Empire Afghan Pattern

Approximate Size 52 inches by 73 inches

COLOR KEY

"Boye" 9-inch Crochet Hook, Size G.
"Boye" 5½-inch Crochet Hook, Size 5 (G).

GAUGE: 4 sts = 1 inch; 4 rows = 1 inch

AFGHAN STITCH STRIP (MAKE 2)—Using 9-in. crochet hook, with J ch 15 and work in Afghan St for 279 rows. Finish off with a row of sl sts. Fasten off.

SHADED PATTERN—Using 5½-in. cro­chet hook, with F make a loop on hook, from right side, working along long side of Afghan Stitch Strip, work 1 sc in end of first 3 rows, work a Claw-st as follows: yo, draw up a loop thru 2nd Afghan-St bar directly below last sc made, yo thru 2 loops on hook (holding 2 loops on hook), yo twice, draw up a loop thru 3rd bar of next row, [yo thru 2 loops on hook] twice (holding 3 loops on hook), yo, draw up a loop in 2nd Afghan-St bar on next row, yo thru 2 loops (holding 4 loops on hook), yo thru 3 loops on hook, yo thru last 2 loops on hook (Claw-st made), skip next row (directly back of Claw-st), work 1 sc in each of next 7 rows, * work a Claw-st as before, skip next row (back of Claw-st), 1 sc in each of next 7 rows; rpt from * across ending last rpt with only 3 sc, fasten off. Row 2—Turn, with F loop on hook, work 1 sc in each st across (279 sc in row). Row 3—Ch 1, turn, work 1 sc in first sc, work a Puff-st in next sc 2nd row down as follows: yo, draw up a loop around post of 2nd sc, yo, draw thru 2 loops on hook, * yo, draw up a loop around post of same sc, yo, thru 2 loops; rpt from * once, yo, draw  thru 3 loops on hook, yo, thru last 2 loops on hook (Puff-st made), † skip sc back of Puff-st just made, work 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, a Puff-st around post of next sc 2nd row down; rpt from † to within last sc, 1 sc in last sc. Row 4—Ch 1, turn, work 1 sc in each st across (279 sc). Row 5—Ch 1, turn, work 1 sc in each of first 3 sc, * work a Puff-st around post of next sc 2nd row down (center st of 3-sc group), skip sc back of Puff-st, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc; rpt from * across. Fasten off. Rpt rows 2 to 5 inclusive for pattern (4 rows) using the following color sequence: 4 rows each of G, H, I, J. With Black work 1 sc row and 1 Puff-st row. Work 4 rows each of  A, B, C, D, E. Matching sts, work same shaded pattern on op­posite side of same Strip. Complete other Afghan Stitch Strip to corre­spond.

FINISHING—From wrong side with E, join the 2 Strips together with a row of sl sts. Fasten off.

BORDER—Work all rnds from right side—Rnd 1—With J make a loop on hook, work 1 sc in each st along long sides, 1 sc in each row along short sides and 3 sc in each corner, join (with sl st) in first sc (having the same number of sts on opposite sides), fasten off. Rnd 2—With E work 3 sc in any corner st, work 1 sc in each sc to next corner sc, 3 sc in corner sc (having a multiple of 5 plus 1 sc from corner st to corner st). Work other sides in same way, join, fasten off. Rnd 3—With J work 1 sc in 2nd sc before a corner sc, skip next sc, work [Open Shell of 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc] in corner sc (Open Shell made), * skip next 2 sc, sc in next sc, skip next sc, Open Shell in next sc; rpt from * to next corner (having a Shell in corner st) ; work other sides in same way, join, fasten off. Rnd 4—With Black work 3 dc in sc before a corner Open Shell, ch 1, work 1 sc in top of center dc of corner Open Shell, ch 1, 3 dc in next sc after corner Open Shell, * 1 sc in top of center dc on next Open Shell, 3 dc in next sc after Open Shell; rpt from * to next corner; work other 3 sides in same way, join, fasten off. Rnd 5—With I work 1 sc in center dc of a Black Shell, * work 5 dc around post of center dc of next Open Shell directly below 2nd row down, 1 sc in top of center dc of next Black Shell; rpt from * around, join, fasten off. Rnd 6—With D work 1 sc in each st around, join, fasten off.