Gauge: first 3 rounds = 4 inches in diameter
Abbreviations:
ch chain
sl st slip stich
dc double crochet
V-st: (dc, ch 1, dc) all in same space.
* * instructions between asterisks should be repeated as many times as there are stitches to accommodate them or as many times as stated.
When I refer to “shell”, I mean 3 dc in same space.
Ch 5, join with sl st into ring.
Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as 1st dc and ch-1), *dc in ring, ch 1* 11 times; join with sl st into 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (12 dc, 12 ch-1 spaces)
Round 2: Sl st into next ch-1 space, ch 4, dc in same ch-1 space (counts as 1st V-st), V-st in each ch-1 space around; join with sl st into 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (12 V-st)
Round 3: Sl st into next ch-1 space, ch 4, dc in same ch-1 space (counts as 1st V-st), V-st into next space between two V-st of previous round, *V-st into next 2 V-st, V-st into next space between two V-st of previous round* 5 times, V-st into next V-st; join with sl st into 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (18 V-st)
Round 4: Sl st into next ch-1 space, ch 4, dc in same ch-1 space (counts as 1st V-st), V-st into each V-st around; join with sl st into 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (18 V-st)
Round 5: Sl st into next ch-1 space, ch 4, dc in same ch-1 space (counts as 1st V-st), *V-stitch into next space between 2 V-st, V-st into next 4 V-st* 4 times, V-st into next V-st; join with sl st into 3rd ch of beginning ch-4. (22 V-st)
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st (each dc and each ch-1 space) around; join with sl st to 1st sc. (66 sc)
Round 7: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *skip 4 sc, 3 dc in next sc, ch 3, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, ch 3, skip 2 sc, 3 dc in next sc* around, ending with ch 3; join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3. (6 pattern repeats)
Round 8: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *skip 4 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc in next dc* around, ending with ch 3; join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Round 9: same as Round 8.
Round 10: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *ch 3, sc in space between next 2nd and 3rd dc (it’s the space between two shells), ch 3, skip next 2 dc, 3 dc in next dc, skip ch-spaces, 3 dc in next dc* around, ending with 3 dc in next dc. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Round 11: Sl st to last dc of shell, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc in next dc, skip next 4 dc, 3 dc in next dc* around, ending with 3 dc in next dc. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Round 12: same as Round 10.
Round 13: sl st to last dc of shell, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *3 dc in next dc, ch 3, sc in space between next 2nd and 3rd dc (it’s the space between two shells), ch 3, skip next 2 dc, 3 dc in next dc* around, ending with ch 3. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Round 14: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *skip 4 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, 3 dc in next dc* around, ending with ch 3; join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Round 15: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 5 dc, *2 sc in next ch-3 space, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next ch-3 space, sc in next 6 dc* around, ending with 2 sc in ch-3 space. Join round with sl st. (66 sc)
Round 16: ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc), hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each sc around; join round with sl st. (122 hdc)
Round 17: ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc), hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each hdc around; join round with sl st. (244 hdc)
Fasten off.
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