Kayla's Needlework: My First Pattern: Color Burst Puff Coaster

The day has finally come. I've written my very first crochet pattern. Even though I've been crocheting for years, I only recently started reading and understanding crochet patterns. I was taught to crochet without patterns and created many beautiful things without patterns. I actually only recently learned that there was such a thing as a crochet pattern. Imagine my surprise when I was bogged down with learning the meanings of sc, dc, pc, ch, join, scblo, etc.

Needless to say, I learned how to do those things and understood what they meant. Now it's my turn to create my own pattern (and hopefully more in the future) to share.

If anything is unclear, please leave a comment and I will clarify!

Color Burst Puff Coaster

MATERIALS

5.00mm (US 8/K) hook
Approximately __ of THREE colors of acrylic, worsted yarn

MEASUREMENTS

Finished item using the suggested materials produces a coaster that has a 4" diameter.

GAUGE

Gauge is not important in this pattern. If the finished product is too big, use a smaller hook. If the finished product is too small, use a larger hook.

ABBREVIATIONS (US Crochet)

Ch: chain
DC: double crochet
PS: puff stitch
slst: slip-stitch
sk: skip

EXPLANATION OF STITCHES

Ch (chain): Yarn over and pull up a loop
DC (double crochet): Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops on the hook. Yarn over again and pull through the remaining two loops on the hook.
PS (puff stitch): Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through all 5 loops on the hook.
slst (slip-stitch): Insert hook into next stitch and pull up a loop.
Magic Ring: This technique is really hard to explain without pictures. Maybe I'll create my own tutorial, but check out Ambassador Crochet's picture tutorial of the magic ring.

PATTERN

With the orange yarn, make a magic ring. Ch 1.

Round 1: 16 DC into the Magic Ring. Join with a slst into the 1st DC (Change colors while making the slst.) (16 DC)

Round 2: Ch 1. PS in same stitch as join. Ch 1. *PS in next stitch. Ch 1.* Repeat from * to * around. Join with a slst into the Ch 1 space. (32 stitches)

Round 3: Ch 2 (Does not count as a stitch!). DC into same stitch. Sk next stitch. 2 DC into each Ch 1 space around. (NOTE: In order to get 32 DC around, you need to make one extra DC after the last PS before joining.) Join with slst into the top of the 1st DC. (Change colors while making the slst.) (32 DC)

Round 4: Ch 1. PS in same stitch as join. Ch1. *PS in next stitch. Ch 1.* Repeat from * to * around. Join with stst into the Ch 1 space. (64 stitches)