First Signs of Spring

Design by Katherine Eng

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

42 x 53 inches

MATERIALS

• Scraps of medium

(worsted) weight acrylic yarn in a multitude of colors for flowers:

13/4 yds for centers, 41/4 yds for petals, 6 yds per flower, 594 yds total for all flowers • Red Heart Super Saver medium (worsted) weight acrylic yarn (5 oz/260 yds/141g per skein):

5 skeins #0400 gray heather • Red Heart With Love medium (worsted) weight acrylic yarn (7 oz/370 yds/198g per skein):

1 skein #1601 lettuce

• Size H/8/5mm crochet hook or

size needed to obtain gauge • Tapestry needle

GAUGE

Rnds 1 and 2 = 2 inches; rnds 1–4 = 3 inches across petal to petal; completed square = 43/4 inches Take time to check gauge.

PATTERN NOTES

Weave in loose ends as work progresses.

Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.

When working flowers, use an F/5/3.75mm hook for working a stitch in tight slip stitches or joins, if necessary.

Chain-3 at beginning of each petal counts as first double crochet unless otherwise stated. Chain-3 at end of each petal counts as last double crochet unless otherwise stated.

When joining squares together, you will always be joining the square you are working on to an already completed square.

BLANKET FLOWERS Make 99.

Center

With any scrap color, ch 4, join (see Pattern Notes) to 4th ch from hook to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Do not ch 1, work 8 sc in ring, join to front lp (see Stitch Guide) of first sc. (8 sc)

Rnd 2 (RS): Working in front lps only, *ch 3, sl st in next sc; rep from * 6 more times, ch 3, join in front lp of joining sl st (see Pattern Notes) of rnd 1. Fasten off. Pull tail through back lp of last st. (8 ch-3 lps)

Petals

Rnd 3: With a color different from center, draw up a lp in

back lp (see Stitch Guide) of any sc of rnd 1, ch 1, 2 sc in back lp of same sc, [2 sc in back lp of next sc] 7 times, join to first sc through both lps. (16 sc)

Rnd 4: * Ch 3 (see Pattern

Notes), [dc, ch 3 (see Pattern Notes), sl st] in same sc as previous sl st, ch 1, sk next sc, sl st in next sc; rep from * around placing last sl st in sc used for first Petal. Fasten off. (8 petals, 8 ch-1 sps)

Arrange flowers in desired pattern, ensuring RS of each is facing up, 9 across by 11 down. Work first square starting at top left, then work in rows from left to right and top to bottom.

SQUARES & JOINING

Rnd 5 (RS): With gray heather, draw up a lp in center dc of any petal, ch 1, sl st in same dc,

*ch 3, dc in next ch-1 sp between petals, ch 3, sl st in center dc of next petal; rep from * around placing last sl st in beg sl st for join. (8 sl sts, 8 dc, 16 ch-3 sps) Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in same sl st as join, *2 sc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next dc, 2 dc in next ch-3 sp, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next sl st, 2 dc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch-3 sp**, sc in next sl st; rep from * around ending last rep at **, join to beg sc. (6 dc, 2 hdc, and 5 sc on each side between corner ch-2 sps)

Note: Next rnd is joining rnd. After working first square as written, rem squares must be joined on 1 or 2 sides as necessary while working rnd 7. All squares in the first (top) row and leftmost column are joined on 1 side. Each square in columns 2–11 that is below the top square is joined on 2 sides.

First Square

Rnd 7: Sl st in next sc, *[ch 2, sk 1 st, sl st in next st] twice, ch 2, sk 1 st, (sl st, ch 4, sl st) in corner ch-2 sp, [ch 2, sk 1 st, sl st in next st] 4 times; rep from * around placing last sl st in beg sl st for join. Fasten off. (7 ch-2 sps each side between corner ch-4 sps)

Each Subsequent Square

To join on 1 side: Work as for rnd 7 until completing first sl st in first corner, *ch 2, remove hook from lp, draw lp under to over through corner ch-4 sp on adjacent square, ch 2, sl st in same corner on working square*, [ch 1, remove hook from lp, draw lp under to over through adjacent ch-2 sp, ch 1, sk next st, sl st in next st of working square] 6 times, ch 1, remove hook from lp, draw lp under to over through adjacent ch-2 sp,

ch 1, sk next st, sl st in next corner, rep between *, continue around as for rnd 7 beg after 2nd corner sl st.

To join where 3 corners

meet: Work as for joining on 1 side to 3-square corner, ch 2, remove hook from lp, draw lp under to over through nearest

(first) adjacent ch-4 sp, ch 1, remove hook from lp, sk next

(center) corner ch-4 sp, draw lp under to over through corner ch-4 sp of next (third) square, ch 2, sl st in corner ch-4 sp on working square, then continue to join next side and finish rem working square as for rnd 7. After last square is joined, do not fasten off.