Charleston Garden Afghan (1951): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Worsted (#4) yarn. American Thread "Dawn" Knitting Worsted was a worsted-weight yarn; substitute any worsted yarn that matches the gauge.
• Colours: 13 oz Shaded Pinks (or another flower shade), 13 oz Golf Green, 38 oz Baby Blue, 26 oz Black, 3 oz Pink.
• Original hook: plastic crochet hook No. 5 or G.
• Tapestry needle for sewing motifs.
• Hook: Start with 4 mm (US G-6) and change size to match the gauge.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sc

single crochet

hdc

half double crochet

dc

double crochet

tr

treble crochet

pc

popcorn

sl st

slip stitch

yo

yarn over

sk

skip

st

stitch

sts

stitches

rnd

round

rep

repeat

Notes before you start

• Source: "Charleston Garden Afghan", Beautiful, Beautiful Afghans (Star Book No. 82), American Thread Company, 1951. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY “DAWN” KNITTING WORSTED, Article W 11 or W 15 or W 41 or W 42; 13 ozs. Shaded Pinks or any other flower shade desired; 13 ozs. Golf Green; 38 ozs. Baby Blue; 26 ozs. Black; 3 ozs. Pink; Plastic crochet hook No. 5 or G. Gauge: Each motif measures about 7½ inches.
• Modernisation note: The original is written in US terms; abbreviations were updated to modern style (s c → sc, d c → dc, tr c → tr, s d c → hdc). "Row" is written as "Rnd" where the work is in rounds.
• Modernisation note: "Cut yarn" is written as "fasten off"; "attach" is written as "join"; "yarn over" as "yo"; "skip" as "sk".
• Modernisation note: "Insert in 3rd st of ch 3" is written as "insert in 3rd ch of ch-3".
• Modernisation note: The motif's unlabelled first round is labelled "Rnd 1"; "Row" is written as "Rnd" throughout the motif.
• Modernisation note: Check: rnd 10 works popcorns "in each of the next 3 dc" and sc/sl st in the sc, but does not say how the hdc of rnd 9 are treated; compare with the back-cover photograph.
• Modernisation note: The finishing step "Weave in all ends" is ours.
• Modernisation note: Metric conversions, the modern hook suggestion and the yardage estimate were added; they are not in the original.
• Modernisation note: Hook numbers from this period were not standardised to millimetres; the starting size given is a modern equivalent, and the gauge is what matters.

Motif (make 70)

1. Rnd 1: With flower shade, ch 4, join to form a ring, ch 3, 3 dc in ring, sl loop off hook, insert in 3rd ch of ch-3 and pull loop through, *ch 3, 4 dc in ring, sl loop off hook, insert in first dc and pull loop through (popcorn st), repeat from * twice, ch 3, join in first popcorn st.
2. Rnd 2: In next loop, work 1 sc, 4 dc, 1 sc, repeat from beginning 3 times.
3. Rnd 3: Ch 4, working in back of petals over the 1st rnd, sc in lower center edge of petal, ch 4, sc between the petals, repeat from the beginning all around (8 loops).
4. Rnd 4: Over each loop, work 1 sc, 5 dc, 1 sc, fasten off.
5. Rnd 5: Join Pink and work 1 sc in each st of each petal, fasten off.
6. Rnd 6: Join Green in sc of rnd 3 in back of petal, *ch 7, sc in 2nd st from hook, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts (hdc: yo, insert in st, pull through, yo and work off all loops at one time), 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, sc in next sc in rnd 3 between petals, repeat from * all around.
7. Rnd 7: Work 5 sc on side of next leaf, 3 sc in point of leaf, 5 sc down other side of leaf and repeat on all leaves, fasten off.
8. Rnd 8: Join Baby Blue in point of leaf, 3 sc in same space, *1 hdc in each of the next 2 sc, dc in next sc, yo twice, insert in last sc on side of leaf, work off 2 loops, yo, insert in 1st st on next leaf and work off all loops 2 at a time, sk 2 sc, dc in next sc, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sc, 3 sc in next sc, repeat from * all around.
9. Rnd 9: Ch 1, *1 sc in each of the next 3 sc, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, 1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, repeat from * all around.
10. Rnd 10: Ch 4, 2 tr in same space, ch 1, 3 tr in same space, *ch 1, a 4-dc popcorn st with ch 1 between in each of the next 3 dc, ch 1, sc in 1st sc, sl st in next sc, sc in next sc, ch 1, 1 popcorn st with ch 1 between in each of the next 3 dc, ch 1, in center sc work 3 tr, ch 1, 3 tr, repeat from * all around and join in 1st shell.
11. Rnd 11: Work a rnd of sc all around working 1 sc in each st and working 2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc in each corner, fasten off Blue. Join Black and work 1 sc in each sc, working 3 sc in each corner.
12. Next rnd: 1 sc in each sc, fasten off Black.