No Beginning Chain Diamond Lace Throw
The first row of an afghan with homespun or bouclé or other knobby style yarn can be frustrating. This afghan does not require finding chain stitches, even for the first row. The lacy diamond pattern keeps the afghan light even with a heavier yarn.
This pattern was designed to be easy for homespun or bouclé style yarns, but it can be made with just about any yarn. Make it in a solid color or with as many color changes as you like.
The example is made in Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Boucle (now made by Purl Essence).
Size: This blanket can be made any size. Five widths are given in the directions.
| Size | Width (Inches) | Length (Inches) | Ounces of yarn | Yards of yarn |
| Extra Small | 30 | 40 | 7.87 | 610.32 |
| Small | 34.62 | 46.15 | 10.48 | 812.56 |
| Medium | 39.23 | 52.31 | 13.46 | 1043.69 |
| Large | 43.85 | 58.46 | 16.81 | 1303.71 |
| Extra Large | 48.46 | 64.62 | 20.54 | 1592.62 |
Materials:
Yarn – Sizing given for Bulky weight yarn but other weights can be used
Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook
Abbreviations:
ch = chain
ch sp = chain space
dc = double crochet
sc = single crochet
tr = triple crochet
Special stitches:
Shell – work the following in the ch sp indicated: 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc
V-stitch – work the following in ch sp indicated: 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc
Instructions:
Instead of a beginning chain, the blanket is begun with a first row of chain and tr spaces.
For these widths, start with this number of chain and tr spaces:
30″ = 39
34.5″ = 45
39.25″ = 51
43.75″ = 57
48.5″ = 63
Row 1: Ch 3, tr in first ch, (ch 3, tr in last ch sp) until you have made desired number of tr/ch spaces. Make an odd number of tr/ch spaces.
Do not turn.
Row 2: Ch 4. Without turning the work, make 2 dc in first space (over tr just made). Working across the spaces (holding it so that the tr stitches are on top, so work will be made over the tr stitches), skip one space and make a Shell in the next space across to the last two spaces. In the last space make 2 dc, ch 1, 1 dc.
Row 3: Ch 4 and turn. 1 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 2, sc in space before next Shell (between dc of partial Shell and first full Shell) ** ch 2, V-stitch in ch-2 space of Shell, ch 2, sc in space between Shells. Repeat from ** across to end with the last sc made between the last full shell and the partial shell at the end of the row. Ch 2, V-stitch in ch-4 space.
Row 4: Ch 4 and turn. 2 dc in ch-1 sp, ** skip ch-2, skip sc, skip ch-2, Shell in the next V-stitch. Repeat from ** across to ch-4 turning chain. Skip ch-2, skip sc, skip ch-2, (2 dc, ch 1, 1 dc) in ch-4 sp.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until afghan is desired length. If no additional border is desired, finish off and weave in end.
Optional border – end with a row 3.
Border round 1: Ch 3 and turn. (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-1 sp, ** skip ch-2, skip sc, skip ch-2, Shell in the next V-stitch. Repeat from ** across the top of the throw to the ch-4 turning chain. Work the following in the ch-4 turning chain sp: shell, ch 2, shell. Mark the 2-ch between the shells as the corner. On the side of the throw, make a shell in each space formed by the ch-4 turning chain of the rows. At the bottom corner, in the ch-3/tr space at the corner work (shell, ch 2, shell). Mark the 2-ch between the shells as the corner. Working across the ch-3 spaces at the bottom of the blanket, (skip one space and make a Shell in the next space) across to the last two spaces. In the last space work (shell, ch 2, shell). Mark the 2-ch between the shells as the corner. On the side of the throw, make a shell in each space formed by the final dc of the rows. Ch 2, slip stitch to join in the third chain of the first shell of the round. Mark the 2-ch between the shells as the corner. Do not turn.
Border round 2: Slip stitch in the next dc, slip stitch in the ch-2 space, ch 4, dc in same ch-2 space [** ch 2, sc in space before next Shell, ch 2, V-stitch in ch-2 space of Shell. Repeat from ** across to the corner, ch 2, (sc, ch 2, V-stitch, ch 2, sc) in the corner ch-2 space, move the corner marker to this last V-stitch, ch 2, V-stitch in the ch-2 space of the shell] four times, but on the last repeat, exclude the last V-stitch, join with a slip stitch in the third chain. Do not turn.
Border round 3: Slip stitch in the ch sp. Ch 3, (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in same sp. Make a shell in the ch-1 space of each V-stitch around, except at each corner, make (shell, ch 2, shell) in the ch-1 space of the corner V-stitch. Move the corner marker to the ch-2. Join in the third chain of the first shell of the round. Do not turn.
Rounds 2 and 3 can be repeated to desired width. Finish off and weave in end.
The blanket can be made in a solid color or can be made with any number of color changes. The best way to make a color change is to finish all but the very last pull through of the two loops of the last stitch of a row. Cut yarn with a few inches of tail and join with new color next to stitch. Pull new color through last two loops. Weave in ends.
Edits:
11/8/14 – corrected typos in Border round 2
3/19/17 – added photos for all rows
