Crochet Snowflake

A little Christmas in February...I've always wanted to learn to crochet snowflakes. Here's my first little guy drying out from the fabric stiffener. I love all the the multicolored pinheads, the symmetry, the tininess of it all. I found this pattern at marthastewart.com:

ch 8; join with sl st to form the foundation ring.

Rnd 1: ch 2 (counts as first sc), 17 sc into ring, join with sl st.

Rnd 2: ch 2 (counts as first sc), sc in each of next 2 sc, ch 2, *sc in each of next 3 sc, ch 2.* Repeat * to * 4 times more; join with sl st.

Rnd 3: ch 2, turn over and work in the opposite direction, 2 sc into hole (made by 2 chs on last rnd), ch 3, *3 sc into next hole, ch 3.* Repeat * to * 4 times more; join with sl st.

Rnd 4: ch 2 (counts as first sc), sc in each of next 2 sc, ch 6, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, *sc in each of next 3 sc, ch 6, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 2.* Repeat * to * 4 times more; join with sl st.

Rnd 5: *sl st in next sc, ch 6, sl st in 7th stitch from hook (same loop as before), sl st in next sc, ch 16, sl st in 8th ch from hook, **ch 8, sl st in 8th ch from hook (same loop as before).** Repeat ** to ** 2 times more, ch 6, sl st in first sc of next group of 3 sc.* Repeat * to * 5 times more; join with sl st. Finish off; weave in ends.

So then what? Draw yourself a template on cardboard, cover it with packing tape, soak your snowflake in fabric stiffener (available at the craft store) for 1 minute, pull it out with tweezers and pat dry between paper towels, pin it to your template and leave to dry overnight.