MOD SUNNY SUN RAYS COFFEE COASTER; Castle Rock-WA

MOD Sunny Sun Rays Coffee Coaster; Castle Rock-WA

Summer 2026 🌞 began on June 1st and will end on August 31st - I've gotten a late start on a summer-themed craft 🧶, being so focused on wrapping my plant pots in MOD Freedom 250 pot covers … but tonight, I started & finished this cute over-sized sunny coffee coaster ☕️

This is what I worked my design around - embellishing it, of course, with my own additions = blue for cloudless days & the 2-tone [rays] mimic ray warmth.

Not only is it's 4-1/2" diameter 📏 perfectly oversized to catch my mess-cat coffee mug spills when they occur - it's even big enough to use as a soup mug hot pad 🥣😊

The pattern looks and reads more complicated than it actually is; this pattern really works up pretty quick. I had my coaster done in a little under 3 hours … and it took that long because I was creating a design as I worked & wrote the sequence down 📝📸: it should go a whole lot quicker for you 👍

Materials: Worsted weight in Yellow, Blue, Gold, Orange, & a length of scrap yarn to use as an outline guide; #G/6 crochet hook; scissors; tapestry needle.

Terms Used:

ch = chain

st = stitch

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

sp = space

EA =each

EO = end off

rpt = repeat

Coaster:

1) Ch 3, work 11 dc into ring; sl st to top of ch 3 (12 dc)

Ch 3

Work 11 dc into ring

Sl st to top of ch 3

2) Ch 3 & dc in same space, work *2 dc in EA st* around; sl st to top of ch 3 (24 dc)

3) Ch 3 & dc in same space, 1 dc next st - work *2 dc in next st, 1 dc next st* around (36 sts); drop yellow & attach blue with a sl st to top of ch 3 to close circle.

4) With blue, make 1 sl st in the back loop of each st, around -  without increasing (36 sl st); EO blue.

Face Detail: With scrap yarn & tapestry needle, loosely outline eyes & a smiling mouth on the coaster front circle. With Gold yarn & crochet hook, draw a loop of yarn from back of piece through the front … and sl st a sunny face in place on the front-facing side.

When face is in place - remove the scrap yarn:

Edging Trim: At left edge of smile, attach Orange yarn & ch 4; then work as follows - *draw a loop up in next ch, & each of the next 2 ch (4 loops on hook), then draw up a loop in the back st of the next 2 blue sts of the circle … pick up Gold yarn, yo & draw yarn through all 6 loops & ch 3: draw a loop up in next ch, & each of the next 2 ch (4 loops on hook), then draw up a loop in the same sp as 1st orange loop as well as the back st of the next blue st … pick up Orange yarn, yo & draw yarn through all 6 loops & ch 3* rpt from * to * for this alternating "sun rays" color pattern around circle.

You will be carrying the yarn along the back of the work for easier picking up & switching out:

Attach Orange yarn & ch 4 …

Draw a loop up in next ch, & each of the next 2 ch (4 loops on hook)

Draw up a loop in the back st of the next 2 blue sts of the circle; pick up Gold yarn & yo.

With Gold yarn; yo & draw yarn through all 6 loops & ch 3.

With Gold, draw 4 loops on hook & in the same sp as 1st orange loop.

Rpt alternating colors pattern around circle.

EO & weave in loose ends for a  nicely finished, simple, Summer Season Coaster.

MOD KNIT CROSS & STRIPE AFHGAN; Ocean Park-WA

MOD Knit Cross & Stripe Afghan Finished Size is 87-in long x 82-in wide.

My asthma inhaler when I need to use it - & my husband's COPD nebulizer, when he needs to use it; can cause drowsiness, which leads to an occasional nap when we set Independence up along our Road Gypsy journey 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨🌎

Current location is Ocean Park-WA

We are currently enjoying a few months, on the Long Beach-WA Peninsula.

Ocean Park-WA; between Long Beach-WA & Nachotta-WA

I like a tidy bed when I slip under the covers at bedtime … so, afghans which allow for naptime 😴 atop the bed's comforter, seems like a good solution to all needs 🤝

I had smaller afghans before I remarried - and they were perfect for me because I was a smaller woman, at that time: 5'2" and 40 pounds lighter. But my new husband 🥰 is 6'4" and likes to eat hefty meals 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️: so, newer, longer & wider, afghans became necessities.

I made this light crochet chevron st. afghan a couple months ago, when we were in AZ:

MOD Stash Busting Ripple Afghan; Kingman-AZ https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/03/mod-stash-busting-ripple-afghan-kingman.html

But it's a bit cooler, here along the PNW coastline 🤔 - so, I designed & crafted a more solid, warmer, afghan 👍

The Arabic cross and Moire st patterns, may look complicated … but they are not hard to work out 👌😊

Once you work out the **Amethyst st. st. stripe-White moire st. stripe-Turquoise st. st. stripe-White moire st. stripe** pattern sequence … the pattern will become second nature, & things will get monotonous 😉

You do not have to stick to my color scheme (the colors I chose have personal meaning for me) - use the colors that work for you and your needs.

MOD KNIT CROSS & STRIPE AFHGAN Pattern

FINISHED SIZE: 87' long x 82" wide (before washing & drying)

Materials: Super Saver Worsted yarn in White = 2 skeins, Turquoise = 2 skeins, & Amethyst = 2 skeins; scrap yarn in a color brighter than pattern colors; #10 circular knitting needle; Aluminum Crochet Hook # I/9;  Scissors; Tapestry Needle

Terms used:

CO = cast on stitches

EA = each

Garter St. = Knit every row

st. st. stockinette stitch (1 K row = RS - 1 P row = WS)

RS = front facing side of work

WS = backside of work

k = knit

p = purl

wrn = wrap yarn around needle

psso = pass yarn over st

EO = end off yarn

Sl St = slip stitch

Begin 1st BLANKET BORDER EDGING:

With White, CO 315 sts

Rows 1 & 2: K each row. Turn

MOD Cross & Stripe Afghan - worsted, 315 sts, #10 circular needle.

Rows 3: K across row. Turn

Row 4: P across row. Turn

Rows 5 thru 16: Repeat rows 3 & 4.

Rows 17  & 18: K 7 across row. Turn

Row 19: K 7; purl across row - end k 7. Turn.

Row 20 (right side facing): K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 21: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 22: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5;  k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 23: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 24: K 7; P2; repeat following across row - *K 9 through back loop, P 3*: end row with P 2; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 25: K 9; repeat following across row - *P 9, K 3*: end row with K 9. Turn

Row 26: K 7; P2; repeat following across row - *K 9 through back loop, P 3*: end row with P 2; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 27: K 9; repeat following across row - *P 9, K 3*: end row with K 9. Turn

Row 28: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Fold ridge & Arabic Cross pattern.

Row 29: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 30: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 31: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 32: K across row. Turn

Row 33: K 7; Purl across row - k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 34 (right side facing):  Fold worked cross pattern facing over to match with backing st. st. border piece, & working both back sts & facing sts together: k 7 side edge sts, purl across 301 center sts, k 7 side edge sts (315 sts total). EO White; & Attach Amethyst.

Purl both sts together …

Top border band will be 'fluffy' as fold-over is worked - but it will fit on the circular needle, just fine.

STRIPED ROWS DESIGN:

Row 35: With Amethyst, K across row. Turn

Row 36: K 7; p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Amethyst stripe & cross pattern border; front & back.

Rows 37 thru 55: Repeat rows 35 & 36 for st. st. stripe. EO Amethyst; & attach White.

Rows 56: With White, K across row. Turn 

Row 57: K 7: p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Rows 58: K 7: *Sl st purlwise, k 1, wrn to make 1, psso the k st & the make 1* - k last 7 sts. Turn

Pass the k st over …

Rows 59: K 7: p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Rows 60: K 7: *Sl st purlwise, k 1, wrn to make 1, psso the k st & the make 1* - k last 7 sts. EO White; & attach Turquoise.

Moire st. stripe.

Row 61: With Turquoise, K across row. Turn

Begin turquoise st. st. stripe.

Row 62: K 7: p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Rows 63 thru 81: Repeat rows 35 & 36 for st. st. stripe. EO Turquoise; & attach White.

Rows 82: With White, K across row. Turn 

Row 83: K 7; p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Rows 84: K 7: *Sl st purlwise, k 1, wrn to make 1, psso the k st & the make 1* - k last 7 sts. Turn

Rows 85: K 7; p across 301 sts; k 7. Turn

Rows 86: K 7; *Sl st purlwise, k 1, wrn to make 1, psso the k st & the make 1* - k last 7 sts. EO White; & attach Amethyst.

Repeat rows 35 thru 86 for striped pattern - you should have 9 Amethyst stripes - 14 White stripes - & 8 Turquoise stripes … ending length with the 9th Amethyst stripe - EO;  & attach White

Alternating color st. st. & moire texture sts bands …

The length eventually was too long for table-top work; so, I contained it with a Lawn Bag, and kept the white border clean.

Begin 2nd BLANKET BORDER EDGING:

Rows 1 thru 4: With White, K each row (315 sts). Turn

Rows 5: K across row. Turn

Row 6: P across row. Turn

Row 7 (right side facing): K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 8: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Start of the Finishing Border.

Row 9: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5;  k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 10: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 11: K 7; P2; repeat following across row - *K 9 through back loop, P 3*: end row with P 2; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 12: K 9; repeat following across row - *P 9, K 3*: end row with K 9. Turn

Row 13: K 7; P2; repeat following across row - *K 9 through back loop, P 3*: end row with P 2; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 14: K 9; repeat following across row - *P 9, K 3*: end row with K 9. Turn

Row 15: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 16: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Row 17: K 7; P5; repeat following across row - *K 3 through back loop, P 9*: end row with P 5; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 18: K 12 (7 border sts & pattern sts); repeat following across row - *P 3, K 9*: end row with K 12. Turn

Border Cross Design done …

Row 19: K across row. Turn

Row 20: K 7; P across row - k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 21 (Fold-over Row): K 7; P across row; k last 7 sts. Turn

Row 22 (backside of work): P across row. Turn

Row 23: K across row. Turn

Rows 24 thru 38: Repeat rows 22 & 23. Turn

Row 39: Knit across row. Turn.

Row 40 (right side facing): Fold worked pattern over to match with Cross Pattern, facing, & purl into each back st. of foundational white border st. EO White.

Sew open border ends closed.

Fold-over & secure to back st. of Amethyst stripe; purl through both sts.

Finishing result.

Front & Back of finishing Border.

Sew open ends closed.

With White & crochet hook: start at right upper border band corner, and sl st across fold-over line. EO

With crochet hook, sl st along the border fold-over sts to keep border edge straight and laying flat, to ease back the "fluffiness".

Repeat crochet sl st with opposite fold-over border band.

Weave in loose yarn ends along striped blanket sides.

That's it - all done 👏: enjoy your comfy knit afghan 😘

Enough hang over that my big bear of a man's feet, will be comfy covered ❤️