This easy-to-make shell stitch afghan is the perfect gift for your sweetie. Featuring little heart motifs, this adorable and warm throw will brighten up any room.

Skill Level: Easy 

Size: Afghan = 48” x 58”; Hearts = (2” x 2”)

Gauge: 6 dc = 2” and 6 rows = 4.5”

Materials

Yarn:

 Red Heart Super Saver (100% acrylic; 364 yards [333 meters]/198 grams): #0311 White (2 skeins), #0737 Petal Pink (2 skeins)

 Red Heart Classic (100% acrylic; 190 yards [174 meters]/100 grams): #0902 Jockey Red (4 skeins)

Hooks: US size G/6 (4.5 mm) and H/8 (5.0 mm) hooks

Notions: Red thread and sewing needle

Special Stitches

Shell: (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in space or stitch as indicated.

Pattern

Row 1 (RS): With H hook and white, ch 140, dc in 4th ch from hook, *dc in next 6 ch, sk 1 ch, dc in next 2 ch, sk 1 ch, dc in next 6 ch**, Shell in next ch; rep from * across ending last rep at **, 2 dc in last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, *dc in next 6 dc, sk next dc, dc in 2 dc, sk next dc, dc in next 6 dc**, Shell in ch-2 sp of Shell, sk 1 dc; rep from * across ending last rep at **, 2 dc in last dc, turn and fasten off.
Row 3: Join red in first st, ch 2, dc in same st, *dc in next 6 dc, sk next dc, dc in next 2 dc, sk next dc, dc in next 6 dc**, Shell in ch-2 sp of Shell, sk 1 dc; rep from * across ending last rep at **, 2 dc in last dc, turn.
Row 4: Rep Row 2, fasten off and turn.
Row 5: Join pink and work same as Row 3.
Row 6: Rep Row 2, fasten off and turn.
Row 7: Join white and work same as Row 3.
Row 8: Rep Row 2, fasten off and turn.
Rows 9-68: Continue in established pattern having 2 rows red, 2 rows pink, 2 rows white. 

Hearts (Make 32)

With G hook and red, ch 4. In 4th ch from hook, work 3 tr, 3 dc, ch 1, tr (for heart point), ch 1, 3 dc, 3 tr, ch 3, sl st in first ch (center of heart). Fasten off.
With red thread sew on Hearts to afghan. See Heart Placement Diagram.

Edging

Work along top edge with H hook and red (sc, ch 3, dc) in first right corner dc, *[skip 2 dc, (sc, ch 2, dc) in next dc] 5 times, skip 2 dc, (sc, ch 2, dc) in ch-2 sp of Shell, (sc, ch 2, dc) in next dc; rep from * across ending (sc, ch 3, dc) in last dc.
Work along side edge (sc, ch 2, sc) in each dc sp across.
Work along bottom edge (sc, ch 3, dc) in first stitch, [sk 2 ch, (sc, ch 2, dc) in next ch] 3 times, *sk 1 ch, (sc, ch 2, dc) in next ch, [sk 2 chs, (sc, ch 2, dc) in next ch] 5 times; rep from * across ending (sc, ch 3, dc) in last st.
Work along side edge (sc, ch 2, sc) in each dc sp across, join to beg sc and fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in ends.