Back-to-School September 9" and 12" Block
\~\~Mystery Afghan Block for Observational Series\~\~ Designed by Margaret Maclnnis c. 2013 Skill Level: Intermediate Finished Size: 9" square at Round 12; 12" square when completed to Round 17.
Materials
Vanna's Choice yarn in 4 colors Color A: mustard Color B: cranberry (petal color) Color C: lamb (background color) Color D: olive Crochet Hook sizes US H (5 mm) US 1(5.5 mm) Yarn Needle
Stitch Guide
V-st: (dc, ch 2, dc) in sp indicated sc join: single crochet join; make slip knot on hook and use as the first loop of a sc fpdc, fptrc: front post double or front post treble crochet. Work around the next stitch from the front to the back to the front again, working around the post of it. long hdc/long dc: work the joining loop around the indicated chains, and pull out a little more yarn than usual so as to keep the loop longer. BLO: back loop only; work in back loop of indicated st/s
Pattern Instructions
RND 1: (Smaller hook) With Color A, ch 2; 8 sc in second ch from hook; join with a sl st in first sc. Fasten off. (8 sc) RND 2: (Smaller hook and BLO if you like) Join Color B with a sl st in BLO of any sc, [ch 5, hdc in 3'd, dc in 4t, and dc in 5th ch from hook\*, sl st in next sc] x7. Work 8th petal to \*, cut yarn 6" and pullthrough last dc, thread yarn needle and weave yarn as invisibly as you can around first ch of beg ch-5. (8 petals) RND 3: (Smaller hook) Join Color C with a sc around top loop of any petal, (ch 3, sl st in top of last dc on petal, ch 3, sc in top Ip of next petal) x 8, omitting last sc on last rep ; join with a sl st in joining sc. (16 ch-3 sp, 8 sc, 8 sl st) RND 4: (Switch to larger hook for remainder of block) Ch 1, sc in same sc; (ch 4, sc in next sc) x 7, ch 4; join with a sl st in first sc. (8 ch-4 sp, 8 sc) RND 5: Sl around first ch-4 sp, ch 5 (as dc and ch 2) and dc in same sp (beg V-st made); V-st in same ch-4 sp; 2 V-st in each ch-4 sp around; join with a sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-5. (16 V-st)—-HINT: count! RND 6: Sl st in beg V-st ch sp, ch 1, work 3 sc in same sp; [corner in sp between V-sts as (sl st, ch 5, sl st)\*; 3 sc in EACH OF THE CH-SP OF next 4 V-st] x 4; working last repeat to \* only; 3 sC each in last 3 V-sts ch sps; join with a sl st in first sc. Fasten off Color C. (48 sc, 4 ch-5 corners) RND 7: Join Color D with a sl st in any corner ch-5 sp, ch 3 as dc; (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp; [dc in next 3 sc skipping sl st; hdc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 3 sc, sk sl st, corner as (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-5 sp] x 4, omitting corner on 4th rep; join with a sl st in top of beg ch-3. Fasten off Color D. (64 st, 4 ch-2) RND 8: Join Color C with a sc in 1st dc of a corner, sc in next st, ch 4, sk corner ch-2 sp, (sc in next 3 dc, ch 4, sk 3 st, sc in next 4 sc, ch 4, sk 3 st\*, sc in 3 dc, ch 4, sk corner ch-2 sp) x 4, working 4th rep to \* only; sc in next dc; join with a sl st in first sc. (12 ch-4 sp, 40 sc) RND 9: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next sc, (ch 5 over corner, sc in next 3 sc, ch 4, sc in next 4 sc, ch 4\*, sc in next 3 sc) x 4, working to \* on 4th rep; sc in next sc; join with a sl st in beg sc. Fasten off Color C. (8 ch-4 sp, 4 ch-5 sp, 40 sc) RND 10: Join Color B with a sc in a sc before any corner, (ch 2, long dc around 2 loops of RNDS 8 & 9, ch 2, sc in next 3 sc, ch 1, long hdc around 2 loops, ch 1, sc in next 4 sc, ch 1, long hdc around 2 loops, ch 1\*, sc in next 3 sc) x 4, working 4th rep to \* only, sc in next 2 sc; join with a sl st in first sc. Fasten off Color B. (loop gathering round) RND 11: (BLO in regular sts, work both loops of ch sps, work front posts in previous post sts) Join Color C with a sl st in first ch-2 sp of any corner, ch 3 as dc, 2 dc in same sp, [ch 1, fptrc in next dc, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 sc, dc in ch-1 sp, fptrc in hdc, dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next 4 sc, dc in ch-1 sp, fptrc in next hdc, dc in ch-1 sp, dc in next 3 sc\*, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp] x 3; work to \* only on a 4th rep; join with a sl st in beg ch-3. Fasten off Color C. (80 dc, 12 fptrc, 8 ch-1 sp) RND 12: Join Color D with a sl st in a ch-1 sp before any corner, ch 2 (as hdc), [corner as (ch 1, fpdc in next fptrc, ch 1), hdc in next ch-1 sp, hdc in next 7 dc, fpdc in next fptrc, hdc in next 6 dc, fpdc in next fptrc, hdc in next 7 dc, hdc in next ch-1 sp] x 4, omitting last hdc on final rep; join with a sl st in top of beg ch-2. Fasten off Color D. (12 fpdc, 88 hdc, 8 ch-1 sp) hes the 9" square. If you need it a little bigger of course, feel free to make it bigger 1
12" square
RND 13: Join Color C with a sc in hdc before any corner, [ch 4, sk corner ch and post st, sc in next 4 hdc, ch 4, sk 3 sts, sc in next 3 st, ch 5, sk 4 sts, sc in next 3 st, ch 4, sk 3 st, sc in next 4 st] x4, omitting last sc on 4th rep; join with a sl st in joining sc. (12 ch-4 sp, 4 ch-5 sp, 56 sc) RND 14: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, [ch 5 over ch-4 corner sp, sc in next 4 sc, ch 4 over next ch-4, sc in next 3 sc, ch 5 over next ch-5, sc in next 3 sc, ch 4 over next ch-4, sc in next 4 sc] x 4, omitting last sc on 4th rep; join with a sl st in joining sc. Fasten off Color C. (8 ch-4 sp, 8 ch-5 sp, 56 sc) RND 15: Join Color B with a sc in a sc before any corner, [ch 2, long dc around 2 loops of RNDS 13&14, ch 2, sc in next 4 sc, ch 1, long hdc around 2 loops, ch 1, sc in next 3 sc, ch 2, long hdc around 2 loops, ch 2, sc in next 3 sc, ch 1, long hdc around 2 loops, ch 1, sc in next 4 sc] x 4, omitting last sc on 4th rep; join with a sl st in joining sc. Fasten off Color B. (loop gathering round) RND 16: (BLO in sts, both loops of ch sps, front post of post sts) Join Color C with a sl st in first ch-2 sp of any corner, ch 3 as dc, 2 dc in same sp, [ch 1, fptrc in next dc, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 4 sc, dc in ch-1 sp, fptrc in hdc, dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next 3 sc, 2 dc in ch-2 sp, fptrc in next hdc, 2 dc in ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 sc, dc in next ch-1 sp, fptrc in next hdc, dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next 4 sc, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp] x 4, omitting last 3 dc on 4th rep; join with a sl st in beg ch-3. Fasten off Color C. (112 dc, 16 fptrc, 8 ch-1 sp) RND 17: Stitch size as required. Current block is 11" so this pattern is using hdc for sides, and dc in corners, with a fptrc on fptrcs for height. If your block only needs sc, use sc for the sides, hdc in the corners, and a fpdc on the fptrcs for height. If it needs more than an inch, consider working an additional round after you are finished Rnd 17. Join Color A or D with a sl st in ch-1 sp before any corner, ch 2 as hdc; dc in same sp, [fptrc over next fptrc, dc and hdc in next ch-1 sp, hdc in next 8 dc, fpdc over next fptrc, (hdc in next 6 dc, fpdc over next fptrc) x 2, hdc in next 8 dc, (hdc and dc) in next ch-1 sp] x 4, omitting final hdc and dc in last rep; join with a sl st in beg ch-2. Fasten off Color A (or D). (120 hdc, 8 dc, 12 fpdc, 4 fptrc) or (144 sts) Weave in ends, and block as desired.
Rounds 1, 2, 3
Rounds 4, 5, 6
Rounds 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 FINISHING 9" BLOCK
Rounds 13, 14, 15
Rounds 16, 17 FINISHES 12" BLOCK The Mystery Observational Series can be followed in my group http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/muggins-magic-hang-out/2514588/1-25
