My Secret Garden Afghan Crochet Blanket Pattern – CAL Part 1

This crochet afghan pattern has been a long time coming and I’m super excited to share it with you all! I’ve made many crochet baby blankets in the past, but this was my first full-size crochet afghan pattern I’ve made! This Part One of the CAL, or Crochet Along, project will be the square, which was what inspired my crochet flower coasters you may have seen a few months back!

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The Secret Behind the Afghan

Throughout my years of crochet, I have been blessed with a plethora of yarn gifted and donated by various people. This is amazing and I’m so grateful to be able to make so many things and give back to others through gifting or donating my finish products. However, I also have spent these many years going to craft stores and staring at the beautiful yarn longingly, hoping one day I will finish my current stash of yarn and buy some yarn of my own.

Does anyone else share this struggle? I always feel guilty buying new yarn unless it goes with yarn I already have. I was visiting my family over spring break last month and my mother bought me some beautiful ombre yarn so we could crochet baby blankets together (pattern coming soon!). Playing with new yarn made me even more excited to show you this new afghan pattern that is sure to be your new crochet secret weapon!

What’s the secret, you ask? Everything except the white is scrap yarn! Even with varying greens and purples, and having what seemed at first like a hodgepodge of colors, it all came together beautifully! Just go out, grab some skeins of white, try not to be tempted by the other colors at the store (though you can always use them as motivators to finish your scrap blanket!) and let’s get started!

The Pattern

You will need to make 80 squares. The first four colors: center, small petals, large petals, and leaves will be made with scrap yarn, while the square borders are crocheted using Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in White.

Special Stitches

Cluster Stitch: Yarn over hook, insert hook into the next stitch, draw a loop through, yarn over hook, draw a loop through two of the loops on the hook.  Two loops remain.  Then, yarn over, insert hook into the same stitch, draw a loop through, yarn over, draw a loop through two loops.  Three loops remain on hook.  Finally, yarn over and draw through all three loops. Cluster stitch made.

Starting Cluster Stitch: Ch 2, yarn over, insert hook into the next stitch, draw a loop through, yarn over, draw a loop through two loops.  Three loops remain on hook.  Yarn over and draw through all three loops.  Starting cluster stitch made.

First Color (center)

Make a magic ring.

R1:  Ch 3 (counts as first dc) and work 15 dc into ring. Sl st into top of ch 3. Fasten off first color. 

Second Color (small petals)

R2:  Join 2nd color to any dc. Make starting cluster stitch as follows: Ch 2, yarn over, insert hook into the same stitch as joining, draw a loop through, yarn over, draw a loop through two loops.  Three loops remain on hook.  Yarn over and draw through all three loops. (Starting Cluster Stitch made)  Work Cluster Stitch (see special stitches) in the next stitch, ch 2.   *Work a Cluster Stitch in each of the next 2 stitches, ch 2. Repeat from * around. Sl st into top of starting ch 2. Fasten off second color.  

Third Color (large petals)

R3:  Join 3rd color in the center of a petal from previous round (between the cluster stitches).  Ch 1 and sc in same space as joining.  Work 6 dc in next ch-2 space. *sc between the 2 cluster stitches of the next petal, 6 dc in the next ch-2 space.  Repeat from * around. Sl st into top of first sc. Fasten off third color.

Fourth Color (leaves)

R4:  Join 4th color in a sc from prior round.  Ch1 and sc in the same stitch as joining, ch 4, (2dc, ch3, 2dc) in the next sc. ch 4, *sc in the next sc, ch 4, (2dc, ch3, 2dc) in the next sc. ch 4 Repeat from * around. Slip stitch into top of starting sc. Fasten off fourth color.

Square Border (white)

R1:   Insert yarn into corner. (Ch3 [counts as first dc here and throughout] and 1dc into first corner. Dc into next 2 st. 4dc into ch4 space from previous row. Skip sc, 4dc into next ch4 space. Dc into next 2 st. *(2dc, ch3, 2dc) in next corner. Dc into next 2 st. 4dc into ch4 space, skip sc, 4dc into next ch4 space. Dc into next 2st.* Repeat from *to* two more times. 2dc into first corner, ch3, sl st into top of beginning ch3. 

R2:   (Ch3, 1dc, ch3, 2dc) into first corner. *Ch2, skip next 3 st, dc in next 2 st. Ch2, skip next 3 st, 2dc into space between the previous sets of 4dc. Ch2, skip next 3 st, dc in next 2st, ch2.* In corner, put 2dc, ch3, 2dc. * Repeat from *to* for every side, and (2dc, ch3, 2dc) for every corner until the end. At end, sl st into top of beginning ch3 and fasten off. 

Conclusion

I’m so excited to go on this journey with you towards making both a beautiful blanket and a more empty stash that will make room for more wonderful yarn! What colors are you using? Comment below!

If you would like the full blanket pattern, you can find it on my Etsy and Ravelry shops. If you are looking for some crochet hooks to use, Clover Amour is my favorite! If you are not sure whether Clover Amour is right for you, I have a Clover Amour review post that offers some great cheap alternatives!

I love seeing your finished crochet projects! If you enjoyed making one of my patterns I’d love to see it on Instagram! Make sure to tag me @crochetwithgabriellarose. If you are more of a Facebook person, check out the Crochet with Gabriella Rose Facebook page for notifications of new blog posts and crochet patterns!