Used a variety of brands of acrylic yarn.

Wow. I try not to complain too much about free patterns, but this one is in dire need of a rewrite. Though it’s possible to puzzle out what you’re supposed to do (especially with the help of the larger project photos shared by fellow Ravellers), it is made much more complicated than it needs to be. It would be even better with a chart.

Here’s my (also imperfect, I’m sure) rewrite, for my own future reference (in case this project goes into hibernation and I forget how it goes):

Start with magic circle.

Rnd 1:
ch 4 (= 1 dc + 1 ch), ~ 1 dc, ch 1 ~, repeat from ~ to ~ a total of 7 times. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch-4. (8 dc)

Rnd 2:
ch 3 (= 1 dc), 1 dc in any ch-1 sp, ch 1, work (dc2tog, ch 1) in every dc and ch sp around. Join with sl st. (16 dc groups)

Rnd 3:
ch 3 (= 1 dc), 2 dc in any ch-1 sp, ch 1, work (3 dc, ch 1) in every ch sp around. Join with sl st. (16 dc clusters)

Rnd 4:
ch 1, sc in any ch sp, work (ch 3, 1 sc in next ch sp) 3 times, ~ ch 7, 1 sc in same ch sp, work (ch 3, 1 sc in next ch sp) 4 times ~, repeat from ~ to ~ 2 more times, 1 sc in same ch sp, ch 3, join to first sc with sl st. (twelve 3-ch loops and four 7-ch loops, with the larger loops acting as “corners” for a square)

Rnd 5:
ch 1, 1 sc in same st, ~ skip next ch-3 loop, in the next sc work (4 dc, ch 1, 4 dc), skip next ch-3 loop, sc in next sc, in ch-7 loop work (6 dc, ch 2, 6 dc), skip next ch-3 loop, sc in next sc ~, repeat from ~ to ~ 3 more times, but in last repeat replace final sc with a sl st in first sc of the round.

Rnd 6:
ch 3 (= 1 dc), ~ ch 3, 1 sc in next ch space, ch 3, 1 dc in next sc, ch 5, in corner (2-ch space) crochet as follows: 1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc ~, repeat from ~ to ~ around, join with a sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch.

Rnd 7:
Follow pattern as written, but start by slip stitching into first chain space / loop. Then ch 3 (for first dc), 3 dc in same loop.

Rnd 8:
Pattern as written is fine. Just ch 1, sc in first st, then sc in each stitch around. In the corners, crochet (sc, ch 1, sc). Join with a sl st.

Enlarged to 5 x 8. Joined w/ sl st back loop only.

Border= One round of hdc. Two rounds of sc. For the final round, a simple (sc, ch 3, sc) in every other sc.