Blue Diamond Afghan Pattern

CHADWICK'S RED HEART KNITTING WORSTED, 4 Ply, Art. E.232: 50 skeins (1 oz. "Tangle-Proof" Pull-Out Skeins) of No. 848 Skipper Blue and 20 skeins of No. 1 White.

Clark's O.N.T. Plastic Crochet Hook No. 6.

GAUGE: 5 sts make 1 inch; 4 rows make 1 inch.

Afghan measures 50 x 65 inches.

SOLID DIAMOND (Make 182) ... With Skipper Blue, ch 19. 1st row: Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook and draw up a loop, retaining all loops on hook, draw up a loop in each ch across. There are 19 loops on hook. Yarn over and draw through 1 loop, * yarn over and draw through 2 loops. Repeat from * across. The loop which remains on hook always counts as the first st of next row. 2nd row: Insert hook under 2nd and 3rd vertical bars and draw loop through (1 st decreased), draw up a loop in each vertical bar across to within last 2 vertical bars, insert hook under last 2 vertical bars and draw loop through (another st decreased). Complete last half of row to correspond with first row. Repeat 2nd row until 3 sts remain. Sl st in each ver­tical bar across. Break off.
   Attach Skipper Blue to first vertical bar on opposite side of starting chain and draw up a loop, insert hook under 2nd and 3rd vertical bars and draw loop through (1 st decreased), retaining all loops on hook draw up a loop in each vertical bar across to within last 2 ver­tical bars, insert hook under last 2 vertical bars and draw loop through (another st decreased—17 loops on hook). Complete last half of row as before. Complete this side to correspond.

STRIPED DIAMOND (Make 210) ... 1st row: With Skipper Blue work as for first row of Solid Diamond. Drop Skipper Blue, draw White through loop on hook, thus changing color. 2nd row: Repeat 2nd row of Solid Diamond. Change color. Repeat 2nd row, alternating colors until 3 sts remain. Sl st in each ver­tical bar across. Break off. Attach White to first vertical bar on opposite side and work other half to correspond.
   Sew motifs together as in diagram, having 14 strips of 15 Striped Diamonds and 13 strips of 14 Solid Diamonds. With Skipper Blue sc closely across points on both short ends of afghan. Fold in points of side diamonds and sew neatly in place. Block to measure­ments given.

POMPON (Make 28) ... Cut 2 circles of cardboard, each 2½ inches in diameter, then cut a circle ½ inch in diameter in center of each piece. Cut 3 strands of White, each 4 yards long. Wind strands around card­board circles until center is filled. Cut yarn between cardboards, then tie a strand of yarn tightly between circles. Remove cardboard and trim Pompon. Sew a Pompon to each point on both short ends.