To create this pattern, I began with a short starting chain and figured the pattern design out as I went along, writing the instructions for this oval in a way that allows for you to continue the piece, to result in any size that you want.
Note: You may notice a little curling on the earlier rounds but this evened out for me by round 8. If you are a person who crochets tightly, you may need to make an extra chain on parts of the
rounded ends, for example, do a chain-2 where the pattern calls for a chain-1, when doing the parts that go around the ends (because those parts are rounded, increases keep the ends flat as the piece gets larger). Use your own judgement to decide if you need to use any extra increases to keep the ends of the piece flat, according to your individual crochet tension.
Pattern Created by Sandi Marshall:
In this pattern, a shell = (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all made in one same place
Starting Chain: Chain 12.
Rnd 1: Working in back loop only of each chain, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in ea of next 9 chs. Make 3 sc in next ch, then working along other side of chain, sc in remaining loops of ea of next 9 chs, until one chain remains, then make 2 sc in last chain,
join with sl st in first sc.
Rnd 2: ch 1, sc in same place as sl st just made, * ch 1, skip next sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next sc, ch 1, skip next 2 sc,
sc in next sc, ch 1, skip next 2 sc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next sc,
ch 1, skip next sc, sc in next sc, 3 sc in next sc **, sc in next sc, then repeat the directions between * and **, then skip sl st made at end of rnd 1 and make a sl st in first sc of this rnd, to join.
Rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in same place as ch-3 just made, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next sc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next sc,
Rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in same place as ch-3 just made, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next sc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next sc,
ch 1, dc in next sc, ch 1, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next sc, ch 1, dc in next sc, ch 1, ** 2 dc in next sc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Rnd 4: ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in next dc, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc,
Rnd 4: ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in next dc, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc,
(ch 1, 2 dc in next dc) 4 times, ch 1, ** dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Rnd 5: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc,
Rnd 5: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, * skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc,
dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next dc, skip next dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next dc, skip next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next dc, skip next dc **, dc in ea of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Link: Photo Close-up of Center Through Round 5
Rnd 6: ch 3 (counts as first dc), * dc in ea of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell,
Link: Photo Close-up of Center Through Round 5
Rnd 6: ch 3 (counts as first dc), * dc in ea of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell,
(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell,
2 dc in next dc, skip next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell **, 2 dc in next dc, then
repeat the directions between * and ** once, then dc in same place as beginning ch-3 of this round, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Link: Photo Close-up of End Increases
Link: Photo Close-up of End Increases
Rnd 7: ch 3 (counts as first dc), * dc in ea of next 3 next dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in
ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea of next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell,
2 dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell **,
2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then dc in next dc, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Rnd 8: ch 3 (counts as first dc), * dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell **, 2 dc in next dc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then dc in next dc, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Additional Rounds: Repeat Rnd 8 until you have the size that you want.
Last Round: ch 1, sc in same place as sl st just made, sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2 (in the center of a shell), 2 sc in that ch-2 sp, sc in next dc, dc in ea of next 4 dc, sc in next dc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, (sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2, 2 sc in that ch-2 sp) 4 times, sc in next dc, dc in ea of next 4 dc, sc in next dc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, (sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2, 2 sc in that ch-2 sp) 3 times, sc in ea of next 3 dc, sl st in beginning sc of this round.
Rnd 8: ch 3 (counts as first dc), * dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, dc in ea of next 2 dc, skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea dc until there is one dc left before the next shell, make 2 dc in that last dc (before the shell), then skip next 2 dc of shell, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp, skip next 2 dc of shell **, 2 dc in next dc, then repeat the directions between * and ** once, then dc in next dc, then sl st in top of the beginning ch-3 of this round.
Additional Rounds: Repeat Rnd 8 until you have the size that you want.
Last Round: ch 1, sc in same place as sl st just made, sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2 (in the center of a shell), 2 sc in that ch-2 sp, sc in next dc, dc in ea of next 4 dc, sc in next dc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, (sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2, 2 sc in that ch-2 sp) 4 times, sc in next dc, dc in ea of next 4 dc, sc in next dc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, (sc in ea dc until you reach the next ch-2, 2 sc in that ch-2 sp) 3 times, sc in ea of next 3 dc, sl st in beginning sc of this round.
Pattern and pattern photos copyright 2007 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Per copyright law, do not distribute by reproduced copy, in any form, even for free. Instead you may link to this page or give others the URL, so that they may come to this site to print out the pattern for themselves. Pattern is for your own personal use only. This indicates not for profit, which also indicates that items made from the pattern may be given as gifts but may not be sold.
