Offset Shells Afghan

Offset Shells Afghan

Offset Shells Afghan is a fantastic pattern for crocheting beginners and an easy blanket to create for celebrating the 4th of July. The shell stitching makes this a simple crochet pattern. You can use this blanket for a child's room because of the basic stripes and size, and the coloring is light enough for a baby blanket, too. Bring this adorable afghan to a baby shower as a gift and it is sure to be the favorite gift out of the pile. Even so, this red-white-and-blue afghan would be perfect to lay out in the grass to sit and watch fireworks on with your family.

image: https://storage.googleapis.com/cf2.primecp.com/images/easy.jpg

Crochet Hook: H/8 or 5 mm hook

Yarn Weight: (4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Materials:

• RED HEART Classic (4 ply weight):  
  • 3 skeins each 0513 Parakeet, 0730 Grenadine,
  • 4 skeins 0001 White
• Crochet Hook: 5.0 mm (US H-8) crochet hook or size needed for gauge
• Gauge:  4 rows – 3”
  • Shell, 5 dc – 3 ½”
• Special Stitch: Shell – 5 dc in space or stitch as indicated.
  • Open Shell – (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in space or stitch as indicated.
  • Picot – (sc, ch 3, sc) in space or stitch as indicated.

Note: Afghan is crocheted in multiples of 11 plus 7.

Instructions:

1. Row 1 (RS): With parakeet ch 128, dc in 4th ch from hook and in next 3 chs, *skip 2 chs, Shell in next ch, ch 2, skip 3 chs, dc in next 5 dc, repeat from * across and turn.
   
    
2. Row 2:  Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, *Shell in next dc, ch 2, skip 4 dc, dc in next 5 dc, repeat from * across, turn.
   
    
3. Row 3: Repeat Row 2.
   
    
4. Row 4: Repeat Row 2 and fasten off.
   
   
   
   image: http://d2droglu4qf8st.cloudfront.net/2015/04/218430/Offset-Shells-Afghan-2_Medium_ID-971334.jpg?v=971334
   
   
   
   Color Scheme
5. Repeat Row 2 for a total of 64 rows as follows:
   
    
6. (4 rows grenadine, 4 rows white, 4 rows parakeet) 5 times
   
   Edging
    
7. With right side facing and white work along top edge (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in first right corner dc,
   
    
8. *skip 1 dc, Picot in next dc, Open Shell in next ch 2 space, skip 2 dc of Shell, Picot in next dc, skip 2 dc of Shell, Open Shell in next dc, repeat from * across ending (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in last corner dc.
   
    
9. Work along side edge *ch 1, skip 1 dc space, Picot in next dc space, ch 1, skip 1 dc space, Open Shell in next dc space, repeat from * across ending (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in last dc space.
   
    
10. Work along bottom edge *skip 1 ch, Picot in next ch, Open Shell in next ch 3 space, Picot in ch below Shell, Open Shell in ch below next dc, repeat from * across ending (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in first side dc space.
    
     
11. Work along side edge *ch 1, skip 1 dc space, Picot in next dc space, ch 1, skip 1 dc space, Open
    
     
12. Shell in next dc space, repeat from * across ending ch 1 join to beginning dc and fasten off.

Read more at http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Afghans/Offset-Shells-Afghan#RIcKyubTKQ74ZoVQ.99