Baroque Centerpiece Pattern #7116

Materials: Choose one of the following threads:
Clark's O.N.T. Mercerized Crochet, size 30, 4 balls of Yellow and 6 balls of Seal Brown.
J. & P. Coats Mercerized Crochet, size 30, 3 balls of Yellow and 4 balls of Seal Brown.
Milward's steel crochet hook No. 12.

When completed, centerpiece measures about 25 x 15 inches.

Gauge: 6 squares (18 d c) make 1 inch; 6 rows make 1 inch.

Starting at "A", with Seal Brown ch 23, turn. 1st row: D c in 4th ch from hook, d c in each ch across (21 d c in row, counting turning ch-3 as 1 d c). 2nd row: Ch 11, turn. D c in 4th ch from hook, 7 more d c on foundation chain just made, d c in each d c of previous row; * thread over hook, insert hook at base of d c just made and draw loop through, thread over and draw through one loop, thread over and draw through 2 loops, thread over and draw through remaining 2 loops (1 d c added). Repeat from * until 9 d c in all have been added. 3rd row: Ch 8, d c in 4th ch from hook, 4 more d c on foundation chain just made, d c in each d c of previous row; then add 6 more d c at end, as before. 4th row: Ch 5, turn. D c in 4th ch from hook, d c in next 2 ch, d c in d c. Hereafter continue following chart (each individual square indicates 3 d c) until 6 rows in all have been completed. 7th row: Ch 5, turn and add 3 d c. Then, holding Yellow along top of previous row (thus concealing Yellow), d c in each d c until 32 d c in all are made (including 3 d c added at beginning of row). Thread over, insert hook in next d c and draw loop through, thread over and draw through 2 loops, drop Seal Brown, pick up Yellow and draw through remaining 2 loops (33 Seal Brown d c made). With Yellow, make 9 d c, carrying Seal Brown concealed in d c's and completing last d c with Seal Brown, as before. Complete row with 33 Seal Brown d c, following chart (always being sure to carry Yellow as far as necessary to be picked up on following row). 8th row: Add 3 d c as before, d c in each of 30 d c, completing last d c with Yellow (and taking care not to pull Yellow too tightly), 15 Yellow d c (concealing both Seal Brown and carried Yellow for first 3 d c, and only Seal Brown for remaining 12 d c), drop Yellow at front (wrong side), 33 Seal Brown d c. 9th and 10th rows: Follow chart, increasing at ends of rows as before, and being sure to drop Yellow on wrong side only. 11th row: Follow chart through 21 Yellow d c, carry Yellow concealed in next 15 Seal Brown d c, then drop Yellow on wrong side and continue, following chart. 12th row: 24 Seal Brown d c (completing last d c with Yellow), 3 Yellow d c, 12 Seal Brown d c, 21 Yellow d c, 12 Seal Brown d c, 3 Yellow d c, drop Yellow on wrong side and complete row, following chart. Hereafter follow chart to within 1st decrease row, concealing unused color as before, and being sure to carry Yellow as far as necessary, to be picked up on following row. To decrease at beginning and end of next row, sl st to 4th d c, ch 3 (to count as d c) and follow chart across row, omitting last 3 d c. Ch 3, turn, and complete centerpiece following chart. (Chart shows one half of centerpiece. When top row of chart has been completed, reverse design by working back to 1st row, but do not repeat top row.) Break off.