#knitterknottertunisianblanketcal2022
Find the pattern for Square #1 here. Scroll to the very bottom and look for the link to Square #1.
Pia has graciously made a video that demonstrates part of this project, which I found very helpful. https://www.facebook.com/pia.thadani/videos/2821445084828194
Size. 12” x 12”
Yarn. Approximately 1.6 oz / 83 yds medium weight (#4) yarn. In photo: Red Heart Super Saver in Light Blue and Delft Blue.
Hook #1. 6.5 mm Tunisian hook, 14” long, for main square.
Hook #2. G-6 (4.25 mm) regular hook for edging rounds.
PROJECT NOTES
It took me quite a few tries to understand the Tunisian shell stitch, because this was my first time ever doing it. First, I worked up a 4” swatch in cotton yarn, just to understand the row instructions. I had to frog that swatch about 7 or 8 times. I wasn’t paying attention to the gauge, at this point.
Once I felt I understood the row instructions, I worked up a swatch in the RHSS yarn in two colors. I had to frog that attempt several times, as well. I did find that using two colors helped me grasp the difference between Rows 2 and 3 a lot better.
To start, I chained 43 (multiple of 6 plus 1) to make 7 shells and achieve something close to 12”. As I worked the rows, I kept measuring the width and it was coming out around 11”. I was satisfied with this, because I planned all along to work a border around the entire square, even though the pattern didn’t call for that.
One thing to watch out for is that the stitches along the edge where the color changes are made don’t become cinched down too tightly, or the square will become misshapen.
I ended up making 24 rows, as instructed in the pattern. The fabric is very soft, light, and stretchy. I felt the edges needed some reinforcement, so I worked two rounds of a border, as detailed below.
Border Rounds
I used a G-6 (4.25 mm) regular crochet hook to work the border rounds.
Border Rnd 1.
Side 1. Starting from final corner of Row 24, sl st in every st to next corner. 43 sl sts.
Side 2. Ch 1, spacing stitches as evenly as possible, sl st under two strands of sts along edge. 39 sl sts.
Side 3. Ch 1, spacing sts as evenly as possible, sl st under two strands of sts along edge. 41 sl sts.
Side 4. Ch 1. This side has very long strands and big gaps along the edge, so I worked 2 sc in the first row and 1 sc in the next row. I worked under two strands of the edge stitches. 38 sc.
Border Rnd 2. I worked hdc in every st and (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in each corner ch-1 sp.
The stitch counts on each edge are not the same. This will require some adjustments, when joining to other squares in the blanket.
I didn’t block this square, because it’s going into a blanket and because it’s quite supple and will fit nicely within a larger piece, thanks to the edge stitches.
I enjoyed making this square and learned a lot from the process. Thank you so much to Pia Thadani of Stitches n Scraps for her contribution to this CAL and thank you to Arunima Goel of Knitterknotter for organizing it.