Seersucker Crochet Squares #1 & 2

It's an overcast, dreary, cold day today.  Sounds typical for this time of year - at least where I live :-)  If you find yourself somewhere warm and sunny - send some my way!

Ok - so lets get going on these squares, shall we?

We'll start off our afghan with the seersucker squares.  This is a super simple pattern that utilizes basic increases and decreases to create a seersucker effect.  It's a rather unexpected twist for crochet, not something seen too often.  I love unexpected things in crochet - they make life more exciting - in a good way!

Here is the solid version of the square.

seersucker crochet square #1

And here it is striped, using a different color on the increase and decrease rows to accent the ripples created with this stitch pattern.

seersucker crochet square #2

Once you learn the pattern - it's very versatile and makes the fabric super interesting.  I used a self-patterning yarn in the seersucker baby blanket below.  This is an awesome project if you or someone you know has a baby coming in the near future.

seersucker crochet baby blanket

Seersucker Crochet Squares Pattern

Yarn and Gauge Information here

Note:  Turning chains DO NOT count as stitches in this pattern.  Stitch counts at ends of rows do not include the ch 2 or ch 3, only the specified stitches are counted.  

Special stitch:
dc2tog (double crochet 2 together):  Yarn over (YO), insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).  YO hook, pull through 2 loops.  YO hook insert in next st, pull up a loop (4 loops on hook).  YO, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook).  YO pull through last 3 loops. 

Foundation Ch & Row 1: Ch 33. Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and each remaining ch. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 2. Hdc in each hdc from previous row. (31 hdc) Turn.
Row 3:  Repeat row 2.
Row 4: Ch 3. Dc in first hdc. Make 2 dc in each remaining hdc. (61 dc) Turn.
Row 5: Ch 2. *Dc2tog in next 2 dc. Repeat from * until one dc remains. Dc in last dc. (31 stitches) Turn.
Row 6: Ch 2. Hdc in each stitch across. (31 hdc). Turn.
Row 7, 8: Repeat row 2.
Rows 9-23: Repeat rows 4-8

For 2 color striped variation:
Rows 4 & 5 use color B.  All other rows use A.

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