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, 2dc cluster – 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, bp puff st – Yarn over, insert hook from back to front and from front to back around indicated st, yarn over and pull through, repeat 4 times, 9 loops on hook, yarn over and pull through all 9 loops.
ROUND 1 (Color A). Slip knot (R1.1), ch3 (R1.2), insert hook into 1st chain (R1.3), yarn over and pull through to form a ring (R1.4), ch2 (R1.5)(does not count as stitch), dc into ring (R1.6), *ch1, dc into ring (R1.7)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last dc. Join to 1st dc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. (R1.8) Stitch count: 8 dc, 8 ch1 spaces
ROUND 2 (Color B). Join with a standing 2dc cluster in any ch1 space (R2.1), *ch3, skip next st, 2dc cluster in ch1 space (R2.2)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last 2dc cluster. Join to standing 2dc cluster with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. (R2.3) Stitch count: 8 2dc cluster, 8 ch3 spaces
ROUND 3 (Color C). Join with a standing fpsc around any cluster, *ch2, working behind round 2 bp puff st around dc of round 1, ch2, fpsc around next 2dc cluster of round 2 (R3.1)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last fpsc. Join to standing fpsc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. (R3.2) Stitch count: 8 fpsc, 16 ch2 spaces, 8 bp puff sts
ROUND 4 (Color D). Join with a standing fpsc around any fpsc around any fpsc around 3, *in ch3 space of round 2 (2hdc, ch1, 2hdc), fpsc around next fpsc of round 3 (R4.1)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last fpsc. Join to standing fpsc with a sl-st. (R4.2) Stitch count: 8 fpsc, 32 hdc, 8 ch1 spaces
ROUND 5 (Color D). ch1 (does not count as stitch), sc in same st, *skip next 2 sts, 9dc in ch1 space, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st (R5.1)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last sc. Join to 1st sc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. (R5.2) Stitch count: 8 sc, 72 dc
ROUND 6 (Color E). Join with a standing bpsc around any sc, *ch2, working behind round 4 and 5 sc in ch3 space between two groups of 2hdc of round 4 made in the same ch3 space, ch2, bpsc around next sc of round 5 (R6.1)(R6.2)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last bpsc. Join to standing bpsc with a sl-st. (R6.3) Stitch count: 8 sc, 16 bpsc, 16 ch2 spaces
ROUND 7 (Color E). ch2, dc in same st (ch2+dc counts as 2dc cluster), ch2, 2dc cluster in same st (R7.1), *ch2, skip ch2 space, sc in next st, ch2, skip ch2, in next st (2dc cluster, ch2, 2dc cluster) (R7.2)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last (2dc cluster, ch2, 2dc cluster). Join to dc with a sl-st. (R7.3) Stitch count: 8 sc, 16 2dc cluster, 24 ch2 spaces
ROUND 8 (Color E). ch2 (does not count as stitch), fpdc around same st, *9dc in ch2 space, fpdc around next st, bpsc around 5th dc pf 9dc group of round 6, skip (ch2, sc, ch2 of round 7), fpdc around next 2dc cluster of round 7 (R8.1)*, repeat ** 8 times, omit last fpdc. Join to 1st fpdc with a sl-st, fasten off, and secure ends. (R8.2) Stitch count: 8 bpsc, 72 dc, 16 fpdc
