Welcome to The Garden State Afghan Crochet A Long.  I designed this afghan in 2013 but recently made some minor changes and added a new border suggestion.  The pattern will be released for free over a period of 8 weeks here on the blog and on Ravelry with coupon code #JULIEYEAGERGARDEN (expires June 30, 2016.)  Please use #JULIEYEAGERGARDEN to tag your photos as well.  Please chat about the pattern on my Ravelry Board and on my Facebook CAL page.  (If this link doesn’t work, please put  “Crochet A Long with JulieAnny” in your Facebook search box.)  We have over 6000 members and all are welcome!  See all my designs in my Ravelry Store, Etsy shop, and on Loveknitting.com.  Yarn Pack in the Suggested Scheepjes Stone Washed XL still available at Deramores.  Thanks to Iris van Meer for her Dutch Translation of the pattern which you can follow on her blog and will also be available on Ravelry.

The Garden State Afghan

By Julie Yeager Designs

Pattern uses American crochet terms. 

The Garden State Afghan reflects a profusion of flowers scattered across the grass.  Constructed in three sizes of portable squares, crocheting your afghan will provide you with hours of enjoyment as you let your creative powers flow.

There are 14 separate patterns, and each pattern is repeated four times.  If you are using the suggested yarn, follow instructions for color changes, but if you are using stash and less concerned with amounts, just use Main Color (MC) when called for.  Since the last revision, a few changes were made to help the blocks fit together more easily.  Stitch counts are designed to fit together perfectly.

Materials

Suggested Yarn:  Scheepjes Stone Washed XL (75 meters per 50 g skein)

A:  Carnelian, 4 skeins       B:  Canada Jade, 3 skeins       C: New Jade, 2 skeins    D:  Rose Quartz, 3 skeins    E:  Pink Quartzite, 3 skeins           MC:  Amazonite, 20 skeins

Suggested Hook Size:  Size J (6.0 mm), or whatever size gives you a pleasing fabric;          Stitch Marker

Ch-3 at the beginning of a round counts as a dc; ch-4 at the beginning of a round counts as a tr, ch-2 at the beginning of a round counts as a hdc.  Magic ring and standing stitches may be substituted per “crocheter’s choice.”  Chains are counted as stitches in stitch counts.

Abbreviations and Special Stitches

Yo – yarn over           tr – treble crochet           ch – chain            dc – double crochet        sl – slip          st – stitch          sc – single crochet                PM – place marker          flo – front loop only        blo – back loop only         sp – space                hdc – half double crochet            sk – skip

 

SunBurst 12” Square

 

Make 4. 

BCL2 (Beginning Cluster of 2 stitches): Ch 2, dc in same st

CL2 (Cluster of 2 stitches): (Dc in same st until last step leaving one loop on hook) twice, yo and pull through all three loops on hook.

Fpdc (Front post double crochet):  Insert hook from the front side of work from right to left around post of indicated stitch on a previous row, yo, pull up a loop and work dc as usual.

Fpsc (Front post single crochet): Insert hook behind post of stitch (from front to back), yo, pull through, bring up even with last stitch completed, yo, pull through 2 loops (1 loop on hook.)

Join new color with SC:  Loop yarn on hook and insert into designated stitch.  Yo and draw through, you have 2 loops on hook.  Yo and draw through.  You have joined the yarn with a sc.

TR4CL – Treble Crochet Cluster with 4 trebles – (Tr in same st until last step leaving one loop on hook) four times, yo and pull through all 5 loops on hook.

Instructions

Round 1:  With E (A,B,C), ch 4, join with sl st to form ring.  BCL2, (ch 1, CL2) x 7 into ring.  Ch 1, sl st to top of BCL2.  Fasten off.  (8 CL2, 8 ch-1 sp)

Round 2:  Join B (C,D,E) with sl st in any ch-1 sp.  (BCL2, ch 1, CL2) in same sp, ch 1.  (CL2, ch 1) x 2 in each ch-1 sp around.  Sl st to top of BCL2.  (16 CL2, 16 ch-1 sp)

Round 3:  Sl st in ch-1 sp.  (BCL2, ch 1, CL2) in same sp, ch 1.  [(CL2, ch 1) in next ch-1 sp, (CL2, ch 1) x 2 in next ch-1 sp] x 7, (CL2, ch 1) in next ch-1 sp.  Sl st to top of BCL2. (24 CL2, 24 ch-1 sp)

Round 4:  Sl st in ch-1 sp.  (BCL2, ch 1, CL2) in same sp, ch 1.  [(CL2, ch 1) in next 2 ch-1 sp, (CL2, ch 1) x 2 in next ch-1 sp] x 7, (CL2, ch 1) in next 2 ch-1 sp.  Sl st to top of BCL2. Fasten off. (32 CL2, 32 ch-1 sp)

Round 5:  Join D (E,A,B) with sl st in any ch-1 sp.  Ch 3, (fpdc around top of next CL2, dc in next ch-1 sp) x 31, fpdc around top of next CL2, sl st to top of beg ch-3.  (64 dc)

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same st and in next st.  (TR4CL  in the space between two clusters below in Round 4, skipping and enclosing one stitch of Round 5, sc in next 3 st) x  16, omitting last 2 st.  Sl st to first sc of round.  Fasten off. (16 TR4CL, 48 sc) Push clusters to the front if needed.

Round 7:  Join MC with sc in any st.  Sc in same st.  (Sc in next 7 st, 2 sc in next st) x 8, omitting last 2 st.  Sl st to first sc of round. (72 sc)

Round 8:  Ch 5 (counts as tr and ch-1), tr in same st, (dc in next 2 st, hdc in next 3 st, sc in next 7 st,  hdc in next 3 sts, dc in next 2 sts, (tr, ch 1, tr) in next st for corner) x 4, omitting last 3 st,  sl st in 4^th ch of beg ch-5. (80 st, 20 per side incl ch)

Round 9:  Sl st in ch-1 sp, (ch 4, tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in same sp, (tr in next st, dc in next 2 st, hdc in next 3 sts, sc in next 7 st, hdc in next 3 st, dc in next 2 sts, tr in next st, (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in ch-1 sp for corner) x 4, omitting last 5 st.  Sl st to top of beg ch-4. (96 st, 24 per side incl ch)

Round 10- 12 :  Sl st in next st and in ch-1 sp, (ch 3, dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in same sp, dc in each st around, with (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in corners.  Sl st to top of beg ch-3.  Fasten off after Round 12. (112 st – 28 per side;  128 – 32 per side;  144 st – 36 per side)

Copyright 2013, 2016 Julie Yeager Designs

Please do not post this pattern on the internet, even if it was obtained as a “free pattern.”  Post the link to my website – https://julieyeagerdesigns.com, or my Ravelry store – where you can see all my patterns – http://www.ravelry.com/stores/Julie-yeager-designs.  Contact me via e-mail at

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