Lotus in Bloom – 12″ afghan square free crochet pattern

YARN
90-100 yards

Red Heart with Love available on Yarnspirations
Samples use Stone and Hot Pink

OTHER MATERIALS
J/6.0 mm hook- I always use Furls
or hook needed to obtain gauge
Yarn needle

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Pattern Details

DIFFICULTY
Beginner to Intermediate

FINISHED SIZE
12″

GAUGE
4 Rounds = 4″

STITCH GUIDE
ch(s) – chain(s), sc – single crochet, hdc – half double crochet, dc – double crochet, st(s) – stitch(es),  RS – right side

SPECIAL STITCHES

Magic Circle– learn how here

CSDC- Chainless Starting Double Crochet – Tutorial
If working in rows, turn work.  If working in rounds spin hook completely around, making a twist in the loop.  Pull up a loop to the height of a normal dc.  YO with the loop so that the hook is behind the loop.  Insert the hook into the first st of row.  Complete a normal dc (YO and draw through st (3 loops on hook).  YO and draw through first two loops on hook.  YO and draw through last two loops on hook).

Ex-fpdc- Extended Front Post Double Crochet
Yarn over (YO), insert hook from front to back around the post of the indicated st, st, YO and pull through st (3 loops on hook), YO and draw through one loop, [YO and draw through two loops] 2x.

Ex-fpdc2tog- Extended Front Post Double Crochet two together
Yarn over (YO), insert hook from front to back around the post of the first indicated st, st, YO and pull through the post (3 loops on hook), YO and pull through one loop (3 loops on hook), YO and pull through two loops on hook (2 loops on hook), YO, insert hook from front to back around the post of the next indicated st, st, YO and pull through the post (4 loops on hook), YO and pull through two loops (3 loops on hook), YO and pull through remaining three loops.

Ex-fpsc- Extended Front Post Single Crochet
Insert hook from front to back around the post of the indicated st, st, YO and pull through st (2 loops on hook), YO and draw through one loop, [YO and draw through remaining two loops.

 

NOTES

• Ch 3 counts as the first dc. Alternatively, you can use the optional CSDC (see special stitches)
• Ch 1 does not count as the first sc

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Pattern

Rnd 1 (RS): Magic Circle with Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout) or CSDC and 11 dc, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <12>

Rnd 2: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, ex-fpdc in the post of the same st, *dc in next st, ex-fpdc around the post of the same dc, repeat from * around, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <24>

Rnd 3: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, dc in the next post st, ex-fpdc around the same post, *dc in the next dc, dc in the next post st, ex-fpdc around the same post, repeat from * around, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <36>

Rnd 4: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, dc in the next st, ex-fpdc around the next post two times (counts as two sts), *dc in each of next 2 dc, ex-fpdc around the next post two times, repeat from * to end, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <48>

Rnd 5: [Ch 3 or CSDC and dc] in the first st, ex-fpdc2tog around the last post st of Rnd 4 (this is the post st directly to the right below where you are currently), and the next post st (skipping the other dc in between), 2 dc in the skipped dc (working behind the post st you just made), *skip the next post st, 2 dc in the next dc, ex-fpdc2tog around the skipped post st and the next post st (skipping the other dc in between), 2 dc in the skipped dc (working behind the post st you just made), repeat from * to end, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <60>

Rnd 6: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, dc in the next st, dc in the next post (will be ex-fpdc from row below here and throughout), ex-fpdc around the same post st, [dc in the next 4 sts, ex-fpdc around the next post two times] x2, *dc in the next 4 sts, dc in the next post (will be ex-fpdc from row below here and throughout), ex-fpdc around the same post st, [dc in the next 4 sts, ex-fpdc around the next post two times] x2, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, dc in the last 2 dc, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <72>

Rnd 7: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, dc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, dc in the next 4 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, skip the next post, dc in the next 2 sts, ex-fpdc around the skipped post, dc in the next dc, skip the next dc, ex-fpdc around the next post, dc in the skipped dc  (working behind the post you just made), dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, *dc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, dc in the next 4 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, skip the next post, dc in the next 2 sts, ex-fpdc around the skipped post, dc in the next dc, skip the next dc, ex-fpdc around the next post, dc in the skipped dc  (working behind the post you just made), dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, dc in the last 2 dc, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <84>

Rnd 8: Ch 3 or CSDC in the first st, dc in the next 3 sts, ex-fpdc around the next post, dc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, dc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc2tog around the same post and the next post (skipping the dc in between), dc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, *dc in the next 6 sts, ex-fpdc around the next post, dc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, dc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc2tog around the same post and the next post (skipping the dc in between), dc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next post, ex-fpdc around the same post, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, dc in the last 2 dc, sl st in top of ch-3 or CSDC to join. <88>

Rnd 9: Ch 1 and sc in the first st, sc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next post, ex-fpsc around the same post, sc in the next 6 sts, sc in the next post, ex-fpsc around the same post, sc in the next 3 sts, [sc, ch 6, sc] in the next post st (this will be the ex-fpdc2tog from Rnd 8 here and throughout), *sc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next post, ex-fpsc around the same post, [sc in the next 6 sts, sc in the next post, ex-fpsc around the same post] 2x, sc next 3 sts, [sc, ch 6, sc] in the next post st, repeat from * two times more, sc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next post, ex-fpsc around the same post, sc in the last 2 sc, sl st in the first sc (skipping over the beg ch-1) to join. <104> Fasten off 

Change to Color B
If you chain tightly you may need to add an additional ch to each ch section below:
Rnd 10: Join yarn in any ch-6 sp by [SDC or sl st and Ch 3, 3 dc, ch 2, 4 dc] in the ch-6 sp, ch 3, skip 5 sts, sc in the next post st, [ch 3, skip 3 sts, sc in the next st, ch 3, skip 3 sts, sc in the next post st] 2x, ch 3, skip next 4 sts, *[4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc] in the ch-6 sp, ch 3, skip 5 sts, sc in the next post st, [ch 3, skip 3 sts, sc in the next st, ch 3, skip 3 sts, sc in the next post st] 2x, ch 3, skip next 4 sts, repeat from * two times more, sl st in the first SDC or Ch 3 to join. 

Rnd 11: Ch 1 and sc in the first st, sc in the next 3 sts, [sc, ch 2, sc] in the ch-2 sp, sc in the next 4 sts, [3 sc in the ch-3 sp, sc in the next sc] 5x, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, *sc in the next 4 sts, [sc, ch 2, sc] in the ch-2 sp, sc in the next 4 sts,  [3 sc in the ch-3 sp, sc in the next sc] 5x, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, repeat from * two times more, sl st into the first sc (skipping the beg ch-1) to join. <140>

Rnd 12: Ch 1 and sc in the first st, *sc in each st to ch-2 sp, [sc, ch 2, sc*] in ch-2 sp, repeat from * to last ch-2 sp, sc in each st to end,  sl st into the first sc (skipping the beg ch-1) to join. <148>

* alternately you can place 3 sc in each corner/ch-2 (st count will increase by 4 sts)

If necessary: Repeat Row 12 as needed to reach 12″