-a-snowflake-gift-topper/ I think I want to try a beaded snowflake next. Any good suggestions? Those came out beautiful! Nothing wrong with spray starch. You may add beads to any pattern. Just string on a multiple of six (if you're doing a six-point snowflake) before you begin crocheting, then add one into your work as you go in the same spot on each point. The beauty is you can add them anywhere you like so truly no two snowflakes are identical! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 17, 2012 I want to join this one too! Welcome! I hope you'll share photos of your snowflakes when you get started! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrnylst Posted January 17, 2012 OK, so I made my first snowflake this year - it's Century Six Point Snowflake by jrnylyst . I'll post picture when I starch it. I tried to draw the charted pattern, because my aunts who love making snowflakes don't know English at all. So they always ask me to draw the patterns Well I'm not sure if I was right with hearts 'cause I didn't have time to check the video tutorial, but I will do it Awesome if you get it charted. I did another one over the weekend I need to chart because it's got some filet work in it (another one with hearts!), but trying to find the time is going to be a challenge... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
