Matariki Crafting- Snowflake

Well here we are on the last day of the Matariki Crafting Blog Hop! How did that come around so fast.
Its been lots of fun hasn't it!?
Please join me in saying a huge huge thank you to all the lovely and talented girls who shared their posts with us.

BUT..., its not over yet! Its over to you guys now! Come and show me what winter crafting you've been doing. Have you been making hotties for the hottie project? Have you been knitting up a storm? Have you been quilting, sewing, scrapbooking, crochetting or crafting with the kids? Whatever you've been up to, please come and join in the fun- there are prizes!

The linky is already open and will stay open until 10 July, so you've got plenty of time to get your act together! You can link up to 3 projects. They should preferably be finished items, but if you are working on a huge project like a quilt or a crocheted blanket feel free to link up and we'll give you some encouragement (only one Work In Progress linked in per person please).

Now, you didn't think that I would set everyone else to work writing tutorials and not provide you with a little something myself did you!?
Here's my contribution to the Blog hop- I hope you enjoy it!

Growing up in Scotland, there were certain things that you knew for sure:

That the best weather of the Summer would always come when the school children were doing their exams in June and would disappear the moment the school summer holidays started.

... That Easter falls in Spring and at that time you are surrounded by amazing signs of new growth.

... The fact that Autumn falls in October and that at that time of year the children play conkers and the trees wear a coat of amber.

.. And finally there's the fact that Winter falls in December and as such Christmas falls in Winter. 

Moving over to New Zealand, everything was turned on its head!

Christmas in the Summer?

Easter in the Autumn?

The world just didn't seem to make sense any more!

I became very aware that much of the imagery that I used to use for Winter and Spring; for Christmas and Easter no longer fitted. The difference between the Christian and the Pagan symbolism that these festivals have gathered through the years suddenly became clear to me.

I must admit that I really struggled coming up with a winter design for the blog hop.

A robin red breast? - No we don't get them in New Zealand
A Christmas tree? oops wrong season
Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe- not in NZ and wrong season again!

I found it hard coming up with a winter image that didn't scream Christmas at me, but then it came to me - a snowflake!

So here's my gift to you, a paper pieced snowflake pattern. Its available for free from my Craftsy Store. It will always remain free.

Sorry for the non-seasonal colours, but I couldn't bear to make a 12 inch block with no purpose when my sampler quilt is so close to completion... Got to keep going, got to keep going...

My pattern tester Jeifner chose more traditional snowflake colours for her interpretation of the block. Don't you love the subtle use of colour!?

For anyone who is remotely interested- here's a progress report on said sampler quilt:

Onto the final row of the sampler quilt now... no really! There is no way that this is getting any bigger!

Once again, thank you for following along with the Matariki Crafting Blog Hop and please don't forget to link up- there are some great prizes!