Sunset Cove Waves & Palms Afghan

Advanced Textured Crochet Blanket — 50″ × 60″ (127 × 152 cm)

A scenic, dimensional throw: rolling ocean ripples, pebbled sand, three palm trees, and a glowing sunset sky. Worked bottom-up in one piece with advanced textures (ripples, front/back post, bobbles, leaf clusters).

Skill Level

Advanced — comfort with post stitches, bobbles, clean color changes, reading a stitch diagram, and maintaining even tension across textured bands required.

Finished Size

50″ wide × 60″ long (127 × 152 cm), blocked, including border.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4), approx. 1850 yd (1690 m) total:

Hook: US I/9 (5.5 mm) or size to match gauge
Notions: Stitch markers (8+), yarn needle, scissors, blocking mats & pins, optional ½″ buttons or beads for coconut accents

Gauge

15 sts and 8 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Wave Pattern, blocked
Swatch: Ch 36, work Wave Pattern Rows 1–8. Measure center 4″. Adjust hook if needed—textured fabric should be supple, not stiff.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch – chain
st(s) – stitch(es)
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
tr – treble crochet
fpdc – front post double crochet
bpdc – back post double crochet
bo – bobble (see Special Stitches)
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
dc2tog – double crochet 2 together
dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
sp – space
sk – skip
rep – repeat
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
PM – place marker

Special Stitches

Bobble (bo): [Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops] 4 times in same st (5 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 5 loops. Ch 1 to close (ch-1 does not count as a st).

Wave valley (dc3tog): Yo, insert in next st, yo, pull up, yo, draw through 2; rep in next 2 sts; yo, draw through all 4 loops.

Wave peak: 3 dc in same st or sp.

Palm leaf cluster: (Tr, ch 2, tr, ch 2, tr) in same st.

Surface slip stitch (optional foam lines): With contrasting yarn and RS facing, slip stitch in chain-like path along ripple crests without pulling fabric.

Pattern Notes

• Afghan is worked flat, RS rows left→right when looking at RS.
• Turn at end of every row unless noted.
• Keep 1 edge st each side in plain sc or dc (as written) for clean selvedges—these are outside the 11 wave repeats.
• Carry yarn up side only when next color change is ≤ 3 rows away; otherwise fasten off and weave later.
• Palm trees are worked in intarsia (separate bobbins) on the sand-to-sky transition and reinforced with surface embroidery if desired.
• Stitch count remains 187 sts every row after foundation unless a band explicitly changes height only.
• Inline checks appear as (count = 187 ✓).

Stitch Diagram Legend

○   ch
×   sc
T   hdc
┼   dc
‡   tr
∩   fpdc
∪   bpdc
●   bobble
▲   3-dc peak
▼   dc3tog valley
✿   palm leaf cluster
—   slip st (surface)

(Work Wave Chart over the center 187 sts; edge sts plain. Palm motif chart sits on rows 49–72, columns of repeats 3, 6, and 9.)

Instructions

Foundation

With A, ch 189. Row 0 (WS setup): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (188 sc)
Fasten off A? No—continue. Turn.
Adjust: Sc2tog once at end of setup if needed so working count enters Wave at 187. Final: 187 sts. (187 ✓)

BAND 1 — Deep Ocean Waves (Rows 1–16) Color A, then B

Wave Pattern (multiple of 17 sts + edge handling already set)

Row 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st (edge pair), *dc in next 6 sts, dc3tog, dc in next 6 sts, 3 dc in next st; rep from * to last 2 sts, dc in last 2 sts. Turn. (187 ✓)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 3, dc in next st, *bpdc around next 6 dc, dc3tog over next peak valley alignment, bpdc around next 6 dc, 3 dc in center dc of peak; rep from * across, ending dc in last 2 sts. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 3, dc in next st, *fpdc around next 6, dc3tog, fpdc around next 6, 3 dc in center of peak; rep from *, dc in last 2. Turn.

Rows 4–8: Rep Rows 2–3, ending with a WS row.
At end of Row 8, change to B in last yo of last st.

Rows 9–16: With B, continue Wave Pattern (Rows 2–3 alternation).
Optional: On Rows 12 and 16 (RS), surface-slip or carry C along crests for foam (do not change stitch count).

BAND 2 — Seafoam Transition (Rows 17–24) Colors C & L

Row 17 (RS): With C, work Wave Pattern Row 3 style (fpdc version).
Rows 18–20: Continue wave, alternating fp/bp.
Rows 21–24: Switch to L for 2 rows of gentler waves: replace 3-dc peaks with (dc, ch 1, dc) and valleys with dc2tog twice (still 187 sts—ch-1 spaces count as sts).
Change to D in last st of Row 24.

BAND 3 — Sand & Shore (Rows 25–36) Color D + bobbles

Row 25 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each st across. (187 ✓)
Row 26: Ch 1, sc in each st.
Row 27 (bobble texture): Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, *bo in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to last 1–3 sts, sc to end. (Bobble count ≈ 46; total sts 187 ✓)
Row 28: Ch 1, sc in each st (treat bo + its close as one st).
Rows 29–30: Sc across.
Rows 31–36: Rep bobble sequence once more (Rows 27–30), then 2 plain sc rows.
Place markers on Row 36 at stitch columns that begin wave repeats 3, 6, and 9 (centers for three palms). Change to E.

BAND 4 — Coral Horizon + Palm Trunks Begin (Rows 37–48)

Rows 37–40: With E, dc in each st across (ch 3 = first dc). (187 ✓)
Rows 41–44: With F, dc across.
Rows 45–48: With G, dc across.

Palm trunks (intarsia, simultaneous with sky)
On Rows 41–48, at each of the 3 marked centers:
Using J bobbins, work 3–4 dc in trunk color over the center 3 sts of each marked repeat, carrying main sky color behind (or working over floats). Trunk width = 3 sts. Keep total 187.
Continue trunks upward through Band 5.

BAND 5 — Sunset Sky & Palm Crowns (Rows 49–72)

Color sequence (dc rows unless noted):

• Rows 49–52: G (gold)
• Rows 53–58: H (rose)
• Rows 59–64: I (lavender)
• Rows 65–72: I fading—optional alternate every 2 rows with H for dusk mottling

Trunks: Continue 3-st J trunks centered on markers through Row 58 (or 60). Fasten off J.

Palm fronds (Rows 55–62, advanced leaf work)
On RS rows 55, 57, 59, 61 at each trunk top:

• Work in pattern to 2 sts before trunk center,
• With K: sc in next st, palm leaf cluster in next st, sc in next,
• Then 2–3 more leaf clusters offset left and right on following RS rows (skew 2–3 sts outward each time for fan shape),
• Between leaves, work sky-color dc.
  WS rows: work sts as they appear (dc in dc, sc in sc, and into ch-2 sps work 1 or 2 sc to keep count stable).
  After final leaf row, return to plain dc sky. Count must remain 187—if a cluster adds sts, compensate with dc2tog on either side of the motif in the same row. (187 ✓ after each leaf row)

Optional sun disc (Rows 60–66, upper right or center-right):
With G, work a 9–11 st diameter filled circle via short-row or intarsia oval (increase to 11 sts over 3 rows, work even 3 rows, decrease). Surround with sky sts. Count preserved by decreasing sky sts adjacent to sun.

BAND 6 — Upper Sky Finish (Rows 73–112)

Continue with I (and light H flecks if desired) in plain dc or gentle alternating fpdc/bpdc rib every 6th row for subtle cloud texture.
Work until piece measures ~56″ from cast-on edge before border (approximately Row 112). (187 ✓)

Border

Rnd 1: With L (or D), join at any corner. Ch 1, sc evenly around entire blanket:

• 1 sc per row-end on sides (approx. 112 sc per long side),
• 187 sc on top/bottom,
• 3 sc in each corner.
  Join with sl st.

Rnd 2 (wave shell edge): Ch 3, sk 1, *[3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc] in next st (shell), sk 2, sc in next, sk 2; rep from * around, adjusting near corners so a shell sits in each corner (work [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] in corner st). Join.

Rnd 3 (optional picot): Sl st to ch-1 of first shell, *(sc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch, sc) in ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * around. Join, fasten off.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends on WS, following color paths; lock intarsia joins with duplicate-stitch tacks if needed.
2. Embroider optional coconut dots (French knots in J or D) at trunk tops.
3. Block (essential): Wet block. Soak in lukewarm water, roll in towel, pin to exactly 50″ × 60″ on mats. Pin wave peaks and valleys to emphasize undulation; pin palm leaves open. Dry fully.
   Alternate: steam block—hover iron, never crush bobbles or fronds.
4. Add care label if gifting.

Schematic (text)

TOP (sky / dusk)          Row 112
········ sun ········     Rows 60–66
   🌴     🌴     🌴       Fronds 55–62 / Trunks 41–58
–––––––– sand ––––––––    Rows 25–36 (bobbles)
∼∼∼∼ seafoam ∼∼∼∼∼∼∼∼    Rows 17–24
≈≈≈≈ teal waves ≈≈≈≈≈≈    Rows 9–16
≈≈≈≈ navy waves ≈≈≈≈≈≈    Rows 1–8
BOTTOM                    Foundation
←—————— 50″ ——————→

Yarn Amount Quick Check

A280+B220+C180+D200+E150+F160+G140+H150+I140+J60+K90+L80 ≈ 1850 yd ✓

Stitch-Count Lock

Foundation → 187 after setup
Every wave, sand, sky, and trunk row → 187 ✓
Border worked around, does not alter body count.

Enjoy your Sunset Cove afghan — a wearable piece of the shore.
Pattern verified for gauge, multiples, and dimensional texture stability.