The downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.
Also available in my Threadfolio shop.
See the videos for the coasters, which are very similar and will help you make the dishcloths.
Right-Handed and Left-Handed.
“Allemande Dishcloth” – Striped, Mitered Square in Tunisian Crochet
Crochet pattern in US terminology by Cheryl Dee Floyd
A soft, supple dishcloth in two or three colors that can easily be squished down into a tall glass for a sudsy washing experience. Can also be used for a face and body washer, a kitchen doily, a trivet, or wall décor.
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, single crochet (UK – double crochet), Tunisian simple stitch, increasing and decreasing (short rows), back loop single crochet, back post single crochet, front post single crochet, modified single crochet (instructions included), and needle join (aka invisible join). The downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.
Size. 9” x 9” (23 cm x 23 cm).
Tools. 6.5 mm Tunisian crochet hook, scissors, and tapestry needle.
Yarn for one dishcloth. Approximately 1.4 oz / 67 yds (40 g / 61 m) medium weight (#4), 100% cotton yarn in total, divided equally by either two or three colors. In photos: Peaches & Crème in White (A) and Royal (B), and Hobby Lobby Crafter’s Secret in Red (B or C).
Gauge (tension). 13 sts and 13 rows in 4” (10 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!
Short vertical bars on right…do this!
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).
The downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.
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 the 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.
Videos. Watch these videos for the “Allemande Coasters,” which is a smaller version of this square with fewer edging rounds, but is still instructive for the methods in this pattern.
Right hand – https://youtu.be/6q1BZKoi-0g.
Left hand – https://youtu.be/utlrkwNsS2g.
The downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.
DECREASING TRIANGLE
To begin: With A, ch 24 loosely.
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 (24 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) (23 lps on hk); ret, using A for last yo.
Row 3. With A, pull up lps in all vert bars (22 lps on hk); ret, using C (or B) for last yo.
Row 4. With C (or B), pull up lps in all vert bars (21 lps on hk); ret using A for last yo.
Rows 5 through 23. Rep this technique, using A, B, A, B or A, B, A, C sequence for last yo of each row. On last yo of last row, do NOT change colors. Rather, capture other color(s) and continue with A. Stitch count will decrease by 1 on every row.
INCREASING TRIANGLE
Note on Slanting Strands – For this second triangle, you WILL be working into the slanting strands. When inserting hk into slanting strands along diagonal edge of the first triangle, insert hk under only the forward strand (the strand closest to you). Use snug tension for first return st and loose tension for remaining return sts of each row.
Row 1. Rotate piece clockwise 90 degrees. Note that vertical bars are now horizontal. With A, insert hk under just the slanting strand of st just completed in first triangle (See photo below.), yo, pull up lp (2 lps on hk); ret, using B.
Row 2. With B, insert hk under 1 horizontal bar along edge of 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 C (or B) for last yo.
Row 4. With C (or B), pull up lp in vert bars, in horizontal bar, and in slanting strand (5 lps on hk); ret, using A for last yo.
Rows 5 through 23. Rep this process, until there are 23 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 next color on last yo of each row, ending with C (or B) on last row. Do not chain up on any row.
The downloadable, printable, ad-free pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.
EDGING
Rnd 1. Work all sides with C (or B).
Side 1. Ch 1 (equals first sc), msc1 in 2nd vert bar and each st to end (23 sts), ch 1.
Side 2. Do not work into first ch of beginning chain. Msc in every st to end, sc in last st, which is also first st of next side (23 sts), ch 1.
Modified single crochet (msc). Insert hook under next vertical bar and under horizontal bar just to the left of it (or to the right, for left-handed crocheters, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through both loops.
Side 3. BPsc (or BLsc) in every st across (23 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. Needle join to 2nd st of Side 1.
Rnd 2. Insert hook in corner ch-1 sp, pull up A from back.
Side 1. Ch 1 (counts as sc), sc in same sp, sc in every st to next corner.
Side 2. 3 sc in corner ch-1 sp, sc in every st to corner
Side 3. Rep Side 2.
Side 4. Rep Side 2, sc in first corner ch-1 sp. NJ to first sc, not to beginning chain.
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.
Rnd 3. Insert hook in 2nd sc of corner, pull up B from back.
Side 1. Ch 1 (counts as sc), sc in every st to corner.
Side 2. 3 sc in 2nd sc of corner, sc in every st to corner.
Side 3. Rep Side 2.
Side 4. (Sc, ch 10, sc) in 2nd sc of corner, sc in every st to corner, sc in first corner. NJ to first sc, not to beginning ch.
Undo knot in first chain of beginning chain to minimize lump on back. Weave in all ends.
This pattern has been professionally edited and fully tested.
Enjoy your creativity!
Testers’ Results
Thank you so much to my faithful and diligent testers:
Dawn Eckel, Kerry Harriss, Cyneatha Nicolette, and Muqaddas Oripova.