Shell – 7 dc in the specified chain space V stitch – dc, ch1, dc
Set up rounds:
Row 1: Ch4, *1dc in 4th chain from hook, ch1 repeat from * 6 times, slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the starting ch4 (this counts as the first dc in the round).
Row 2: Ch1, sc in first ch1 space (this is the 4th ch of the beginning ch4), *7 dc in next ch1 space, sc in next ch1 space) repeat from * 3 times, 7 dc in next ch1 space, slip stitch to first sc of the round. (You should have 4 shells, and 4 sc total)
Row 3: Ch4, all in the same stitch work (1 dc, ch3,1dc, ch1, 1dc – starting v-stitch cluster made), *ch 5, skip the next 7 dc, in the next sc work v-stitch cluster, repeat 2 more times for a total of four v stitch clusters, chain 2 and dc into the 3rd chain from the first v-stitch cluster .
Row 4: 7 dc in next ch1 space, sc in ch3 space, 7 dc in next ch1 space (shell cluster made) – sc into the 4th (middle dc) of the shell of the previous row – make sure the sc goes around the ch5 – securing the ch5 down – Shell cluster in next v-stitch cluster, sc into the the middle dc of shell from below – 3 more times.
After row 4, your piece should look like this – you will have 4 corner shell clusters – these are going to be the foundations for your corner throughout the entire pieceRow 5: ch4, dc in same sc (first v-stitch on first side of square made),ch5, v-stitch cluster into the sc of next corner shell cluster, ch5,* v stitch into the next sc between shell clusters (vstitch on 2nd side of square made)ch5, v-stitch cluster into the sc of next corner shell cluster, repeat from * 2 more times, ch2 and dc into the 3rd chain from the starting chain 4 of the round.
After row 5 your piece should look like this – there will be a v-stitch cluster into the middle sc of each of the shell clusters from the row below, and a single v-stitch into the sc between each shell cluster. Row 6: *Shell into the first v-stitch, sc into the middle dc of the shell below, shell cluster in the next v-stitch cluster, sc into the middle dc of the shell below, repeat from * 3 more times
Set up is complete – your piece should look like this: For the body of the piece you will repeat these two rows:
Row7: Ch4, dc in same sc (counts as first v-stitch), (ch5, v-stitch in the next sc) to first corner, ch5, v-
stitch cluster in the corner, *ch5 v-stitch in sc between next shell, ch5 (do this to the next corner shell cluster), v-stitch cluster in middle sc of corner shell cluster, repeat from * until you have done a shell cluster in the 4th corner. Then – ch5 and v-stitch into each of the sc between shells until right before you get to the first v-stitch of the round, ch2 and dc into the 3rd chain of the first v-stitch. (On row 7 this will be right after the fourth corner cluster, but on subsequent rows there will be more before you get to your starting v-stitch).
Row 8: *7dc in next v-stitch, sc ** into the middle dc of the shell below, repeat from * to ** til you get to the next corner v-stitch cluster – shell cluster in v-stitch cluster, sc in middle dc from row below*** repeat * through *** 3 more times - to end of round.Repeat these two rows, ending on a row 8
Crochet tip: The v-stitch clusters ONLY go in the 4 corners of the piece, in all other cases you will do a v-stitch into the sc on the four sides on your row 7 repeats. source