Coolest Pirate Afghan Ever

MATERIALS:

• Caron International's One Pound
  ( 100% acrylic):
  #516 Scarlet (A), 34 oz
  #503 Black (B), 29 oz
  #501 White (C), 13 oz
• One size US I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook, or size to obtain gauge
• Five 1"/2.5 cm steel rings (for pirate earrings)
• Yarn needle
• Red Square Graph
• Skull Graph
• Skull Face Graph
• Bandana Graph
• Bones Graph

SIZE:
Throw measures approximately 60"/152.5cm wide x 60"/152.5 cm long


GAUGE
In red square pattern stitch, 12 sts and 8 dc rows and 14 sc rows = 4"/10 cm.
In black square pattern stitch, 12 sts and 6 rows = 4"/10 cm.
In single crochet (skull pieces), 12 sts and 13 rows = 4"/10 cm.


STITCHES USED
Chain (ch)
Double crochet (dc)
Reverse single crochet (rev sc)
Single crochet (sc)
Slip stitch (slip st)

SPECIAL TERMS
dc2tog: Double crochet 2 together –[Yarn over, insert hook in next st, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops] twice, yarn over and draw through 3 loops on hook.

extdc: Extended double crochet – Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 1 loop on hook, [yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice.

extsc: Extended single crochet – Insert hook in indicated st, yarn over and pull up a loop (lower segment of extsc made), yarn over and draw through 1 loop on hook, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.

FPdc: Front-post double crochet – Yarn over, insert hook from right-hand side of stitch to WS of piece, return to RS at left-hand side of stitch indicated, yarn over and pull up loop, complete as dc.

Puff: Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over, insert hook in same st, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through all 5 loops on hook.


NOTES
1. The front post stitches (FPdc) are always worked around indicated stitches 2 rows below (one row below row into which you would usually work).

2. On even numbered sc rows, work sc's in each sc and work sc's in skipped sts behind the post stitches (not in the front post stitches).

3. To change color, work last stitch of old color to last yarn over; yarn over with new color and draw through all loops on hook to complete stitch. Fasten off old color and proceed with new color.
 

RED SQUARE (make 4)

With A, chain 51.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—50 sc.

Rows 2–10: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 11: Ch 1, sc in first 12 sts, FPdc around next 4 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 18 sts, FPdc around next 4 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 12 sts, turn.

Row 12 and all even numbered rows (every other row): Ch 1, sc in each st across (working in sc's and skipped sc's behind the post stitches, not in the post stitches themselves), turn.

Row 13: Ch 1, sc in first 10 sts, FPdc around next 8 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 14 sts, FPdc around next 8 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 10 sts, turn.

Row 15: Ch 1, sc in first 10 sts, FPdc around next 10 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 10 sts, FPdc around next 10 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 10 sts, turn.

Row 17: Ch 1, sc in first 8 sts, FPdc around next 12 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 10 sts, FPdc around next 12 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 8 sts, turn.

Row 19: Ch 1, sc in first 6 sts, FPdc around next 14 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 10 sts, FPdc around next 14 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 6 sts, turn.

Row 21: Repeat Rows 19.

Row 23: Ch 1, sc in first 6 sts, FPdc around next 16 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 6 sts, FPdc around next 16 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 6 sts, turn.

Row 25: Ch 1, sc in first 8 sts, FPdc around next 16 sts 2 rows below, sc in next 2 sts, FPdc around next 16 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 8 sts, turn.

Row 27: Ch 1, sc in first 14 sts, FPdc around next 22 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 14 sts, turn.

Row 29: Ch 1, sc in first 16 sts, FPdc around next 18 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 16 sts, turn.

Row 31: Ch 1, sc in first 18 sts, FPdc around next 14 sts 2 rows below, sc in last 18 sts, turn.

Row 33: Repeat Row 31.

Row 35: Repeat Row 29.

Row 37: Repeat Row 27.

Row 39: Repeat Row 25.

Row 41: Repeat Row 23.

Row 43: Repeat Row 21.

Row 45: Repeat Row 19.

Row 47: Repeat Row 17.

Row 49: Repeat Row 15.

Row 51: Repeat Row 13.

Row 53: Repeat Row 11.

Row 54–62: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Edging: Ch 1, sc evenly around entire square, working 3 sc in each corner; join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.


Black Square (make 5)
With B, chain 53.

Row 1: Dc in third ch from hook, *dc in next 2 ch, dc2tog twice, dc in next 2 ch, 2 dc in next 2 ch; repeat from * across, dc once more in last ch, turn—52 sts.

Rows 2–24: Ch 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), dc in first st (increase made), *dc in next 2 dc, dc2tog twice, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next 2 dc; repeat from * across, 2 dc in last dc (top of turning ch), turn.

Row 25: Ch 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), dc in first st (increase made), *dc in next 2 dc, dc2tog twice, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next 2 dc; repeat from * across, 2 dc in last dc (top of turning ch); change to A in last st, do not turn.

Edging
Round 1 (RS): Working in ends of rows along side edge, sc evenly to next corner, work (sc, ch 1, extdc) in corner; working along opposite side of foundation ch, *extdc in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st, extdc in last st; repeat from * across to next corner, work (extdc, ch 1, sc) in corner; working in ends of rows along opposite side edge, sc evenly to next corner, work 3 sc in corner; working in sts of Row 25, **hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st, extdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts; repeat from ** across to next corner, 2 sc in corner; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc evenly around, working 2 sc in each corner; join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.

 
SKULL (make 5)
With C, chain 9.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—8 sc.

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 base ch and beginning ch-1), sc in second ch from hook (increase made), sc in each sc to last sc, (sc, extsc) in last sc (increase made), turn—10 sts.

Row 3: Repeat Row 2—12 sts.

Row 4: Ch 2, sc in second ch from hook, sc in each st across, turn—13 sts.

Rows 5 and 6: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 7: Repeat Row 2—15 sts.

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Rows 9 and 10: Repeat Row 2 twice—19 sts.

Rows 11–13: Repeat Rows 6–8—21 sts.

Row 14: Slip st in first st (decrease made), (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next st, sc in each remaining st to last st; leave last st unworked (decrease made), turn—19 sts (excluding slip sts).

Row 15: Repeat Row 14—17 sts (excluding slip sts).

Rows 16–24: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Rows 25 and 26: Repeat Row 14—13 sts (excluding slip sts).

Row 27: Slip st in first 2 sts, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next st, sc in each remaining st to last 2 sts; leave last 2 sts unworked, turn—9 sts.

Row 28: Repeat Row 27—5 sts, do not turn.

Edging: Sc evenly around entire piece, working a slip st between Rows 8 and 9, and Rows 19 and 20 on both sides of skull, and working 2 sc in each lower corner (beginning and end of Row 1); join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.

 

BONES (make 20)
With C, chain 5.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in second ch from hook and each remaining ch across, turn—4 sc.

Row 2: Ch 2, sc in second ch from hook, sc in each st across, turn—5 sc.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc to last sc, (sc, extsc) in last sc, turn—6 sts.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2—7 sts.

Row 5: Slip st in first sc, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next sc, sc in each remaining st to last st, (sc, extsc) in last st, turn.

Row 6: Ch 2, sc in second ch from hook and in each st across to last st; leave last st unworked, turn.

Row 7: Slip st in first sc, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next sc, sc in each remaining st to last st, (sc, extsc) in last st; [work extsc in lower segment of extsc just made] 4 times, turn—11 sts.

Row 8: Repeat Row 6.

Row 9: Repeat Row 5.

Row 10: Ch 1, sc in each st to last st; leave last st unworked, turn—10 sts.

Row 11: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 12: Slip st in first sc, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next sc, sc in each remaining st across, turn—9 sts.

Row 13: Ch 1, sc in first 6 sts; leave remaining sts unworked—6 sts.

Row 14: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 15: Repeat Row 12—5 sts.

Row 16: Slip st in first st (decrease made), (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next st, sc in each remaining st to last st; leave last st unworked (decrease made), do not turn—3 sts.

Edging: Sc evenly around entire piece working a slip st between Rows 6 and 7, Rows 9 and 10, and Rows 12 and 13, and working 3 sc in first st of Row 1 (lowest point of bone); join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.

 

BANDANA (make 5)
With A, chain 6.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—5 sc.

Row 2: Ch 3, sc in second ch from hook and in next ch (double increase made), sc in each st to last st, (sc, extsc) in last st, work extsc in lower segment of extsc just made (double increase made), turn—9 sts.

Row 3: Repeat Row 2—13 sts.

Rows 4 and 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 base ch and beginning ch-1), sc in second ch from hook (increase made), sc in each sc to last sc, (sc, extsc) in last sc (increase made), turn—17 sts.

Rows 6 and 7: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in first 8 sts; leave remaining st unworked, turn—8 sts.

Row 9: Slip st in first 3 sts, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next st, sc in remaining sts across, turn—5 sts.

Row 10: Ch 1, sc in each st to last st; leave last st unworked, turn—4 sts.

Row 11: Slip st in first sc, (slip st, ch 1, sc) in next sc, sc in each remaining st across, turn—3 sts.

Row 12: Repeat Row 10; do not turn—2 sts.

Edging: Sc evenly around entire piece, working 2 sc in each corner (beginning of Row 7, beginning and end of Row 1, beginning and end of Row 12); join with slip st in first sc, turn. Do not fasten off.

Ties: Slip st in next st, *ch 11, slip st in second ch from hook, slip st in next ch, sc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 3 ch, dc in next 3 ch**, slip st in next 2 sc of edging round, repeat from * to **, slip st in next sc of edging round. Fasten off.

 

FINISHING
Block squares and skull pieces. With B, use long stitches to embroider skull face onto skull as shown in skull face graph. Sew bones, then skull to RS of each black square, arranged as shown in photograph. Tip: To help hide the yarn, sew pieces through top layer of square only, not all the way through the square. Sew bandana onto skull, leaving ties free. Sew 1"/2.5 cm steel ring to left ear of skull. With B, use long stitches to embroider the eye patch tie as shown in skull face graph.

 

Assembly
Arrange squares into a rectangle, three squares wide and three squares long, alternating red and black squares as shown in photograph. With WS facing and A, working in back loops only (loops closest to seam), join edges with slip sts. Fasten off.

Edging
With RS facing, join A with slip st in any corner.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc evenly around entire piece, working 2 sc in each corner; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, working 2 sc in each corner; join with slip st in first sc and changing to B in join.

Round 3: Ch 2, working in front loops only, work puff in each st around; join with slip st in first puff, turn.

Round 4: Repeat Round 3, working in unused loops of Round 2.

Round 5 (RS): Ch 1, inserting hook in both loops of corresponding puffs of Rounds 3 and 4, work rev sc evenly around; join with slip st in first rev sc. Fasten off.

Using yarn needle, weave in ends