arcade stitch

I can't tell you how much I love this pattern. It is so neat and pretty and perfect. Swoon.

I've seen it done a thousand times and never thought to try it so when I was looking for a new stitch to work on for a tutorial, this one sprang out of Betty's book and voila. Perfection.

Pattern

Chain in multiples of 6 and add 1.

Row 1. 1dc in 2nd ch from hook, *3ch, skip 3ch, 1dc in next 3ch; repeat from * ending with 1dc in each of last 2ch, ch1, turn.

Row2. skip first dc, *skip 1dc, 5tr in 3ch space, skip 1dc, 1dc in next dc (the middle one of the 3dc grp); repeat from * ending with 1dc in turning ch (a bit tricky because it's only a ch1 turning ch), ch3, turn.

Row 3. skip 1dc and 1tr, *1dc in each of next 3tr (the centre 3tr of the 5tr grp), ch3, skip (1tr, 1dc, 1tr); repeat from * to last group, 1dc in each of 3tr, 2ch, skip 1tr, 1dc in turning ch, ch3, turn.

Row 4. skip first dc, 2tr in 2ch space, *skip 1dc, 1dc in next dc, skip 1dc, 5tr in ch3 space; repeat from * ending 3tr under 3ch turning ch, ch1, turn.

Row 5. skip first tr, 1dc in next tr, *3ch, skip (1tr, 1dc, 1tr), 1dc in each of next 3tr; repeat from * ending 1dc in last tr and 1dc in top of turning chain, ch1, turn.

Repeat rows 2-5 for pattern.