Christmas Star Throw and Pillow

Materials:

• RED HEART® “Super Saver®”: 7 skeins 4313 Aran Fleck A; 2 balls each 376 Burgandy B and 633 Dark Sage C; 1 Ball 631 Light Sage D.
• Afghan Crochet Hook: 6mm [US J-10].
• Yarn needle
• 16” pillow form

Measurements: Throw measures 42” x 57½”. Pillow measures 15” x 15½”.

Gauge: 13 sts = 3”’ 10 rows = 3” in Afghan st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

Notes:
Use separate ball of yarn for each large block of color. Pick up new yarn from under old to twist yarns and prevent holes.

Throw:

Block (Make 20)
With Afghan hook and A, ch 31.

Row 1: First Half: Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo, draw yarn through st, *insert hook in next ch, yo, draw yarn through st; repeat from * across – 31 loops on hook; Second Half of Row:Yo, draw yarn through first loop on hook, *yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * across until 1 loop remains on hook, (counts as first loop of next row).
Rows 2-29: Beginning with Row 2, follow Chart through Row 29.
Row 30: Slip st in each vertical st across. Fasten off.

Block Border
With right side facing and crochet hook, join A in upper right hand corner st.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in corner st, dc in next 2 sts, [skip next st, dc in next 3 sts] across to 3 sts from corner, skip next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, ch 2, turn to work along side edge, 2 dc in edge of first row, dc in edge of each row to last row, 2 dc in last row, ch 2, turn to work along opposite edge of foundation ch, dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, [skip next st, dc in next 3 sts] across to 3 sts before next corner, skip next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, ch 2, turn to work along side edge, 2 dc in edge of first row, dc in edge of each row to last row, 2 dc in last row, ch 2, slip st in top of beginning ch. Fasten off.

Finishing
Arrange Blocks, 4 Blocks wide by 5 Blocks long, for Throw. Holding wrong sides together, join A in one Block with crochet hook, working through sts of two Blocks, slip st Blocks together. Repeat until all Blocks are joined.

Border
Round 1: With right side facing and crochet hook, join A in upper right hand corner dc, ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each dc and ch-space around, working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner ch-2 space, join with slip st to top of beginning ch.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each dc around, working (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in each corner ch-2 space, join with slip st to first sc.
Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each sc around, working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner ch-2 space, join with slip st to top of beginning ch 3.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in each dc around, working 4 sc in each corner ch-2 space, join with slip st to first sc.
Round 5: Ch 3 with B, [dc with D in next sc, dc with B in next sc] around, end with D, join with slip st in top of beginning ch. Cut B.
Round 6: With D only, ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in same st, ch 1, skip next dc, [dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 56 times, [2 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 4 times, turn to work along side edge, [dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 85 times, [2 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 4 times, turn to work along next edge, [dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 57 times, turn to work along side edge, [dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 85 times, [2 dc in next dc, ch 1, skip next dc] 3 times, join with slip st to top of beginning ch 3. Fasten off.
Round 7: Join B in top of beginning ch 3, ch 1, sc in same space, *[sc in next dc, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work] across to first set of 2 dc of next corner, [sc in next 2 dc, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work] 4 times; repeat from * around to last side, [sc in next dc, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work] across to first set of 2 dc of next corner, [sc in next 2 dc, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work] 3 times, join with slip st to first sc. Fasten off.
Weave in ends.

Pillow:
Back
With Afghan hook and A, ch 51.

Row 1: First Half: Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo, draw yarn through st, *insert hook in next ch, yo, draw yarn through st; repeat from * across – 51 loops on hook; Second Half of Row: Yo, draw yarn through first loop on hook, *yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * across until 1 loop remains on hook, (counts as first loop of next row).
Repeat Row 1 until 41 rows have been worked.
Last Row: Slip st in each vertical st across.Fasten off.

Front
With Afghan hook and A, ch 51.

Row 1: First Half: Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo, draw yarn through st, *insert hook in next ch, yo, draw yarn through st; repeat from * across – 51 loops on hook; Second Half of Row: Yo, draw yarn through first loop on hook, *yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * across until 1 loop remains on hook, (counts as first loop of next row).
Repeat Row 1 until 8 rows have been worked.


Begin Chart
Next Row: Work 5 sts, beginning with Row 3, work Chart across 31 sts, work 5 sts. Continue to work Chart as established until 29 rows have been worked.
Repeat Row 1 for 6 rows.
Last Row: Slip st in each vertical st across. Fasten off.

Block Border
Round 1: With right side of Front facing, join D in upper right hand corner st, ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in corner st, ch 1, [skip next st, dc in next st] across to last st, 3 dc in last st, turn to work along side edge, 2 dc in edge of row, [ch 1, skip next row, dc in next row] across to last 2 rows, ch 1, skip next row, 2 dc in last row, turn to work  along opposite edge of foundation ch, 3 dc in first st, ch 1, [skip next st, dc in next st] across to last st, 3 dc in last st, turn to work along side edge, 2 dc in edge of row, [ch 1,
skip next row, dc in next row] across to last 2 rows, ch 1, skip next row, 2 dc in last row, ch 1, join with slip st to top of beginning ch 3. Fasten off.
Round 2: Join B in top of beginning ch, ch 1, sc in first 3 dc, *[dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work, sc in next dc] across to first dc of corner 5-dc, sc in next 5 dc; repeat from * around to last side, [dc in next dc 2 rounds below, pulling dc up to current level of work, sc in next dc] across to last 2 dc, sc in next 2 dc, join with slip st in first sc.
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, *[skip next st, sc in next 3 sts] 12 times, sc in next 48 sts; repeat from * around to last side, [skip next st, sc in next 3 sts] to last 2 sts, sc in next 2sc, join with slip st in first sc. Repeat Border around Pillow Block.

Finishing
Round 1: Holding wrong sides together, join B in one Block with crochet hook, working through sts of two Blocks, ch 1, sc in each st around 3 sides, turn to work along last side, sc in each st across on only 1 piece Fasten off.
Insert pillow form.
Whipstitch opening closed.
Weave in ends.