Richly painted with spicy autumn colors, four striped rectangles surround a center square, using the Hdc V-st to add texture and interest. When arranged into larger blocks, the overall pattern is reminiscent of a lovely afternoon strolling down colorful nature trails.

Skill Level: Easy

Size: Afghan – 45” x 58”, Center Square – 5.75”, Large Square – 13.5”

Gauge: 18 sts and 6 rows = 4″ [10 cm] 

Materials

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Aran (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 150 yards [137.5 meters]/100 grams): 855 Maroon (MC, 6 balls), 1992 Deep Jungle (CC1, 4 balls), 820 Lemon (CC2, 3 balls), 822 Pumpkin (CC3, 3 balls), 241 Sunflower (CC4, 3 balls), 201 Sesame (CC5, 3 balls)

Hook: US size J/10 (6.0 mm)

Notions: Tapestry needle

Special Stitches

Shell: 3 dc in same st/sp.

V-St: (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in same st/sp.

Pattern Notes

This pattern consists of center squares surrounded by rectangles to form a larger square.

The ch-1 at beg of Rows/Rnds does not count as a stitch.

Pattern

Center Square (make 12)

With CC5. make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) 3 times, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (12 dc, 4 ch-2)

Rnd 2: Sl st in next 2 dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 sp, ([Shell, ch 2, Shell] in next ch-2 sp) 3 times, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (24 dc, 4 ch-2)

Rnd 3: Sl st in next 2 dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 sp, Shell in between previous and next Shell, ([Shell, ch 2, Shell] in next ch-2 sp, Shell in between previous and next Shell) around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (36 dc, 4 ch-2)

Rnd 4: Sl st in next 2 dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 sp, (Shell in between previous and next Shell) twice, (Shell, ch 2, Shell in next ch-2 sp, [Shell in between previous and next Shell] twice) around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (48 dc, 4 ch-2)

Rnd 5: Sl st in next 2 dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 sp, (Shell in between previous and next Shell) 3 times, ([Shell, ch 2, Shell] in next ch-2 sp, [Shell in between previous and next Shell] 3 times) around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (60 dc, 4 ch-2)

Fasten off.

Rectangle (make 48)

Row 1: With CC1, work 29 fsc.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, hdc in first sc, sk next sc, (V-St in next sc, sk next sc) to last sc, hdc in last sc. (13 V-St, 2 hdc)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, hdc in first hdc, (V-St in next ch-1 sp) to last ch-1 sp, hdc in last hdc.

Fasten off.

Rep Row 3 twice more for each color in the following order: CC2, CC3, CC4, MC. Fasten off after each color change.

Fasten off.

Square Assembly (make 12)

Using photo as a guide, whip stitch 4 rectangles to form a large square without a center.

Whip stitch the Center Square into the void.

With MC, work sc evenly spaced around all four sides of Large Square, working 3 sc in each corner, join with sl st to first sc.

Fasten off.

Afghan Assembly

With MC, whip stitch all 12 Large Squares together.

Border

Rnd 1: Join MC with sc to any side, work sc evenly spaced around all edges of Afghan, working (sc, hdc, sc) in each corner, join with sl st in first sc.

Rnds 2-4: Ch 1, hdc in same and each st around, working (hdc, dc, hdc) in each corner hdc. Fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in all ends.

Damp block.