Victorian Sunflower Afghan Square

This gorgeous afghan square looks equally beautiful done in 2 colors or one, and is reminiscent of the elegant crocheted bedspreads that women made when the world moved much slower and there was more time to craft.

The original item was crocheted in 1895 by Mabel Turner (later Mabel Turner-Irwin) for her hope chest. She was my Uncle David’s grandmother on his father’s side. The original bedspread was done in size 10 crochet cotton thread in white. When I went to visit my uncle and aunt in Pennsylvania farm country in the summer of 2014 they showed me this bedspread (as they knew I was an avid crocheter) and asked me if I thought I could repair it, as it had been attacked by mice in their attic storage. A few months later a package arrived from my aunt and uncle - it was the bedspread with the hope that I could repair or replicate it. I riffed on the original pattern to make this throw for my easy chair in my living room.