And so it begins!

The first clue to this season's Crochet-Along is made of diagrams accompanied by text, and pictures that will show you the progress of the clue, step by step. You will also find videos and the complete diagram for the clue at the bottom, in case you prefer to skip the pictures and work that way!

So let's get started!

First, the colors

In this first step (A.1) you will use the following color combination:

CASTING ON + ROUND 1: 01 white
ROUND 2: light wash
ROUND 3: 06 light jeans blue
ROUND 4: 17 light lilac
ROUND 5: 16 lilac

CROCHET INFO:
Information written within two * is meant to be repeated everytime it appears a *-* in the pattern.
The symbols in red in the diagrams are the one explained in the text above the pictures.

CASTING ON:
Work 4 chain stitches with white, form them into a ring with 1 slip stitch in the first chain stitch – see point on circle, the round starts and finishes here.

ROUND 1:
Work 3 chain stitches (= 1 double crochet).

Work * 1 chain stitch, 1 double crochet around the chain-stitch ring *, repeat *-* 11 times in total, 1 chain stitch = 12 double crochets around the chain-stitch ring.

The round finishes with 1 slip stitch in the 3rd chain stitch, read COLOR CHANGE TIP below, change to light wash and cut the white strand.

COLOR CHANGE TIP:
To get the neatest transition when changing colors, work the last slip stitch on the round with the new color.

ROUND 2:
Work 3 chain stitches.

Work * 2 double crochets around the next chain stitch, 1 double crochet in the next double crochet *, repeat *-* 11 times in total, 2 double crochets around the last chain stitch.

The round finishes with 1 slip stitch in the 3rd chain stitch, read COLOR CHANGE TIP above, change to light jeans blue and cut the light wash strand.

ROUND 3:
Work 4 chain stitches (equivalent to 1 treble crochet), work 2 treble crochets in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through on both of these treble crochets, work 1 treble crochet in the next stitch and pull the last yarn over through all 4 loops on the hook, 5 chain stitches.

Work *1 treble crochet in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through, work 2 treble crochets in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through on both of these treble crochets, work 1 treble crochet in the next stitch and pull the last yarn over through all 5 loops on the hook, 5 chain stitches *, repeat *-* 11 times in total.

Finish with 1 slip stitch in the 4th chain stitch at the beginning of the round, read COLOR CHANGE TIP above, change to light lilac and cut the light jeans blue strand.

ROUND 4:
Work 1 chain stitch.

Work 6 single crochets around each chain-space the complete round (= 72 single crochets).

Finish with 1 slip stitch in the 1st chain stitch at the beginning of the round. Change to lilac, read COLOR CHANGE TIP above, do not cut the light lilac strand.

ROUND 5:
Work 1 chain stitch.

Work * 1 single crochet in each of the next 6 stitches, 1 half double crochet around the top of the treble crochet group from the 3rd round *, repeat *-* the complete round (= 12 times total).

Finish with 1 slip stitch in the chain stitch at the beginning of the round, read COLOR CHANGE TIP above. Change to white and cut the lilac strand. 72 single crochets and 12 half double crochets.

Put your work a side and crochet the same circle again in this new color combination (B):

A.1 – color combination B:
CASTING ON + ROUND 1: 01 white
ROUND 2: 17 light lilac
ROUND 3: 16 lilac
ROUND 4: 05 light wash
ROUND 5: 06 light jeans blue

Finished!

Here's how both color combinations of diagram A.1 will look up to and including round 5.

The final result of clue #1 is 2 circles measuring approx. 5 3/4" in diameter each.

Are you using a different color combination than the one we are crocheting with?
Make a small note of which color number replaces which before starting, by seeing the original materials here. here.

Complete clue diagram

	=	4 chain stitches, form them into a ring with 1 slip stitch in the first chain stitch – see point on circle, the round starts and finishes here
	=	chain stitch
	=	slip stitch
	=	single crochet around chain-space
	=	single crochet in stitch
	=	double crochet around chain stitch/chain-stitch ring
	=	double crochet in stitch
	=	4 TREBLE CROCHETS WORKED TOGETHER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ROUND: 4 chain stitches (equivalent to 1 treble crochet), work 2 treble crochets in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through on both of these treble crochets, work 1 treble crochet in the next stitch and pull the last yarn over through all 4 loops on the hook
	=	4 TREBLE CROCHETS WORKED TOGETHER: work 1 treble crochet in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through, work 2 treble crochets in the next stitch, but wait with the last yarn over and pull through on both of these treble crochets, work 1 treble crochet in the next stitch and pull the last yarn over through all 5 loops on the hook
	=	5 chain stitches
	=	work 1 half double crochet around the top of the treble crochet group from the 3rd round.