This post was first published in February, 2017.
It’s the dead of winter (or at least it feels like it), which means that I’ve been seeking out bright and cheerful colors to combat the low daylight blahs. This motif was inspired by an intricate tile pattern, and evolved from there. It makes me happy, and I hope it lends you some cheer as well!
Marrakech Motif (written in standard US terms)
Finished size: 7″
Yarn: DK weight (#3 Light); Shown here: Paintbox Cotton DK and Drops Cotton Merino (gray motif); Rico Design Essentials Cotton DK and Paintbox Cotton DK (green motif)
Hook: 4.0 mm
Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors
Gauge: Motif measures 2″ after 3 rounds
Notes: Ch1 at the beginning of rounds does not count as a stitch.
Stitch Guide & Abbreviations:
You can find a comprehensive stitch guide here.
Back loop (BL): Work stitch(es) in the back loop only of the indicated stitch.
Back post single crochet (bpsc): Insert hook from back to front to back around the post of the indicated stitch. Yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.
Chain stitch (ch): Yarn over and draw yarn through loop on hook.
Double crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and draw through 2 loops, yarn over and draw through remaining 2 loops.
Double crochet four together (dc4tog): [Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops] 4 times, yarn over, draw through all loops on hook.
Double crochet three together (dc3tog): [Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over, draw through 2 loops] 3 times, yarn over, draw through all loops on hook.
Double crochet two together (dc2tog): [Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over, draw through 2 loops] 2 times, yarn over, draw through all loops on hook.
Front-post single crochet (fpsc): Insert hook from front to back to front around the post of the indicated stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook.
Half-double crochet (hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 3 loops on hook.
Single crochet (sc): Insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.
Slip stitch (sl st): Insert hook in stitch, yarn over and draw loop through stitch and loop on hook.
Spike single crochet (sp sc): Insert hook into stitch in row indicated below, yarn over and pull up a loop to the height of the current row. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops.
Treble crochet (tr): Yarn over twice, insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop. [Yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times.
Instructions:
Round 1: (Color A) Into magic ring, ch2 (does not count as st), 16hdc. Join with sl st to 1st hdc. Fasten off. (16 hdc)
Round 2: Join color B in any st. Ch3, 1dc3tog (counts as 1st dc4tog), ch3, sk 1 st. *1dc4tog in next st, ch3, sk 1 st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st dc3tog. Fasten off. (8 dc4tog, 8 ch3 sp)
Round 3: Join color A in ch3 sp, ch1. *(1sc, 1sp sc in underlying unworked st of round 1, 1sc) in ch3 sp, 1fpsc around next dc4tog* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (16 sc, 8 sp sc, 8 fpsc)
Round 4: Work this round in the BL. Join color C in any fpsc, ch1. *2sc in fpsc, 1sc in each of next 3 st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (40 sc)
Round 5: Work this round in the BL. Join color A in the same st as the join, ch1. *1sc in each of next 3 st, 2sc in next st, 1sc in next st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (48 sc)
Round 6: Join color D in st to the left of the join, ch2, 1dc (counts as 1st dc2tog). *Ch1, sk 1 st, 1dc in each of next 3 st, ch1, sk 1 st, 1dc2tog in next st, ch1, sk 1 st, 1dc2tog in next st* Repeat from * to end. Omit 1dc2tog on final repeat. Join with sl st to 1st dc. Fasten off. (18 dc, 12 dc2tog, 18 ch1 sp)
Round 7: Join color B in ch1 sp following the join, ch1. *1 sp sc in underlying unworked st of round 5, 1bpsc around each of next 3 st, 1sp sc in next underlying unworked st of round 5, 1fpsc around next dc2tog, 2sp sc in next underlying unworked st of round 5, 1fpsc around next dc2tog* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (24 sp sc, 12 fpsc, 18 bpsc)
Round 8: Join color A in same st as join, ch1. *1sc in sp sc, sk 1 st, (4dc, ch2, 4dc) in next st, sk 1 st, 1sc in next sp sc, sk 1 st, 4dc in next st, ch2, 4dc in next st, sk 1 st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (96 dc, 12 sc, 12 ch2 sp)
Note: The stitches on this round and the next may start to cause the work to curl; this should even out in subsequent rounds.
Round 9: Join color C in any ch2 sp, ch1. *1sc in ch2 sp, 1bpsc around each of next 4 st, sk sc, 1bpsc around each of next 4 st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Do not fasten off. (12 sc, 96 bpsc)
Round 10: *Sk 1 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, 1dc2tog over next 2 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, sk 1 st, 1sl st in next st* Repeat from * to end. Fasten off. (48 hdc, 12 dc2tog, 12 sl st)
Round 11: Join color D in any dc2tog, ch1. *1sc in each of next 4 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, 1dc in each of next 2 st, sk 1 st, (1dc3tog, ch3, 1dc3tog, ch3, 1dc3tog) in next st, sk 1 st, 1dc in each of next 2 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, 1sc in each of next 3 st* Repeat from * to end. Join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off. (28 sc, 16 hdc, 16 dc, 12 dc3tog, 8 ch3 sp)
Round 12: Join color A in ch3 sp that is to the left of the join. Ch3 (counts as 1st dc), 2dc in same sp. *(1tr, ch2, 1tr) in next dc3tog, 3dc in next ch3 sp, 1dc in each of next 3 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, 1sc in each of next 7 st, 1hdc in each of next 2 st, 1dc in each of next 3 st, 3dc in next ch3 sp* Repeat from * to end. Omit 3dc on final repeat. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of initial ch3. Do not fasten off. (8 tr, 48 dc, 16 hdc, 28 sc, 4 ch2 sp)
Round 13: Ch3 (counts as 1st dc), 1dc in each of next 3 st. *(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in next ch2 sp, 1dc in each of next 25 st* Repeat from * to end. Omit 4dc on final repeat. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of initial ch3. Fasten off. (116 dc, 4 ch2 sp)
Weave in all ends and block as desired. My motif benefited from some light wet blocking.
