This geometric-inspired knitted floral afghan is at home in the city or country. It's challenging — you'll work with bobbins — and the floral motifs are created with duplicate stitch. The approximate finished size of the afghan is 48" by 70".

Materials:

• 4-Ply Knitting Worsted
• 3.5 oz pull skein
• 7 ozs. Black (A)
• 14 ozs. Light Blue (B)
• 14 ozs. Mulberry (C)
• 21 ozs. Beige (D)
• Size 8 – 29 in. circular needle, or size to obtain given gauge
• 26 Bobbins
• Tapestry needle

Gauge:

• Pattern Stitch: 9 stitches = 2 inches
• 13 rows = 2 inches

• To save time, take time to check gauge!

Notes:

• NOTE 1:

  When working border knit-in designs, following Chart 1, carry color not in use loosely at back of work. Catch color at back of work every few stitches. Be careful to maintain gauge.

• NOTE 2:
  Diamonds are worked with a separate bobbin for each color section. Wind 8 bobbins with D, 9 bobbins with B and 9 bobbins with C. Always twist yarns on wrong side when changing colors to prevent holes.
• NOTE 3:
  D color diamonds are worked with D only in Stockinette Stitch. Flower motifs are embroidered on when piece is completed in Duplicate Stitch, following Chart 4.
• NOTE 4:
  A circular needle is used because of the large number of stitches. Work back and forth on circular needle as if working with 2 needles.

Two Color Fabric Stitch:

(Worked over an uneven number of stitches.)

• Rows 1, 2, 5, 6:
  Wrong side. With B, k.
• Row 3:
  With C, k1 * with yarn in back slip 1 as to p, k1 ; repeat from * across.
• Row 4:
  With C, k1, * with yarn in front slip 1 as to p, k1; repeat from * across.
• Row 7:
  With C, k2, with yarn in back slip 1 as to p, k1, with yarn in back slip 1 as to p; repeat from *, end k2.
• Row 8:
  With C, k2, with yarn in front slip 1 as to p, * k1, with yarn in front slip 1 as to p; repeat from *, end k2.
• Repeat these 8 rows for fabric stitch.

Afghan:

• With color A,...
  ...cast on 213 stitches on circular needle. Work 8 rows Garter Stitch (k every row), decreasing 1 stitch each end of first row, then every other row 3 times more – 205 stitches. Work 10 rows Fabric Stitch. Row 1: Using bobbins, work Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches; carrying yarns work Row 1 of Chart 1 over 15 stitches, then repeat Row 1 of Chart 1 for 12 times more; using bobbins work Fabric Stitch over last 5 stitches. Keeping 5 stitches at each end in Fabric Stitch as established begin with Row 2 and work Chart 1 over center 195 stitches. Work until Row 12 of Chart 1 is completed. Begin Diamond Section of Afghan.
• Note:
  The 5 Fabric Stitches at each end do not correspond row-wise with the Fabric Stitches in the Diamonds.
• Row 1:
  As Row 1 of Chart 2 over center 195 stitches. Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches, join a B and C bobbin, Row 1 of Fabric Stitch over 27 stitches, (join a D bobbin, k1, join a B and C bobbin and work Fabric Stitch over 27 stitches) 6 times, Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches.
• Row 2:
  Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches, Row 2 of Fabric Stitch over 27 stitches, (p1 D, Row 2 of Fabric Stitch over 27 stitches) 6 times, Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches.
• Row 3:
  Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches, join a D bobbin and K1, Fabric Stitch over 25 stitches, (k3 D, Fabric Stitch over 25 stitches) 6 times, join a D bobbin and k1, Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches.
• Row 4 ...
  ... and all even numbered rows through 48 of Chart 2: Fabric Stitch over Fabric Stitches and p over all D stitches.
• Row 5:

  Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches, k2 D. Fabric Stitch over 23 stitches, (k5 D, Fabric Stitch over 23 stitches) 6 times, k2 D, Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches. Keep the 5 stitches at each end in Fabric Stitch as established, beginning with Row 7 follow Chart 2 over center 195 stitches. Work until Row 48 is completed. Repeat Rows 1 through 48 for 8 times more, then repeat Rows 1 and 2. There are 434 rows to Diamond Section.

Upper Edge:

• Row 1:
  Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches, Row 1 of Chart 3 over 15 stitches, then repeat Row 1 of Chart 3 for 12 times more, Fabric Stitch over 5 stitches. Keeping to Fabric Stitch at each end and beginning with Row 2, work Chart 3 over center 195 stitches. Work until Row 12 is completed. Change to Fabric Stitch over all stitches and work 10 rows. Change to A and Garter Stitch (k every row). Work 8 rows, increasing 1 stitch each end every other row 4 times – 213 stitches. Bind off all stitches.

Side Edging:

• With A, right side facing, beginning in the first Fabric Stitch row (do not pick up stitches above A Garter Stitch borders), pick up 1 stitch in every other row to last Fabric Stitch row. Work 8 rows of Garter Stitch, increasing 1 stitch each end every other row 4 times. Bind off. Make sure work is flat. Work other side edge to correspond, having same number of stitches. Sew or weave mitered corners together.

Finishing:

• Duplicate Stitch Flowers in the center of each D Diamond, following Chart 5.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of these instructions. We cannot be responsible, however, for variances in individual techniques, human errors or typographical mistakes.