Queen of the Meadow Afghan Square

By Lettice Rose

This square is inspired by the English hedgerows and riverbanks in summer, and particularly by a plant whose country
name is Queen of the Meadow, Latin name Filipendula ulmaria, otherwise known as Meadowsweet or Ladies Bedstraw.
It has heavily scented, very irregular, frothy massed flowers, and to me, that almond scent and burgeoning blossom is
the very essence of childhood summers spent messing about in the fields down by the river. I have tried to recreate the
effervescent, unstructured appearance in this square. If this madness is too much for you, it might be worth trying out
reducing the rounds of chain loops to ch-3 or possibly even ch-2. Feel free to play about with it. I wrote this for two
colours, but I think it would look lovely with the frothy edging all one colour, and different shades peeping through in
the background. There is a picture of the ch-3 version on the last page.

Materials: Sample was made using Stylecraft Special DK, and a 4mm hook.
Yarn Colour A (Background, duck egg)
Yarn Colour B (Flower, cream)

Size: Fine DK with an E/4/3.5mm hook comes up 9”, heavy DK with a G/6/4mm hook comes up 9.75”, worsted weight
with an H/8/5mm hook comes up 12”.

At the end of a round, when colours change, an invisible join will make a neater finish. Similarly, a standing dc would be
better than ch-3 when starting a round.

© 2016 Lettice Rose Queen of the Meadow Afghan Square Page 1 of 4

 Stitches used (US crochet terms):

Chain stitch (ch) Half double crochet (hdc) Back post double crochet (bpdc)
Slip Stitch (sl st) Double crochet (dc) Space (sp)
Single crochet (sc) Treble crochet (tr) Back loop only (blo)
Back post single crochet (bpsc) Back post half double crochet (bphdc) Stitch (st)
Front loop only (flo)

Instructions
Using Colour A, form a sliding circle. Alternatively ch 5, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 as first dc, 23 dc into ring, sl st to top of starting ch-3 to join. (24 dc). Fasten off.
Round 2: Attach Colour B with sc into any dc, ch 4, (sc, ch 4) into each of next 23 dc, sl st to first sc to join (24 sc, 24 ch-
4). Fasten off.
At this point your work will look very buckled. Do not worry, it is the buckling and flouncing that are going to create the
pattern on the square.
Round 3: Attach Colour A with a sl st around the back post of any round 1 dc, ch 3, bpdc into each of next 23 round 1 dc,
join with sl st in top of starting ch-3 to join. (24 bpdc)
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in same dc, sc in each of next 2 dc, ch 4, skip dc, [sc in each of next 3 dc, ch 4, skip dc] 5 times, sl st to
first sc to join. (18 sc, 6 ch-4]
Round 5: Sl st into next sc (the centre of the group of 3 sc), skip sc, 9 dc in ch-4 loop, [skip sc, sl st in next sc, skip sc, 9 dc
in ch-4 loop] 5 times, skip sl st, sl st to next sl st to join. Finish off. (54 dc, 6 sl st)
Now the background should be nice and flat, and you will see at this point that the frills will not lie in a well behaved
circle, but the loops stand up, jostle their neighbours, giggle, and generally behave exactly as they want, the brazen
hussies! This is my intended effect, but if you prefer a tamer, better ordered square, I suggest you go back to round 2 and
try reducing the chain loops to ch-2 or ch-3. You will then need to do the same in round 6, round 11, and round 17. It
would be a good idea to mark these rounds now.
Round 6: Attach yarn B with sc to first dc of any petal, ch 4, (sc, ch 4) into each of next 8 dc, [skip sl st, (sc, ch 4) into each
of next 9 dc] 5 times, sl st to starting sc to join. Finish off. (54 sc, 54 ch-4)
Round 7: (Worked into round 5 behind round 6) Attach yarn A with sl st around back post of third dc of any shell, ch 2,
bpsc in each of next 3 dc, bphdc in next dc, ch 1, skip 2 dc, dc in sl st (working behind row 6), [ch 1, skip 2 dc, bphdc in
next dc, bpsc in each of next 3 dc, bphdc in next dc, ch 1, skip 2 dc, dc in sl st] 5 times, ch 1, skip 2 dc, sl st to top of
starting chain to join. (12 ch-1, 6 dc, 12 bphdc, 18 bpsc).
Round 8: (In this round be careful not to miss stitching in the “hidden” hdc straight after the ch, dc, ch group) Ch 3, dc
into next st, dc into every stitch and ch-1 space around, sl st to top of starting chain to join. (48 dc)
Round 9: Ch 1, sc in same dc, sc in next dc, ch 4, skip dc, [ sc into each of next 3 dc, ch 4, skip dc] 11 times, sc in next dc,
sl st to starting sc to join. (36 sc, 12 ch-4)
Round 10: Skip sc, 9 dc into ch-4 loop, [skip sc, sl st into next sc, skip sc, 9 dc into ch-4 loop] 11 times, sl st to starting sl st
to join. Finish off. (108 dc, 12 sl st)

Round 11: Attach yarn B with sc to first dc of any petal, ch 4, (sc, ch 4) into each of next 8 dc, [skip sl st, (sc, ch 4) into
each of next 9 dc] 11 times, sl st to starting sc. Finish off. (108 sc, 108 ch-4)

© 2016 Lettice Rose Queen of the Meadow Afghan Square Page 2 of 4

Round 12: (Worked into round 10 entirely behind round 11) Attach yarn A with sl st around back post of third dc of any
shell, 2 ch, bpsc in each of next 3 dc, bphdc in next dc, ch 1, skip 2 dc, dc in sl st , [ch 1, skip 2 dc, bphdc in next dc, bpsc
in each of next 3 dc, bphdc in next dc, ch 1, skip 2 dc, dc in sl st] 11 times, ch 1, skip 2 dc, sl st to top of starting chain to
join. (24 ch-1, 12 dc, 24 bphdc, 36 bpsc)
Round 13: (In this round be careful not to miss stitching in the “hidden” hdc straight after the ch, dc, ch group) Ch 3, dc
into next st, dc into every stitch and ch-1 space around, sl st to top of starting chain to join. (96 dc)
Round 14: Ch 3, dc in next stitch, [(2dc, tr, 2dc) in next stitch (corner made), dc into each of next 5 sts, hdc into each of
next 3 sts, sc into each of next 7 sts, hdc into each of next 3 sts, dc into each of next 5 sts] 4 times, omitting last 2 dc on
final repeat, sl st to top of starting chain to join. (4 tr, 56 dc, 24 hdc, 28 sc ).

. Filipendula ulmaria

Round 15: Ch 1, sc in same stitch, sc into next 3 dc, [ch 4, skip tr, sc into next 27 sts,] 3 times, ch 4, skip tr, sc into next 23
sts, sl st to starting sc to join. (108 sc, 4 ch-4 loops).
Round 16: Ch 1, sc in same stitch, sc in next st, skip 2 sc, [11 dc in ch-4 loop, skip 2 sc, sc in next 23 st, skip 2 sc] 3 times,
skip 2 sc, 11 dc into ch-4 loop, skip 2 sc, sc into next 21 st, sl st to starting sc. Finish off. (92 sc, 44 dc)
In round 17, the final frill is added, and again, the square will buckle and be sorted out in the next rounds. It is important
that all single crochet stitches go in both loops of the previous round’s stitch, and the slip stitches in the back loop only
where they will be hidden by the next round. This border is deliberately asymmetric, I was thinking of balmy days and
blossom caught on the breeze. You could rearrange the single loops along the sides to your liking, or leave them out
altogether by slip stitching right along each side.
Round 17: Attach Yarn B with sc to first dc of any corner, ch 1, ch 4, (sc, ch 4) in each of next 9 dc, sc in dc, blo sl st in
each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in each of next 3 sc, blo sl st in each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in each of next 2 sc, blo sl st
in each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in next sc, blo sl st in each of next 5 sc, [(sc, ch 4) in each of next 10 dc, sc in dc, blo sl st
in each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in each of next 3 sc, blo sl st in each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in each of next 2 sc, blo sl
st in each of next 4 sc, (sc, ch 4, sc) in next sc, blo sl st in each of next 5 sc,] 3 times, sl st to beginning sc to join. Finish off.
(64 ch-4, 68 blo sl st, 92 sc)

© 2016 Lettice Rose Queen of the Meadow Afghan Square Page 3 of 4

Read before starting this round! In round 18 all stitches are worked into round 16. When you come to the chain loops
along the sides, stitch into the sc of round 16 going behind the round 17 chain loop, inserting your hook between the 2
round 17 scs already occupying that stitch. The other dcs along the sides are worked into the front loops of the round 16
scs, hiding the round 17 sl sts.
Round 18: (All worked into round 16). Attach yarn A with sl st around the back post of the first dc of any corner shell, ch
3, bpdc in each of next 4 dc, ch 2, skip dc, bpdc in each of next 5 dc, dc in flo of each of next 4 sc, dc in each of next 3 sc,
dc in flo of each of next 4 sc, dc in each of next 2 sc, dc in flo each of next 4 sc, dc in next sc, dc flo in each of next 5 sc
[bpdc in each of next 5 dc, ch 2, skip dc, bpdc in next 5 dc, dc in flo of each of next 4 sc, dc in each of next 3 sc behind
and between the round 17 sc, dc in flo of each of next 4 sc, dc in each of next 2 sc, dc in flo of each of next 4 sc, dc in
next sc, dc in flo of each of next 5 sc] 3 times, sl st to top of starting chain. (132 dc made up of 40 bpdc, 68 flo dc, 24 dc
behind chains, 4 ch-2)

Round 19: Ch 2, hdc in next 4 st ,[(2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in corner chain space, hdc in each of next 33 st] 3 times, (2 hdc, ch
2, 2 hdc) in corner chain space, hdc in each of next 28 st, sl st to top of starting chain. Finish off. (148 hdc, 4 ch-2)
Sew in all ends and block.

. This is the less flouncy version with ch-3 loops and different colour changes.

Thanks to my super testers, Ann, Berniece, Bethany, Jilly, Lynne, Robin and Pam. You made it so much fun, and have
eagle eyes.
This square will be the Ravelry 2016 Block-a-Month main square for August, and round by round photos will be available
there.

© 2016 Lettice Rose Queen of the Meadow Afghan Square Page 4 of 4