Tag: Tunisian crochet

Tunisian crochet: joins

On By CarynIn Craft

I did another 7×9 inch swatch to test joins for Tunisian crochet using the honey comb stitch pattern. I first crocheted a narrow strip with three different colors, then I crocheted a second strip, joining the rows to the first strip at the end of the forward pass. I tried three methods: joining using the front loop, back loop, and back loop and bump behind the back loop. I like the last method best because there was no discernible gap and the patterns matched up better.

Photo description: joining the end of the forward pass to previous strip by going through the back loop and back bump
Photo description: six color Tunisian crochet blocks with the red and yellow joined on the front loop of the yellow, the orange and blue joined on the back loop of the blue, and the white and gray joined with the back loop and bump of the gray, calico cat stand
Photo description: reverse side, sleeping calico cat stand

I’m still working on best practice for me for weaving in ends.

Tunisian crochet: honey comb

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m renewing my acquaintance with Tunisian crochet. Making the 7×9 inch rectangles for Warm Up America is not only a great way to use up scrap yarn, but also to explore new techniques or to polish up old skills. My Tunisian crochet skills were definitely dusty. I ripped out around two rectangles worth remembering where to start and end my rows and on finding a fabric that doesn’t curl. The simple Tunisian stitch curls almost as badly as stockinette knitting, which I don’t want for my rectangles. I rediscovered my favorite (so far) Tunisian stitch, the honeycomb. This is like a moss stitch in knitting, alternating simple and purl Tunisian stitches both across the row and on the next row. It makes a nice flat fabric with a honeycomb-like pattern on one side and a luscious bumpy texture on the back.

Photo description: honeycomb Tunisian crochet rectangle made from scrap acrylic yarn, front side, dilute calico cat stand
Photo description: honeycomb Tunisian crochet rectangle made from scrap acrylic yarn, back side, dilute calico cat stand

I also discovered a new-to-me kind of crochet hook.

Photo description: two different afghan hooks, top one made from wood with screw on cord, bottom one from my Grandmother’s tool stash which is an extra long aluminum hook

I like the balance of the wood crochet hook with cord and how it feels in my hand much better than the long aluminum hook.

Throwback Thursday: New Year’s Day

On By CarynIn Craft

I went into my photo app and searched New Year’s Day for my throwback today. I found a quirky little project I did back in 2016, where I was experimenting with small alternating blocks of Tunisian crochet.

Photo description: four squares of Tunisian crochet connected as stitched, sometimes called “sew as you go”, made with red, green, and white variegated cotton yarn
Photo description: nine square swatch with a crochet border
Photo description: same nine square swatch, but labeled with the order number and if the rows were done from the right or left

I think the variegated yarn and Tunisian crochet made some interesting pooling variations. When I washed this swatch, though, it puckered and buckled aggressively, so I did not pursue the technique farther.

Happy New Year, may your year be filled with successful experiments!