These are fun and quick to make and will delight the recipient of the set YOU make. Suggested yarn is 100% cotton for durability and absorbency. For ninja crocheters, full text of the pattern is included below. Helpful photos are included in the downloadable, printable, ad-free written pattern in my Etsy shop.
Also available in my Threadfolio shop.
The FREE video tutorials that demonstrate how these are made are available here:
Right-Handed and Left-Handed.
These fun little coasters measure approximately 3.5” x 3.5” (9 cm x 9 cm). They are worked with a smaller hook than is normally used in Tunisian crochet. The purpose for this is to achieve a dense, sturdy fabric that works well for a coaster.
This design is worked in two sections. The first section is a decreasing triangle. Then the work is pivoted and an increasing triangle is worked into the stitches along the edge of the first triangle. This move resembles the “Allemande” move in square dancing.
Intermediate skill level. Techniques in this pattern include chain, slip stitch, Tunisian simple stitch, increasing and decreasing (short rows), back loop single crochet, back post single crochet, modified single crochet (instructions included), and needle join (aka invisible join).
Tools. H-8 (5.0 mm) regular crochet hook (Tunisian hook not required), scissors, and tapestry needle.
Gauge (tension). 9 sts and 9 rows in 2” (5 cm) of Tunisian Simple Stitch.
IMPORTANT! For this pattern, avoid TSS stitches that are taller than they are wide. To achieve the appropriate shape, use a snug tension on the forward pass and a slightly looser tension on the return pass. Watch the height of the vertical bars! They should be short, not tall! Helpful photos available in the downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern in my Etsy shop.
Abbreviations. BLsc – back loop single crochet; BPsc – back post single crochet; ch – chain; hk – hook; lp(s) – loop(s); Msc – modified single crochet; NJ – needle join; rem – remaining; rep – repeat, repeating; ret – return; sc – single crochet (UK double crochet); st(s) – stitch(es); TSS – Tunisian Simple Stitch; vert – vertical; yo – yarn over (UK – yarn over/round hk).
NOTES
Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS) Instructions
Forward Pass. (Insert hk under the next vertical bar, from right to left*, yo, pull up loop, keep loop on hk) repeating ( to ) across row as many times as specified in pattern. *This will be opposite for left-handed crocheters.
Non-standard Return Pass: For standard Tunisian crochet, you would yarn over and pull through one loop to form a chain on the first stitch of the return pass.
However, throughout this pattern, you will not do this.
Instead, you will decrease on the first stitch (yo and pull through 2 lps) on every row. Then, (yo and pull through 2 lps) again, repeating until only one loop remains on the hook. The first of the two vertical bars of return pass then becomes a slanting strand.
Counting First Loop of Forward Pass. In Tunisian crochet, the single loop already on the hook at the beginning of the forward pass counts as the first stitch of the row.
FREE Video Tutorials. Right handed – https://youtu.be/6q1BZKoi-0g. Left handed – https://youtu.be/utlrkwNsS2g. (If links don’t work, copy and paste them into your browser.)
DECREASING TRIANGLE
To begin: With A, ch 12 loosely. (See “Gauge” on page 2.)
Row 1. Using A and keeping lps short for proper gauge, *insert hk into back loop (not back bump) of 2nd ch from hk, yo, and pull up lp (2 lps on hk), pull up lps in all rem chs (12 lps on hk); ret, using B for last yo.
Row 2. With B, pull up lps in all vert bars (do not work into slanting strand) (11 lps on hk); ret, using A for last yo.
Row 3. With A, pull up lps in all vert bars (10 lps on hk); ret, using B for last yo.
Rows 4 through 11. Rep Rows 2 and 3 for a total of 11 rows. On last yo of last row, do NOT change to B. Rather, capture B and end with A. Stitch count will decrease by 1 on every row.
Capture a strand. To hold an unused strand for later use, lay it between the working strand and the first loop on the hook; then continue as instructed. Keep yarn balls untangled by changing their position accordingly.
INCREASING TRIANGLE
Note on Slanting Strands.
For this second triangle, you WILL be working into the slanting strands. When inserting the hook into the slanting strands along the diagonal edge of the first triangle, insert the hook under only the forward strand (the strand closest to you). Use snug tension for the first return stitch and loose tension for the remaining return stitches of each row. Helpful photos available in the downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern in my Etsy shop.
Row 1. Rotate piece clockwise 90 degrees. Note that vertical bars are now horizontal. With A, insert hk under slanting strand of st just completed in first triangle, yo, pull up lp (2 lps on hk); ret, using B. Helpful photos available in the downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern in my Etsy shop.
Row 2. With B, insert hk under 1 horizontal bar along edge in next row of first triangle, yo, pull up lp, insert hk under slanting strand in same row, yo, pull up lp (3 lps on hk); ret, using A for last yo.
Row 3. With A, pull up lp in vert bar, in horizontal bar along edge of next row of first triangle, and in slanting strand in same row (4 lps on hk); ret, using B for last yo.
Rows 4 through 11. Rep this process, until there are 11 rows in this triangle. On each row, work all vertical bars of previous row, then one horizontal bar and one slanting strand in corresponding row of first triangle. Change to opposite color on last yo of each row, ending with B on last row. Do not chain up on any row.
EDGING
Work all sides of edging with B.
Side 1. Ch 1 (equals first sc), msc1 in 2nd vert bar and each st to end (11 sts), ch 1.
Modified sc 1 (msc1). Insert hk under next vert bar and also under front horizontal bar above and to its side, yo, pull up a lp (2 lps on hk), yo, pull through both lps.
Side 2. Do not work into first ch of beginning chain. Msc2 in every st to end, sc in last st, which is also first st of next side (11 sts), ch 1.
Modified sc 2 (msc2). Insert hk under next vert bar and also under both horizontal bars just above and to its side, yo, pull up a lp (2 lps on hk), yo, pull through both lps.
Side 3. BPsc (or BLsc) in every st across (11 sts), ch 1.
Back post single crochet (BPsc). Insert hook from back-to-front-to-back around post of stitch, yo, pull through (2 lps on hk), yo, pull through both lps.
Back loop single crochet (BLsc). Insert hook into back loop only of edge stitch, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull through both lps.
Side 4. Repeat Side 3. NJ to 2nd st of Side 1. Undo knot in first chain of beginning chain to minimize lump on back. Weave in all ends.
Needle Join (NJ). Remove hk, cut yarn about 7” (18 cm) long, pull out through last stitch, thread through yarn needle. Insert needle front to back under both top horizontal strands of stitch indicated; pull through to back. Insert needle front to back, under back lp only, through last stitch of round (from which working yarn emerges); pull tail through to back. Weave in ends.
Enjoy your creativity!
Testers’ Results
Thanks so much to my faithful and diligent testers:
Dawn Eckel, Cyneatha Nicolette, Renee Zinck, Muqaddas Oripova, Kerry Harriss, and Sarah Bodkins.