Specifications
| Brand: | Universal Yarn |
| Yarn Weight: | Fingering |
| Designer: | Amy Gunderson |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
Product Description
A Universe of Snowflakes: Eleven Sparkling Snowflakes to Knit eBook
What Is Being Made
This eBook contains eleven sparkling snowflake designs to knit as decorative homeware pieces. Each snowflake is a standalone project that can be blocked and displayed as a winter decoration. The designs feature intricate lacework patterns that create delicate, dimensional snowflake shapes suitable for holiday décor, ornaments, or seasonal displays.
Project Overview: Snowflake 1
Snowflake 1, featured in detail within the eBook, is a circular knit design with a finished diameter of 8½ inches. This snowflake demonstrates the core techniques used throughout the collection and serves as an example of the pattern construction and finishing methods applied across all eleven designs in the eBook.
Knitting Techniques Used
- In-the-round knitting: Snowflakes are knit circularly from the outside edge inward using double-pointed needles, creating seamless, symmetrical designs
- Yarn overs and decreases: Lace pattern creation through strategic yarn overs (yo) combined with left-leaning (ssk) and right-leaning (k2tog) decreases to form openwork motifs
- Stitch decreases: Progressive decrease rounds that shape the snowflake and reduce stitch counts as the pattern develops
- Heavy blocking: Specialized finishing technique where completed snowflakes are immersed in fabric stiffener solution, then stretched and pinned to create defined points and dimensional shape
- Gauge management: Proper gauge checking ensures consistent sizing across all snowflake projects
Stitches Used
- Stockinette stitch (St st): Primary base stitch for the snowflake fabric
- Yarn overs (yo): Creates the lace openings and decorative holes characteristic of snowflake patterns
- Slip, slip, knit (ssk): Left-leaning decrease stitch used to shape the snowflake points
- Knit two together (k2tog): Right-leaning decrease stitch for shaping and point definition
- Purl two together (p2tog): Decrease stitch used in specific pattern sections
- Slip 2 stitches, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over (sl 2-k1-p2sso): Double decrease stitch that creates dramatic lace elements
- Knit (k): Basic knit stitch used in stockinette sections and transition rounds
- Purl (p): Purl stitch incorporated into specific pattern rounds
Materials
Yarn: Universal Yarn Universe, a specialty blend containing 42% linen, 41% combed cotton, 9% glitter, and 8% polyamide. Each snowflake requires 1 ball of yarn (50g/246 yards). The color used in Snowflake 1 is 10-01 Paper, a neutral shade that allows the glitter content to sparkle and the lace pattern to stand out.
Needles: US Size 3 (3.25 mm) double-pointed needles (dpns) set, or size needed to obtain proper gauge. The recommended gauge is 22 stitches by 24 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch after heavy blocking.
Additional notions and supplies: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends, fabric stiffener solution for blocking, plastic wrap to prevent sticking during the blocking process, cardboard for the blocking board, and straight pins to stretch and shape the snowflake points during the drying phase.
Finishing and Display
The snowflake finishing process is integral to achieving the final sparkling effect. After knitting is complete, the snowflake is immersed in diluted fabric stiffener solution for approximately 5 minutes. The piece is then pressed to remove excess liquid, stretched to define all twelve outer points, pinned to a prepared blocking board, and allowed to dry completely before removal. Yarn ends are trimmed close to the work after blocking is finished, creating a polished, display-ready decoration.
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