Good Morning, Starshine! & Imma Keep Shinin'

When I designed this square, I was on the tail end of a dark time of my life. Crochet has been my Go-To for the past 11 years, and I barely picked up a hook for a month. Friends that know me often refer to me as Sunshine. On Halloween night, I decided to come out of isolation for a brief time and went LIVE on TikTok. I didn't want to be alone that night, for a little while anyway. One thing lead to another after encouraging words from a friend, and next thing I know... I came up with this design. Friendly reminder that Kindness Changes Lives. Thank you, Rojo, for shining me with some of your sunlight because I really needed a friend in the worst way. It is the connections with other people that make life worth living, always, in my eyes. I hope when you look at this square, you see a reflection of the Sun and that it makes you smile. Further details about the introduction to this pattern are on Page 2 of the written pattern. I have copy and pasted notes about the pattern itself below: PATTERN LEVEL: Intermediate. There’s a few stitches that are not Beginner Level. GAUGE: Since this is a square, you can use any type of yarn you wish with the appropriate hook size. Your tension is also different from mine. So, the size could vary and the gauge does not matter. MATERIALS: Size “H” (5mm) Crochet Hook. 2 or 3 Colors of Acrylic Worsted Weight Yarn (4 PLY). For the Original Design, I used only 2 colors; Big Twist Value Brand in Sapphire & Orange. You will need approximately 60 yards of Sapphire and 45 yards of Orange. For the 3 Color Design, I used Big Twist Value Brand in Sapphire, Orange & Varsity Gold. You will need approximately 55 yards of Sapphire, 15 yards of Orange, and 35 yards of Varsity Gold. Instructions for both colorways will be included in each Round. You can substitute the yarn brand for anything you desire, really. Just make sure you also use an appropriate hook size with it and remember yardage will vary. Needle. Scissors. Measuring Tape (Optional). Compression Gloves (Optional). Stitch Markers (Optional). Row Counter (Optional). ABBREVIATIONS: MC = Magic Circle Ch = Chain Sl St = Slip Stitch St = Stitch Sk = Skip Sp = Space YO = Yarn Over SC = Single Crochet HDC = Half Double Crochet BPHDC = Back Post Half Double Crochet DC = Double Crochet FPDC = Front Post Double Crochet FPTC = Front Post Triple Crochet SPECIAL STITCHES: 1. Special FPDC (Special Front Post Double Crochet) 2. Reverse Special FPDC (Reverse Special Front Post Double Crochet 3. FPDC3TOG (Front Post Double Crochet 3 Together) 4. FPDC Cross St (Front Post Double Crochet Cross Stitch) PATTERN NOTES: PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE PATTERN BEFORE YOU START WORKING THIS SQUARE UP… it’s always a good rule of thumb to prepare yourself for possible confusion before you start the work. Check out my YouTube Channel for the Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/mFQZUI3axvk?si=mL4OxvqsZ8jcnohW The square measures roughly 9.5-10 inches if you use the same materials as I do.