Grandma Vanhorn's Flower Garden Afghan Square Pattern

This is a pattern my Grandma Vanhorn used to make often. Since I have no idea what happened to her patterns and crochet books, I have had to get really good at "crocheting by ear" as I like to call it, in order to duplicate them. This is one of my favorite patterns she made. Below you see the afghan I am working on now, as well as step by step instructions for you to make the same square. Enjoy!

Step 1, make your starting slip-knot.

Step 2: (as an explanation, what I am doing here is skipping the traditional method of making a center ring for squares or motifs. The traditional method is to chain 4 or 5, slip stitch into the very first chain to create a ring, and then continue to make your square based out of that ring. THIS method, however, is much simpler.) Chain 1

Step 3: Cinch that first chain down snugly so it forms a reinforced knot that seems to be fairly unravel-proof and make sure the loop on your hook is fairly loose (probably about double the size it would normally be should be perfect.) That starting loop will be the center of your project, so you want to make sure it's loose enough to work in and yet not so big it leaves a giant gaping hole in the middle of your square.

Round 1: (If you chose to do the traditional method of forming a ring, this is where you will want to start following my instructions). Chain 4 not counting the beginning loose chain already on your hook.

In beginning chain, work beginning triple cluster. *yarn over 2 times, insert hook in starting chain, yarn over,  draw up a loop, (yarn over, draw through 2 loops) 2 times*, 

[repeat from * to *], should have three loops on hook.

Pull a loop through all three loops on hook.

Chain 4, then work regular triple cluster. *yarn over 2 times, insert hook in starting chain, yarn over,  draw up a loop, (yarn over, draw through 2 loops) 3 times*,

then pull a loop through all 4 loops left on hook. This is a regular triple cluster, which makes up the "petals" of the flowers in this square.

*chain 4, work a triple cluster* 6 more times, making 8 "petals" in all. 

Then chain 4, and join to top of beginning triple cluster. Using a needle, work in loose ends. This pattern switches colors three times, once for every single row. You really should work your loose ends in as you go or your squares will most likely look sloppy.

Row 2: Using green (or color of choice) Join with a single crochet to any of the 8 chain-4 spaces between the petals of the previous round and then chain 2 (this acts as your first double crochet). [Because I like to give people options, let me just say that I prefer to start a new color with a single or even a double crochet, depending on what I'm working on. If you would rather, you can still join with a slip stitch and then chain three which would act as your first double crochet.]

Do 2 more double crochets in same chain 4 space, then chain 1 and continue on to next space.

In this chain 4 space, do three doubles, chain 3, three doubles, then chain 1 (Stephen's rule is always chain 1 before moving on to your next space. It makes the square look neat and tidy and it looks sloppy if you don't do it) and move on to next space.

Continue alternating in every space by doing [three doubles] in one, and then [three doubles, chain three, three doubles] in the next one. See picture below. Finish by slip stitching into the top of the beginning chain. Finish off and work in loose ends.

Row 3: Begin as before by joining the next color with a single crochet, then chain 2.

Similar to the previous round, you will do [three doubles] twice

work your corner with [three doubles, chain three, three doubles]

Continue working your square by doing [three doubles] twice, then )three doubles, chain three, three doubles] and remember to ALWAYS chain 1 before moving on to your next space! I can't stress enough how big of a difference I think it makes in the presentation of your project when it's all said and done. 

Finish off your square and then work in your loose ends.

As a final note, if you are making this square and wondering how you should do it and how you should lay it out, the final decision is up to you. When Grandma made her afghans, she would use scraps of several different colors to make the "flowers" with. It's a great idea, really, and who doesn't have scraps of left over yarn in tons of different colors?! That way you would save money on 5 skeins of yarn and use up some leftover yarn in a really creative way.

How I'm working this specific afghan, however, is by using 5 different, complementing colors (blue, purple, red,orange, yellow) and then outlining them in green because I think it looks a bit like leaves. Then I'm doing brown for the final round. I debated doing white, but I decided against it because brown will look cleaner longer. If it was white, I would feel the need to wash it every single day because I would think it always looked dirty.

I will need 30 squares of each color (150 in total) and am planning on doing them in a staggering design:
Row 1: blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, red, orange, yellow
Row 2: purple, red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, blue
Row 3: red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, blue, purple
Row 4: orange, yellow, blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, red
Row 5: (etc... I think you get the point)

I plan (as I typically prefer when it comes to joining squares together) to whip stitch them together. I'm typically not in favor of joining by any other method. But don't worry, I don't judge... join your squares in any way you want and if you DO make this project, or any projects on this blog, PLEASE share your pictures with me so I can put them up on here!

Have fun crocheting, and get that hook in gear!
Sincerely,
Captain Hook