36 Maple Leaves Afghan
Design by Rena V. Stevens
PATTERN NOTES
Weave in loose ends as work progresses, doubling back to prevent unravelling during washing. Do not work over loose ends. Do not remove markers until instructed.
When instructed to drop yarn, remove hook and place loop on locking stitch marker until next needed. When instructed to pick up yarn, remove marker and place loop on hook. Main color is carried up, minimizing weaving in of yarn ends.
Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.
When fastening off, chain 1 and pull tightly to secure.
When working triple crochet 2 rows below, pull first loop up to level of current row before completing remainder of stitch.
SPECIAL STITCHES
Triple crochet post (tr post):
Yo twice, insert hook in both lps of indicated st, yo, pull up lp, [yo, draw through 2 lps on hook] twice. Do not draw through last 2 lps on hook until instructed.
Top single crochet (top
sc): Inserting hook above 3rd strand linking it to previous st or post, sc around top of last tr post made. Slip stitch shell (sl st shell): (Sl st, ch 1, sl st) in indicated st. Leaf: Ch 3, tr post in next st (2 lps on hook), sk next 3 chs, tr post in first sl st (not in base of ch-3) of next sl st shell (3 lps on hook), tr post over next ch-1 sp in same st as sl st shell (4 lps on hook), tr post in next sl st of same sl st shell (5 lps on hook), sk next 3 chs, tr post in st before next marked ch, yo, draw through all 6 lps on hook, ch 1, place marker in ch just made, work top sc, ch 3.
AFGHAN
With MC, ch 97.
Row 1 (RS): Tr in 6th ch from hook (beg 5 sk chs count as first part of half-leaf), sk next 4 chs, (tr, ch 1, place marker— see Pattern Notes in ch just made, top sc— see Special Stitches, ch 3— half-leaf made, sl st shell— see Special Stitches) in next ch, [ch 3, tr post (see Special Stitches) in same ch as last sl st shell made (2 lps on hook)*, sk next 4 chs, 3 tr posts in next ch (5 lps on hook), sk next 4 chs, tr post in next ch, yo, draw through all 6 lps on hook, ch 1, place marker in ch just made, top sc, ch 3 (leaf made), sl st shell in same ch as last tr post made] across, ending last rep at * in 7th ch from end, sk next 4 chs, tr post in next ch, yo, draw through all 3 lps on hook, ch 1, place marker in ch just made, top sc, tr in last ch (half-leaf made), drop MC (see Pattern
Notes), place marker in this row to indicate RS and bottom edge of afghan, do not turn. (8 leaves, 9 sl st shells, 2 halfleaves)
Notes: Work contrasting colors in numeric order. Remove marker as each indicated ch is worked.
Row 2 (RS): With RS facing and sk beg sts, join (see Pattern Notes) next CC in first marked ch, ch 1 (counts as part of leaf), remove marker, [work leaf (see Special Stitches)*, sl st shell in next marked ch] across, ending last rep at * in last st before last marked ch, sl st in last marked ch, leave rem sts unworked, fasten off (see Pattern Notes) CC only, turn. (9 leaves, 8 sl st shells, 1 sl st) Row 3: Pick up MC, ch 6 (counts as part of half-leaf), sk first 2 MC sts, tr over CC sl st in next MC st (see Pattern Notes), sk next ch-3, tr in last st before next marked ch, ch 1, place marker in ch just made, top sc, ch 3 (half-leaf made), [sl st shell in next marked ch*, remove marker, work leaf] across, ending last rep at * in last marked ch, remove marker, ch 3, tr post in next st (2 lps on hook), sk next 3 chs, work tr post over beg CC ch in next MC ch, yo, draw through all 3 lps on hook, ch 1, place marker in ch just made, top sc, sk next 2 MC sts, tr in top of MC turning ch (half-leaf
made), drop MC, turn. (8 leaves, 9 sl st shells, 2 half-leaves) Row 4 (RS): With next CC, rep
row 2, do not turn. Row 5 (RS): With MC, rep row 3, do not turn.
Rows 6–47: [Rep rows 2–5] 10 times, then rep rows 2 and 3, working last CC with pumpkin. Fasten off.
Fringe
For each Fringe, cut 7 16-inch strands of MC. Hold strands tog and fold in half. Insert hook from RS in any corner, pull folded end through, pull ends through fold, pull ends to tighten knot.
Rep in each corner and in center of each MC leaf across both short edges. Trim ends evenly to desired length.