Water Lilies Afghan

This afghan was inspired by the colors of Monet’s Water Lilies series of paintings. When I decided to do this, I started searching for the right yarn colors and discovered that the Mandala Ombré yarn from Lion Brand was perfect! Along with the wave stitch, you get the look of water with very little effort. Always a win in my book. 😊

As always, I’d love to see your photos if you make this and care to share. You can find me @simplethingscrochet on Instagram and Facebook.

If you’d like an ad-free, easily printable version of the pattern, you can help support my small business and purchase it for a small fee in my Etsy shop – SimpleThings byTia, or in my Ravelry Store – Simple Things Crochet.

You can also purchase the kit which includes a pdf of the pattern and all the yarn needed to make the afghan on the Lion Brand site by clicking here.

Like this pattern? You may also like the Storm Clouds & Wheat Fields Throw or the Starry Night Baby Blanket. And if you’d like to receive an email whenever there’s a new post, you can find the sign-up box in the sidebar (or below if you’re on mobile). I never sell your info or use it for anything else. Promise! 💗😊

Skill Level: Easy+

Materials:

Lion Brand Mandala Ombré in Mantra – 7 skeins

Lion Brand Mandala Ombré in Balance – 1 skein

Hooks size I/9 – 5.50 mm, and J/10 6.00 mm (optional for starting chain)

Stitch markers

Gauge:

13 mixed sts and 8 rows = 4”

Dimensions:

56” wide by 58” long

Abbreviations:

Ch – chain

Sc – single crochet

Hdc – half double crochet

Dc – double crochet

Tc – treble crochet

St, sts – stitch, stitches

Notes:

Beginning chains don’t count as stitches.
This pattern is very simple once you get the hang of it. Other than the first row, you crochet Row 2 twice, and then Row 4 twice over and over. So the whole pattern is a repeat of Rows 2 – 5 with a few color changes.
If you want to adjust the size of the afghan, you will need to chain a multiple of 10 + 3, and be sure that you end on the row that gives a straight edge. You will see that as you crochet through the pattern.
Each afghan will be unique in the color pattern due to the varying colors of Mandala yarn. If you’d like yours to look similar to mine, be sure to start Row 10 in the Balance color as close to pink as possible whether you need to pull from the inside or outside of the yarn cake.
Stitch markers are optional but recommended to keep your rows even. I always put a stitch marker in the first stitch of a row so I know where to put the last stitch when I come back around.
Doing your beginning chain with the larger J hook is optional, but it makes it easier to keep the chain looser so your first row doesn’t look like it’s pulling in.

Instructions:

Chain 183 with J hook in the Mantra color.

Switch to I hook for Row 1.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, *sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc next two chains, tr in next two chains, dc in next two chains, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch*, repeat from * to * across row, sc in last ch.

Row 2: Turn, ch 3, tr in first st, *tr in next st, dc in next two sts, hdc in next st, sc in next two sts, hdc in next st, dc in next two sts, tr in next st*, repeat from * to * across row, tr in last st.

Row 3: Repeat Row 2.

Row 4: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st, *sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc next two sts, tr in next two sts, dc in next two sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st*, repeat from * to * across row, sc in last st.

Row 5: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 6 – 7: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 8 – 9: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 10 – 11: With Balance, repeat Row 2.

Rows 12 – 13: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 14 – 15: With Mantra, repeat Row 2.

Rows 16 – 17: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 18 – 19: Repeat Row 2.

Row 20: Repeat Row 4.

Row 21: With Balance, repeat Row 4.

Rows 22 – 23: Repeat Row 2.

Row 24: Repeat Row 4.

Row 25: With Mantra, repeat Row 4.

Rows 26 – 27: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 28 – 29: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 30 – 31: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 32 – 33: Repeat Row 4.

Rows 34 – 35: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 36 – 37: With Balance, repeat Row 4.

Rows 38 – 39: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 40 – 41: Repeat Row 4.
Rows 42 – 43: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 44 – 45: With Mantra, repeat Row 4.

Rows 46 – 123: Repeat pattern. Your last Row 123 will be the pattern from Row 2. Don’t cut yarn.

Row 124: This is your border. Turn, ch 2, hdc in first st and across row. At the corner, do 3 hdc and continue to hdc as evenly as you can down the side. Repeat around doing hdc evenly along the sides and 3 hdc in the corners. When you get back to the beginning, do two hdc and join in the beginning ch 1 with a ss.