Siesta Afghan (1952): vintage crochet pattern

Materials

• Worsted (#4) yarn. Chadwick's Red Heart Knitting Worsted, 4 ply, was a worsted-weight yarn; substitute any worsted yarn that matches the gauge.
• Colours: 16 oz Paddy Green, 14 oz Emerald Green, 9 oz Surf Green.
• The book notes that 2 oz skeins (Art. E.230-B) of the same yarn may be used instead: buy half the number of skeins.
• Original hook: Clark's O.N.T. plastic crochet hook No. 6.
• Tapestry needle for sewing motifs.
• Hook: Start with 5 mm (US H-8) and change size to match the gauge.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch

chain

sl st

slip stitch

sc

single crochet

hdc

half double crochet

dc

double crochet

tr

treble crochet

rnd

round

sk

skip

sp

space

rep

repeat

st

stitch

Notes before you start

• Source: "Siesta" (C-122), Afghans (Afghan Book No. 289), The Spool Cotton Company, 1952. Public domain in the USA.
• As printed — materials: CHADWICK’S RED HEART KNITTING WORSTED, 4 Ply, Art. E.232: 16 skeins (1 oz. “Tangle-Proof” Pull-Out Skeins) of No. 686 Paddy Green; 14 skeins of No. 676 Emerald Green and 9 skeins of No. 647 Surf Green.; Clark’s O.N.T. Plastic Crochet Hook No. 6.. Gauge: Each motif measures 5 inches square..
• Modernisation note: Round and row labels ("1st rnd", "2nd row") are written as "Rnd 1", "Row 2"; "half dc" is written as "hdc"; "thread over" and "yarn over" as "yo"; "skip" as "sk"; "repeat" as "rep" where abbreviated.
• Modernisation note: "Break off" is written as "fasten off"; "attach" is written as "join".
• Modernisation note: "7 Sc" in border rnd 1 is written "7 sc" (capitalisation only).
• Modernisation note: Check: rnd 4 describes the first shell as "(dc, ch 1) twice and dc (3-dc shell made)" but the second group as "(dc, ch 1) 3 times"; the two may be meant to match. Left as printed.
• 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 108)

1. Starting at center with Paddy Green, ch 2.
2. Rnd 1: In 2nd ch from hook make (sc, ch 1) 8 times. Join with sl st to first sc.
3. Rnd 2: Sl st in next sp, ch 3, *in next sp make (dc, ch 1) twice; hdc in next sp, ch 1. Rep from * around. Join to 2nd ch of ch-3. Fasten off.
4. Rnd 3: Join Emerald Green to same place as sl st, ch 4, *in next sp make (dc, ch 1) twice; hdc in next sp, ch 1, in next sp make dc, ch 1 and dc; tr in next hdc. Rep from * around, ending with dc, ch 1 and dc in last sp. Join to top of ch-4. Fasten off.
5. Rnd 4: Join Surf Green to same place as sl st, sc in same place, *ch 1, in next sp between dc's make (dc, ch 1) twice and dc (3-dc shell made); hdc in next hdc, in next sp between dc's make (dc, ch 1) 3 times; sc in next tr. Rep from * around. Join and fasten off.
6. Rnd 5: Join Emerald Green to any hdc, sc in same place, *ch 1, sc in first sp of shell, ch 1, sc in next sp of shell, ch 1, in next sc make (dc, ch 1) 4 times (4-dc shell made); sk next sp, sc in first sp of next shell, ch 1, sc in next sp of shell, ch 1, sc in next hdc. Rep from * around. Join and fasten off.
7. Rnd 6: Join Paddy Green to first sp of any shell, sc in same place, *ch 1, (sc in next sp, ch 1) twice; in next sc make hdc, ch 1 and dc; sk next sc, in next sc make tr, ch 1, tr, ch 3, tr, ch 1 and tr; sk next sc, in next sc make dc, ch 1 and hdc; ch 1, sc in first sp of shell. Rep from * around. Join and fasten off.