A Snowflake's Chance in Hell

Snowflakes have been super slow going, which is incredibly not good.  Part of the problem is the amount of grading that has increased as the semester heats up to a close:

but part of it is the incredible amount of time I'm having to spend on each snowflake, which is not a transportable project with seven needles and white wool that must stay pristine.
Luckily, I have an aid as I knit.  Scott and I finally took the plunge to buy a TV, and it couldn't have come at a better time!

I've been hoping to knock off several snowflakes a week since Thanksgiving, but I've only just finished the third of 13- 10 more need backgrounds.  Each snowflake has a different background depending on the snowflake, which can result in confusion, frustration, swearing, and in the case of last night- napping.  Luckily, I finished up the third one this morning and kept going, determined to make headway.
Thus, tonight I attempted to knit the background of snowflake 4.  It seemed to be going well, until I got to Round 9, close to the halfway point.
Attempted to knit the first time- looked stupid.  Pulled it out.
Knit it again picking up different points.  Looked worse.  Pulled it out.
Laid snowflake out on the couch to concur best points and sides of pointy snowflake sides to knit in to background.  Knit according to plan.  Realized it looked even worse.  Ripped it out.
Knit it for the fourth time the same way I knit it the first time, hoping it would look much better compared to times 2 and 3.
Nope.
Made hot chocolate, stretched, sat back down.
Knit again with one of the few combinations left I haven't tried.  This time, it twisted the knitting around.  Pulled back yet again.
Added Bailey's to hot chocolate.
Tried to use pattern to go backwards and figure out ideal grafting of snowflake to background.  Thought I had it figured out.  Knit.  Didn't even get halfway before realizing not only was it twisting again, but the snowflake was bunching up.  Pulled back.
At this point I went to Scott's man cave, fuming.
"It's not working!  I hate it all!  The stupid snowflake with the stupid little points with the stupid needles all over and it has to stay white and I need to take it in the backyard and burn it all!"
He raised his eyebrows, then asked, "Will anyone but you know it's wrong?"
"Probably not, but I'll know!  I'll know and it'll drive me nuts!"
He hugged me, but I could feel him smiling (smirking, probably.  Not being helpful).  He pulled me back and asked, "Why don't you just do the way that looks the best, and stay with that?  It's one snowflake."
All I could do was shake my head at him, walk out, and try and make another plan of attack while wishing I had more Bailey's to refill my hot chocolate.
Silly boy.  Only one snowflake?
I'll get it right.
I'm just going to take an 8 hour nap first.  Maybe the solution will come to me then.

If there's a little bonfire behind my house late tonight, don't be surprised.