Crocodile Stitch Afghan Block: Croco–Dahlia by Joyce Lewis

Translated into UK terms by Beverley Moffitt (AKA sewcanny)

There has been some interest lately in using the crocodile stitch in a “flower” afghan block. It is usually worked
in rows, not rounds, but the scales look so much like petals that using them in a flower seems an obvious step.
This variation on the original stitch is my attempt at incorporating this popular motif into a square, worked-in-
the-round afghan block. To me, it looks like a dinner-plate dahlia, just beginning to open, so that’s what I’m
calling it – the Croco-Dahlia, however, the petals and background may be worked in any colour combination.

This 15 cm test block was made with Caron Simply Soft Collection, worsted weight yarn and a 4 mm hook.
The same pattern resulted in an 18.5 cm square with Red Heart Super Saver yarn and a 5 mm hook.

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Special Stitches:

Crocodile Stitch - (5 trc, ch 2, dc in side of previous trc, 5 trc) in next ch-6 loop

Bubble Stitch – Working with wrong side facing, (dc, dtrc, dc) in next space

Banded Doubles – (skip next st, trc in each of next two sts, htrc around the two trc’s just made). In other words:
Leave a space, trc in each of next two sts, then yo, insert hook into the space just created, yo and pull loop
through keeping it loose, yo and pull through all three loops on hook.

Gauge: Gauge is difficult to measure however; the first two rows should form a circle approximately 5 cm
across, each crocodile scale should be approximately 2.5 cm from base to tip and the square should be
approximately 15 cm on each side when made with Caron Simply Soft worsted weight yarn and a 4 mm hook.

Colour A – brown or black, for centre of flower

Colour B – any “flower” colour, for petals

Colour C – green, or background colour of your choice

Instructions:

With Colour A, make a sliding circle

Round 1 – Ch 3 (counts as first trc), 15 trc into circle, sl st to top of beginning ch to join (16 trc).

Round 2 – Ch 4 (counts as first trc, ch-1), * trc in next trc, ch 1 *, repeat from * around, sl st to third st of
beginning ch to join. Cut and weave in ends (16 posts and 16 ch-1 spaces).

Round 3 – Turn and, working with wrong side facing, attach Colour B in any ch-1 space, ch 1, dc in same
space, ch 6, sl st in side of dc at base of ch, (dc, dtrc, dc (bubble stitch)) in next ch-1 space, * dc in next ch-1
space, ch 6, sl st in side of dc at base of ch, (dc, dtrc, dc (bubble stitch)) in next ch-1 space *, repeat from *
around, sl st in side of beginning ch-1 to join (8 ch-6 loops and 8 bubble stitches).

Round 4 – Ch 1 and turn, with right side facing, sl st in back loops of next bubble stitch, * (5 trc, ch 2, dc in
side of previous trc, 5 trc) in next ch-6 loop (crocodile stitch), dc in back loops of next bubble st *, repeat from
* around, sl st to beginning ch join (8 crocodile scales/petals).

Round 5 - * Ch 3, fold next petal forward and, working behind the petals, dc in the Row 3 stitch at the centre of
the petal, ch 3, dc in dc between the next two petals *, repeat from * around, sl st to beginning ch to join (16 ch-
3 strings separated by dc’s).

Round 6 – Still working behind the petals, ch 6, sl st in base of ch, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dc, 3 dc in
next ch-3 sp, * dc in next dc, ch 6, sl st in side of dc at base of ch, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dc, 3 dc in
next ch-3 sp *, repeat from * around, sl st to beginning ch to join (8 ch-6 loops and 8 groups of 7 dc’s).

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Round 7 – Ch 1, * (5 trc, ch 2, dc in side of previous trc, 5 trc) in next ch-6 loop (crocodile stitch), skip 3 dc, dc
in next dc, skip 3 dc *, repeat from * around, sl st through beginning ch-1 into next dc to pin first petal in place
(8 crocodile scales/petals separated by dc’s). Keep the petals folded up like a blooming onion, so they don’t
get in the way.

Round 8 – * Ch 3, fold next petal forward, trc in st at center of next petal, ch 3, dc in st between the next two
petals, ch 3, dc in st at center of next petal, ch 3, dc in st between the next two petals *, repeat from * around, sl
st to beginning ch to join (a trc in each corner with 3 dc’s and 4 ch-3’s along each side).

Round 9 – Ch 1,* (dc, 2 htrc, 2 trc), in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, (2 trc, 2 htrc, dc) in next ch-3 sp, dc in dc, 3 dc in next
ch-3 sp, skip next dc, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, dc in next dc *, repeat from * around, sl st to beginning ch to join (18
sts on each side and a ch-2 at each corner). Cut and weave in ends.

Round 10 – Attach Colour C in a corner ch-2 space, ch 2, (trc, ch 2, 2 trc) in same space, trc in each of next 18
sts, * (2 trc, ch 2, 2 trc) in next corner space, trc in each of next 18 sts *, repeat from * around, sl st to top of
beginning ch to join (22 sts on each side and a ch-2 at each corner).

Round 11 – Sl st to corner sp, ch 2, (trc, ch 2, 2 trc) in same space, ch 1, (skip next st, trc in each of next 2 sts,
htrc around the two dc’s just made (Banded Doubles)) 7 times, * skip next trc, (2 trc, ch 2, 2 trc) in corner ch-2
sp, ch 1, (skip next st, trc in each of next 2 sts, htrc around the two dc’s just made (Banded Doubles)) 7 times *,
repeat from * around, sl st to top of beginning ch to join (26 sts on each side and a ch-2 at each corner).

Round 12 – Sl st to corner sp, ch 2, (htrc, ch 2, 2 htrc) in same space, htrc in each of next 26 sts, * (2 htrc, ch 2,
2 htrc) in next corner space, htrc in each of next 26 sts *, repeat from * around, sl st to top of beginning ch to
join (30 sts on each side and a ch-2 at each corner). Cut and weave in ends.

Tug on each of the petals to stretch and flatten them.

© 2013 Joyce D. Lewis

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