Crochet Sunflower Afghan

Throw measures 50” [127cm] x 64” [162.5cm]

Materials:
RED HEART® Super Saver®:
3 skeins each 365 Coffee A and 313 Aran E, 2 skeins 406 Medium Thyme D, 1 skein each 254 Pumpkin B, 321 Gold C
Susan Bates ® Crochet Hook: 6mm [US J-10]
Yarn needle

GAUGE:
Square = 10½” [26.5cm]. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS
PST (Puff Stitch): [Yo and draw up a loop] 3 times all in the same st, yo and draw through all 7 loops on hook.
Tr3tog:*[Yo] twice, draw up a loop in space indicated, [yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice; repeat from * twice more, yo and draw through 4 loops remaining on hook.
Trpc (Tr Popcorn): Work 4 tr in same st, drop loop from hook, insert hook in top of first tr or ch 4 and into dropped loop, pull loop through.
VST: (Dc, ch 1, dc) all in same st.

SQUARE
(Make 24) With A, ch 5; join with a slip st to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, 12 sc in ring; join with a slip st in first sc.
Round 2: Ch 4, skip first sc, [PST in next sc, ch 1, dc in next sc, ch 1] 5 times, PST in next sc, ch 1, slip st in 3rd ch of ch-4. Fasten off.
Round 3: Join B in any PST, ch 1, *(sc, ch 3, sc) all in PST, sc in next ch-1 space, (sc, ch 3, sc) all in next dc, sc in next ch-1 space; repeat from * around, slip st in first sc. Fasten off.
Round 4: Join C in any ch-3 space, ch 1, [(sc, ch 4, Tr3tog, ch 4, sc) all in ch-3 space] 12 times, slip st in first sc. Fasten off.
Round 5: Join D in any Tr3tog, ch 1, [sc in Tr3tog, ch 5] 12 times, slip st in first sc.
Round 6: Ch 1, [sc in sc, (3 sc, ch 2, 3 sc) all in ch-5 space] 12 times, slip st in first sc.
Round 7: Ch 1, [sc in sc, ch 4, Trpc in ch-2 space, ch 4] 12 times, slip st in first sc. Fasten off.
Round 8: Join E in first ch-4 space, ch 1, *sc in space, ch 3 (corner space), sc in next space, ch 2, VST in next sc, ch 2, [sc in next space, ch 1, sc in next space, ch 2, VST in next sc, ch 2] twice; repeat from * around, slip st in first sc.
Round 9: (Slip st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in first ch-3 space, *3 dc in ch-1 space of next VST, [3 dc in next ch-1 space, 3 dc in ch-1 space of VST] twice **, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in corner ch-3 space; repeat from * around, end at **, slip st in top of ch-3.
Round 10: (Slip st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in first ch-2 space, *[3 dc between 3-dc groups] 6 times **, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in corner space; repeat from * around, end at **, slip stin top of ch-3. Fasten off.
Round 11: Join A in ch-2 space of any corner; ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in same space, *3 dc between 3-dc groups] 7 times **, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in corner space; repeat from * around, end at **, slip st in top of ch-3. Fasten off.

MIDDLE STRIP
(Make 3) With E, ch 233.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, skip 2 ch, sc in next ch, [sc in next ch, ch 2, skip 2 ch, sc in next ch] 57 times – 58 ch-2 spaces. Do NOT turn but now work in rounds.
Round 1 (Right Side): Ch 5 (counts as a dc and ch-2), working over last sc, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in last ch-2 space made, [3 dc in next ch-2 space] across to last space, working over first sc of Row 1, (3 dc, [ch 2, 3 dc] twice) all in last space, working along opposite side of Row 1; [3 dc in next ch-2 space] across to last ch-2 space, 2 dc in last space, slip st in 3rd ch of ch-5. Fasten off.
Round 2: Join A in first ch-2 space on Round 1, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in same space, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, [3 dc between 3-dc groups] across to ch-2 space of next corner; [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 space] twice, [3 dc between 3-dc groups] across, slip st in top of ch 3. Fasten off.

FINISHING
Sew Squares together in 4 strips of 6 squares each. Sew Middle Strips between Sunflower Strips matching 3-dc groups along side of Squares and one 3-dc group over the seam area between Squares.
Edging
Round 1: With right side facing, join A in ch-2 corner space of square at upper right corner, ch 5, 3 dc in same space, *[work 3 dc between 3-dc groups and work 3 dc in each space before and after seams] across to ch-2 space of next corner; (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all in ch-2 corner space**; repeat from * around, end at **; 2 dc in first space; slip st in 3rd ch of ch-5.
Round 2: (Slip st, ch 1, sc, ch 2, sc) all in first space, ch 1, skip next dc, sc in next dc, *[ch 1, sc between 3-dc groups, ch 1, skip next dc, sc in next dc] across to next ch-2 corner space,
(sc, ch 2, sc) all corner space; repeat from * around, slip st in first sc. Fasten off. Weave in ends.