African Summer Snowflake Flower

Believe it or not but we DO have snow in South Africa. Lots of it falls in certain areas during our coldest months ( June to September ).When I first arrived in Cape Town, via a 26hr train journey with my three boys in tow, we passed ( in mid-June ) through the tunnels of the snowbound mountains that flank the   Hex River Valley. Not just frosting atop the jagged peaks of those majestic, looming Hex Mountains, but REAL snow, opaque, lush and folded like the cape hem of a gigantic Snow Witch Queen... trailing into the valley between vineyards, tiny white cottages and rows of Oak trees then stark and barren. Hex, in Afrikaans, means Witch... you can read the entire story here!

Of course, all this Winter Wonderland is completely lost to us during the Traditional Holiday Season which includes Christmas or Yule and of course Hannuka. Mind you, it snowed in The Drakensberg Mountains ( the Dragon Mountains ) in October and again just last last week, technically, Summer!

Our celebrations on these special days:

a) BBQ's
b) Drinking lots of cold Beer ( the Men ), drinking iced Tea and Apple Cider ( the Women ), overindulging on Ice-Cream ( everybody! )
c) Living in the swimming pool
d) Sunblock from head to foot, sunglasses, sunhats while doing a, b, and c.

Mind you, we make an effort...there are bedecked Christmas Trees ( made in China, don't judge! ) surrounded by loads of  I've-been-a good-girl/boy gifts. There are baubles, and multi-coloured tinsel, bowls of "money" chocolates and brightly wrapped candies. We never forget the mistletoe. and traditional Christmas Pudding with pennies inside is pretty much written in stone.  Dads play Father Xmas, Moms play Mommy Xmas, there is always too much food, and dessert, like Sherry Trifle! The leftovers from the Christmas Feast will be served up for the next week as some very odd looking, yet inventive, lunches or light suppers. Once, my late Mom-in-Law served up such a lunch, between Christmas and New Year, and we all came down with mild food poisoning! It was hilarious, and she never lived it down.

Btw, I just love the story of the Christmas Spider!

But as usual, I digress!
I was in fact, trying to make something else, carefully following the pattern but then veered off somewhere when my concentration failed me. As it does. Everytime. All my designs are a result of not being able to follow patterns. I just don't like people telling me what to do! Ha!

And because we are in the Ho Ho Ho season, it's FREE!

I've called it African Summer Snowflake Flower.
It's a join as you go ( JAYGO ) design, only 6x Rounds, and works up really quickly! Of course, for you lovelies who are experiencing a pukka White Christmas, you can change colours to suit your climate ( or taste ).

I'm using bits and pieces of Stylecraft Special DK and Elle Yarns Family Knit DK.
Hook: 4mm
Terms: US
Skill: Easy peasy (not boring though). Beginners will win at this!

ROUND ONE ( lime -stylecraft special dk )
Work 6 x 2dctog into a Magic Ring. Make sure to close each 2dctog with a ch1. To close, sl st into closing ch1 of first 2dctog ( the 3rd one is the starting ch3 ). Fasten off.

ROUND TWO ( raspberry - stylecraft special dk )
Begin in any space between your 2dctog. *Work 2 x Puffs ( yo x 3, ch1 ), Turn your work, front facing away from you. Work 2 Puffs ( as before ) between the 2 Puffs you have just worked. Turn your work, facing you. Sl st between 2 Puffs, ch6, sl st back between same 2 Puffs. Sl st into top of 2nd Puff ( of the first two ) Ch4. Skip next 2dctog.*
Repeat * to * = 24 Puffs ( yo x 5, ch1 ), 6 ch4's, 6 ch6's. 6sl st ( not counting beg. and end of ch6 loops ) To close sl st into top of beginning Puff. Fasten off.

ROUND THREE ( coral - elle family knit dk )
Work a ch3 (= 1dc ) into any ch4 sp. Work 2 more dc's = 3dc's, into same ch4 sp.
*1dcfp over 2dctog ( rnd1). 3dc's back into same ch4 sp = 6dc's, 1dcfp.
Work a sl st into the top of the "2nd" Puff, and sl st again "over" to the next ch4. Work 3dc's into ch4 sp.*
Repeat * to * = 36 dc's, 6 dcfp's, 12 sl st's.
To close, sl st into beginning ch3. Fasten Off.

ROUND FOUR ( cream - stylecraft special dk )
Begin with a scfp over any dcfp. ch4. Work 1sc from back to front over the sl st at the base of the ch5 (rnd2). Ch4, 1scfp over next dcfp. Continue the sequence. = 12 ch4's, 6 sc's, 6 scfp's.
To close, sl st into 1st ch4. Do not fasten off.

ROUND FIVE

Ch2 (=1 hdc ) into ch4, 3 hdc's into same ch4 = 4 hdc's, *4 hdc's into next ch4. Ch1 behind the 6ch loop (rnd2), 4 hdc's into next ch4*
Repeat * to *. = 12 x 4hdc's, 8 x ch1's.To close, sl st into beginning ch2. Fasten Off.

ROUND SIX ( lime- stylecraft special dk ).
Work a sl st around any ch6 (rnd2), *ch6 and sl st back into ch6 (rnd2). 1sc into the 2 back loops of next 8 stitches. Sl st into next ch6 (rnd2).*
Repeat * to * = 6 x ch6's, 48sc's into the 2 back loops of hdc's  (rnd5).

To join as you go, you will need to cut a length from your working yarn.
The centre is 4 x 3trtog worked into space between the 8sc's in the finishing round and joined together in the centre ( tops of the 4x 3togs ).

The Video will be very useful throughout!

You can also DOWNLOAD THE PDF PATTERN HERE!

Wishing you all a lovely week with lots of special hooky time!
See you in Crochetland! ❤❤❤

Love, Jen.
xxx