by Nancy
I’ve been working on some crochet snowflakes (and a star) which will hopefully be used to decorate my classroom when we go back to school January 5. I tried stiffening my first two items with a solution of 1 part craft glue to 1 part water, and it worked well.
![IMG_0680.JPG](https://i1.wp.com/www.crackpotquilters.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_0680-e1419720565759-1024x554.jpg?resize=450%2C243)
But… one thing mentioned in the internet instructions on crochet stiffening was that you need to use rust-free pins to block the crochet. I had no idea whether or not my pins were rust free, so I just used them. When I removed the pins after the crochet had dried, an outer layer of the pin seemed to come off. There was only a slight discoloration on the crochet, but still I took this to mean that my pins are not rust-proof.
I’ve finished 4 more snowflakes now and wanted to stiffen them this afternoon. So, I went to Hobby Lobby in search of rust-free pins. Most of the pins in the store were labeled “nickel-plated steel,” but none of them said “rust-free.” Thank goodness for smart phones! I googled rust-proof pins and found out that many standard pins are nickel-plated steel, which is not rust-free, but quilting pins are often made of stainless steel, which is rust free. Thankfully, our Hobby Lobby sold one kind of stainless steel quilting pins.
![Snowflakes 3-6](https://i1.wp.com/www.crackpotquilters.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Snowflakes-3-6.png?resize=300%2C300)
Here are the next four snowflakes, secured with stainless steel pins and drying. So far, I think my favorite is #4 – the pattern is in French but isn’t too hard to figure out if you have a list of the French words for basic crochet terms.