Joyful Afghan Square

This year I wanted to design a free 12″ afghan square that was solid, pretty, and fun to make – and the result is the Joyful Afghan Square!

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This pattern was designed with the 2016 Moogly Afghan Crochet Along in mind – but you don’t have to participate in the CAL to make this pattern! It would be beautiful repeated in a blanket all it’s own, you could sew 2 together and add a strap for a shoulder bag, or you could even use it as a start for something altogether new – go wherever your imagination takes you!

Joyful Afghan Square – 12″

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• US-I, 5.5mm hook (Furls Odyssey used)
• 130 yds Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice (yarn symbol “4”/Aran; 145 yds; 3oz)
  Color A: Pearl Mist
  Color B: Rose Mist
  Color C: Tangerine Mist
  Color D: Seaspray Mist
  Color E: Denim Mist
  Color F: Purple Mist
• Finished Size: 12″ x 12″
• Gauge: After Round 2 = 2″ across at widest point
• Helpful Video Tutorials: Join with sc, Join with sc, BLO/FLO, Join with dc, Tr (treble)

JOYFUL SQUARE EN FRANÇAIS ICI

Round 1: With Color A, make a magic circle, ch 2 (does not count as a st, here and throughout pattern), make 12 dc in the ring; join to 1st dc. (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in 1st st, 3 dc in next st, *sc in next st, 3 dc in next st; repeat from * around, join to 1st sc, break Color A. (24 sts, 6 3-dc petals made)

Round 3: With Color B, join with sc to BLO of any petal’s center dc, working in BLO throughout this round, hdc in next dc, 3dc in next sc, hdc in next dc, *sc in next dc, hdc in next dc, 3 dc in next sc, hdc in next dc; repeat from * around, join to 1st sc. (36 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in 1st 2 sts, skip next st, 5 dc in next st, skip next st, sc in next st, *sc in next 2 sts, skip next st, 5 dc in next st, skip next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around, join to 1st sc, break Color B. (48 sts, 6 5-dc petals made)

Round 5: With Color A, join with dc in unworked FLO of any dc in the center of a 3-dc petal in Round 2, ch 4, sc in next Round 4 petal’s center dc, ch 4, *dc in next unworked FLO of dc in Round 2, ch 4, sc in next Round 4 petal’s center dc, ch 4; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color A. (6 dc, 6 sc, 12 ch-4 sps)

Round 6: With Color C, join with dc working through any Round 5 dc and the sc behind it from Round 4 (this will be a center sc in a series of 3), then working behind Round 5 chains, hdc in next 3 Round 4 sts, 3 sc in BLO of next Round 5 sc, hdc in next 3 Round 4 sts, *dc through next Round 5 dc and next Round 4 sc, hdc in next 3 Round 4 sts, 3 sc in BLO of next Round 5 sc, hdc in next 3 Round 4 sts; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc. (60 sts)

Round 7: Ch 2, 7 dc in 1st st, skip 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts. 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, skip 2 sts, *7 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, skip 2 sts; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color C. (78 sts, 6 7-dc petals made)

Round 8: With Color A, join with dc in FLO of any Round 5 sc, ch 2, sc in next Round 7 dc, ch 3, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc, ch 3, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc, ch 2, *dc in FLO of next Round 5 sc, ch 2, sc in next Round 7 dc, ch 3, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc, ch 3, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc, ch 2; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color A. (6 dc, 18 sc, 12 ch-2 sps, 12 ch-3 sps)

Round 9: With Color D, join with dc working through any Round 8 dc and the sc behind it from Round 7 (this will be the second of the 2 sc worked into one st), then working behind Round 8 chs, dc in next 2 Round 7 sts, hdc in BLO of next Round 8 sc, hdc in next Round 7 st, sc in next Round 7 st, 3 sc in BLO of next Round 8 sc, sc in next Round 7 st, hdc in next Round 7 st, hdc in BLO of next Round 8 st, dc in next 2 Round 7 sts, skip next Round 7 st, *dc through next Round 8 dc and next Round 7 sc, dc in next 2 Round 7 sts, hdc in BLO of next Round 8 sc, hdc in next Round 7 st, sc in next Round 7 st, 3 sc in BLO of next Round 8 sc, sc in next Round 7 st, hdc in next Round 7 st, hdc in BLO of next Round 8 st, dc in next 2 Round 7 sts, skip next Round 7 st; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc. (84 sts)

Round 10: Ch 2, 5 dc in 1st st, skip next st, sc in next 3 sts, skip next 2 sts, *5 dc in next st, skip next st, sc in next 3 sts, skip next 2 sts; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color D. (96 sts, 12 5-dc petals made)

Round 11: With Color A, join with dc in unworked FLO of any Round 8 sc immediately before a Round 8 dc, ch 3, sc in center dc of next Round 10 petal, ch 3, dc in FLO of next Round 8 sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of next Round 10 petal, ch 3, skip next Round 8 sc, *dc in FLO of next Round 8 sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of next Round 10 petal, ch 3, dc in FLO of next Round 8 sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of next Round 10 petal, ch 3, skip next Round 8 sc; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color A. (12 dc, 12 sc, 24 ch-3 sps)

Round 12: With Color E, join with dc working through any Round 11 dc and the sc behind it from Round 10 (this will be a center sc in a series of 3), dc in same st, then working behind Round 11 chs, dc in next Round 10 st, hdc in next Round 10 st, sc in next Round 10 st, sc in next Round 11 sc, sc in next Round 10 st, hdc in next Round 10 st, dc in next Round 10 st, *2 dc through next Round 11 dc and next Round 10 sc, dc in next Round 10 st, hdc in next Round 10 st, sc in next Round 10 st, sc in next Round 11 sc, sc in next Round 10 st, hdc in next Round 10 st, dc in next Round 10 st; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc. (108 sts)

Round 13: Ch 2, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in 1st st, dc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 5 sts, sc in next 6 sts, hdc in next 5 sts, dc in next 5 sts, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next st, dc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 5 sts, sc in next 6 sts, hdc in next 5 sts, dc in next 5 sts; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color E. (120 sts, 4 ch-2 sps)

Round 14: With Color F, join with tr in any corner ch-2 sp, ch 2, tr in same ch-2 sp, tr in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 16 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts, tr in next 2 sts, *(tr, ch 2, tr) in next ch-2 sp, tr in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 16 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts, tr in next 2 sts; repeat from * around, join to 1st tr. (128 sts, 4 ch-2 sps)

Round 15: Ch 2, dc in 1st st, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, dc in each st across to next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color F. (136 sts, 4 ch-2 sps)

Round 16: With Color A, join with dc in any ch-2 sp, ch 2, dc in same ch-2 sp, dc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp, dc in each st across to next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, join to 1st dc, break Color A. (144 sts, 4 ch-2 sps)

Finishing: Wet block to 12″ square.

Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2016, all rights reserved. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, or translate it to another language, please visit the About page for details. Thank you to Lion Brand Yarn for providing the yarn for this pattern!