These final rounds end the first part of our journey. After the first step comes holding what we’ve started. The experience we’ve gained will carry us forward. The last round of popcorn stitches is about the lessons and wisdom we’ve gathered along the way. This is not the end. It’s the end of the beginning. After Aries comes Taurus.
Abbreviations: st – stitch, sl-st – slip stitch, ch – chain, sc – single crochet, hdc – half double crochet, dc – double crochet, tr – treble crochet, dtr – double treble crochet, fp – front post, bp – back post, bl – back loop, tbl – third back loop, cluster of 2dc – yarn over, insert hook into indicated stitch or space, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Repeat once more in same stitch or space. 3 loops on hook. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops, Popcorn – 5dc in same st, remove hook from loop and insert from front to back of 1st dc and into a dropped loop and pull through. To close popcorn ch1. Ch1 counts as a part of popcorn st.
ROUND 27 (Color A). Join with a standing blsc in any 7th sc, blsc in next 271 sts. Join to standing blsc with a sl-st. Stitch count: 272 blsc
ROUND 28 (Color A). ch1 (does not count as stitch), sc in same st, *sc in next 3 sts, {ch1, skip next st, sc in next 2 sts} 3 times, ch1, skip next st, sc in next 4 sts*, repeat ** 16 times, omit last sc. Join to 1st sc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. Stitch count: 240 sc, 64 ch1 spaces
ROUND 29 (Color B). Join with a standing popcorn in ch1 space after any group of 7 sc, *{ch2, skip next 2 sts, popcorn in ch1 space} 3 times, ch2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st, ch1, skip next st, sc in next st, ch2, skip next 2 sts, popcorn in ch1 space*, repeat ** 16 times, omit last popcorn. Join to standing popcorn with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. Stitch count: 32 sc, 64 popcorn, 16 ch1 spaces, 80 ch2 spaces
ROUND 30 (Color D). Join with a standing sc in any ch1 space, *fpsc around next st, 2sc in ch2 space, fpsc around next st, [in ch2 space (hdc, 3dc, hdc), fpsc around next st] 3 times, 2sc in ch2 space, fpsc around next st, sc in ch1 space*, repeat ** 16 times, omit last sc. Join to standing sc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. Stitch count: 80 sc, 96 fpsc, 96 hdc, 144 dc
ROUND 31 (Color C). Join with a standing bpsc around 2nd dc of any 3rd (hdc, 3dc, hdc) group, *ch3, skip next 5 sts, 2dc cluster in next st, {ch1, 2dc cluster in next st} 2 times, [ch3, skip next 5 sts, bpsc around next st] 3 times*, repeat ** 16 times, omit last bpsc. Join to standing bpsc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. Stitch count: 48 bpsc, 48 2dc cluster, 32 ch1 spaces, 64 ch3 spaces
ROUND 32 (Color A). Join with a standing fpsc around any 3rd 2dc cluster, *4sc in ch3 space, fpsc around next st, {3sc in ch3 space, fpsc around next st} 2 times, 4sc in ch3 sace, fpsc around next st, [sc in ch1 space, fpsc around next st] 2 times*, repeat ** 16 times, omit last fpsc. Join to standing fpsc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. Stitch count: 256 sc, 96 fpsc
Pingback: Aries Crochet Mandala. Rounds 22-26 – vcrochetpatterns
I love how these final rounds not only complete the mandala visually, but also carry such deep symbolism. The popcorn stitches truly feel like they’re holding all the lessons learned from this journey.