New Cluster Afghan

For detail see Cluster Stitch, page 33

Size 1¾×2¾ yards

MATERIALS

SUNLIGHT Germantown—eight-fold

3 shades of one color—32 skeins dark, 32 skeins medium and 16 skeins light

1 10-inch Bone Crochet Hook, No. 8

INSTRUCTIONS

This handsome robe, in its subdued color, is very restful to the eye and would certainly give great satisfaction to the maker, especially, as the work is not very difficult.

The afghan is worked in 3 shades of “old rose,” but brown or green would look well also, in case those colors should be preferred.

It is made up of 9 panels, 5 fancy ones in the light and medium shades and 4 plain ones in the dark shade. A heavy fringe is put on the ends of the robe, so each panel gets its own shade.

Work the dark panel in the cluster stitch.

Start with a chain of 32 stitches.

1st row: Draw the loop on needle half an inch long, * take up 1 loop in 2nd stitch on the chain, yarn over hook, take up another loop in same place and repeat from * to end of row.

Put yarn over hook and pull through 1 cluster at a time: at the end pull through 1st loop and make 1 chain.

2nd row: Same as 1st row, make 1 cluster between 1st loop and 1st cluster on row below, then repeat, making 1 cluster between each cluster on row below. At end of row take up 1 loop on the back of last cluster below; yarn over and pull through the loop, then repeat as before and at end of row pull through loop with the cluster and make 1 chain.

3rd row: Same as 1st row, making 1 cluster between each cluster on preceding row. Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows. Make panel 2¾ yards in length.

The fancy panel is made up of 3 stripes, 2 in the medium and 1 in the light shade.

Begin stripe with a chain of 7 stitches, pick up 6 loops, then you have 7 loops in all on needle. Put yarn over and pull through 1 loop at a time.

Next row same as 1st row, taking up in the loops on row below.

Make 1 more row.

4th row: Pick up 3 loops; then take up 1 loop in the 2nd loop from edge on 2nd row below. Put yarn over hook and pull through 2 loops. Put yarn over hook twice and take up 1 loop in 3rd loop from edge on 3rd row below, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, then yarn over and pull through 2 more loops. Repeat this last stitch 2 times more in the 4th and 5th loop on 3rd row below.

Put yarn over hook once and take up 1 loop in 2nd loop from the other edge on 2nd row below, and pull through 2 loops. 81Now yarn over hook and pull through 5 loops, 1 for each stitch and make 1 chain tight. Pick up the 3 last loops on 4th row, 7 in all, on needle, and pull through 1 at a time, same as before.

This is the design for the whole panel.

Make 2 plain rows, then repeat 4th row, so for every 3rd row you make a new cluster.

Make stripe 2¾ yards long.

Work the 2 other stripes.

Put those 3 stripes together with the chain stitch in the dark shade and place the light panel in middle.

Put this fancy panel together with the plain panel, same way in the light shade.

To connect: Place both panels together with the right side out, make a loop on the hook and * put hook through 1 loop on the edge of each panel. Yarn over and pull through all on needle at once and repeat from * to end of row.

Crochet scallops on the fancy panel on both sides of afghan. Make shells of 7 double crochet with 1 single crochet between.

Make a fringe 5 inches long and let the ends of each panel be fringed in its own shade. Cut the threads for fringe 24 inches in length. Take 1 end and double up 2 times, put the loops through edge with the crochet hook, then draw ends through loops and tighten.

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