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This unique square is part of the amazing line up of patterns in this year’s Knitter Knotter Tunisian Blanket CAL, hosted by Arunima over at www.knitterknotter.com! It’s the perfect way to use up those partial skeins and scraps while keeping the colour theme of your blanket.

What is a CAL? Well, it stands for Crochet-ALong, and as the name of this one suggests, everyone who participates in this CAL is making a blanket. Every two weeks a new 12x12”/30x30cm square pattern by a different designer will be released for free on their blog or other platforms. By the end of 2021 you’ll have made 24 completely unique Tunisian crochet squares!  For further information about the CAL, including what supplies you need and the links to all the squares, check out the main blog post. While you’re there, you can also sign up to the CAL mailing list and join the Facebook group, if you’re into that!

This is also a great stashbusting pattern, since you can use up bits and pieces of yarn you have laying around, and there’s no concrete yardage requirement. My samples shown here use 3 different colours, but feel free to experiment and make this square your own!

Don’t forget to grab the premium, ad-free PDF on Ravelry or in my pattern shop, as it includes a detailed photo tutorial for this pattern, along with a blank chart that you can use to fill in your own colour plan. Or, you can really go wild and just wing it - it truly is a totally customizable pattern!

Materials

Yarn - approximately 145 yds/133m worsted (4) weight in various colours (I used 3 different colours - A, B and C - of Loops and Threads Impeccable from Michael’s Stores).

Hooks - L/11 8mm Tunisian crochet hook with 12”/30cm cord (or hook needed to meet gauge) – you will use this hook for the main part of the square; AND 7mm regular crochet hook (or two sizes/1mm down from the hook that meets gauge) – you will use this hook for the bind off row and the border. I use the Radiant Wood Interchangeable Hooks from WeCrochet, and I love them!

Notions - locking stitch marker (1), scissors, tape measure, yarn needle, blocking mats and pins.

Notes

The square is worked in four sections using the JAYG technique.  The Pattern Instructions and Colour Chart shown below will create the square exactly as pictured.  The premium, ad-free PDF has a blank chart that can be coloured in with your own custom colours, so you can vary the placement and size of your colour blocks and create unique squares with as many colours as you like!

The remaining loop on your hook after the RetP is the first stitch of each row, and is not included in the stitch count instruction (i.e., tks next 10 = the first loop is already on your hook, then work a tks in the next 10 sts, for a total of 11 loops on hook).

When you work the last (edge) st of each row, insert your hook under both vertical bars.

Sizing

Gauge: 12 sts x 14 rows = 4”/10cm in tks, blocked

Finished Measurements: approximately 12 x 12”/30 x 30cm

Terminology/Abbreviations

This pattern uses standard US terms as detailed by the Craft Yarn Council:

ch: chain

st(s): stitch(es)

sl st: slip stitch

sc: single crochet

tks: Tunisian knit stitch (insert hook between two vertical bars and pull up a loop)

JAYG: join as you go (working your square in sections)

RetP: return pass

• Regular: ch 1, *yarn over, pull through 2 loops.  Repeat from * until 1 loop remains on hook

• JAYG: join yarn to first st of previous section, *yarn over, pull through 2 loops.  Repeat from * until 1 loop remains on hook

RS/WS: right side/wrong side

Colour Chart

Colour A: Black Colour B: Teal Colour C: Cream

The numbers at the bottom of the chart represent the number of stitches in each section. Overall, the square is 36 stitches wide.

If your gauge is very different from mine, feel free to add or remove sts and/or rows from the fourth section in order to meet the finished measurements.

Pattern Instructions

Sections

First Section (Colour A, Black)

Row 1: With larger hook, ch 7.  Starting in the second ch from hook, pull up a loop in the back bump of each ch st (7 loops on hook).  Complete a Regular RetP.

Rows 2-7: Tks each st, complete a Regular RetP.

Row 8: Tks each st.  Work the Regular RetP until 2 loops remain on your hook.  Place these 2 loops on a stitch marker and cut yarn, leaving a 4” tail.

Second Section (Colour B, Teal)

Row 1:  Join B as per JAYG instructions and ch 11.  Starting in the second ch from hook, pull up a loop in the back bump of each ch st (11 loops on hook).  Complete a JAYG RetP.

Rows 2-8:  Tks in each st, complete a JAYG RetP.

Row 9: Tks in next 10 sts, then place both loops of A on your hook.  With B, yarn over and pull through both loops of A.  Continue working tks across the top of the first section with B, then complete a Regular RetP.

Rows 10-20: Tks each st, complete a Regular RetP.

Row 21: Tks each st.  Work the Regular RetP until 2 loops remain on your hook.  Place these 2 loops on a stitch marker and cut yarn, leaving a 4” tail.

Third Section (Colour C, Cream)

Row 1:  Join C as per JAYG instructions and ch 5.  Starting in the second ch from hook, pull up a loop in the back bump of each ch st (5 loops on hook).  Complete a JAYG RetP.

Rows 2-21:  Tks in each st, complete a JAYG RetP.

Row 22: Tks in next 4 sts, then place both loops of B on your hook.  With C, yarn over and pull through both loops of B.  Continue working tks across the top of the second section with C, then complete a Regular RetP.

Rows 23-33: Tks in each st, complete a Regular RetP.

Row 34: Tks each st.  Work the Regular RetP until 2 loops remain on your hook.  Place these 2 loops on a stitch marker and cut yarn, leaving a 4” tail.

Fourth Section (Colour A, Black)

Row 1:  Join A as per JAYG instructions and ch 13.  Starting in the second ch from hook, pull up a loop in the back bump of each ch st (13 loops on hook).  Complete a JAYG RetP.

Rows 2-34:  Tks in each st, complete a JAYG RetP.

Row 35: Tks in next 12 sts, then place both loops of C on your hook.  With A, yarn over and pull through both loops of C.  Continue working tks across the top of the third section with A, then complete a Regular RetP.

Rows 36-39: Tks in each st, complete a Regular RetP.

Do not fasten off Colour A, switch to smaller hook and proceed to Border.

Border

Bind off row: Ch 1, *insert hook into next st as for tks and work a sc st.  Repeat from * across the row, until the last st.  In the last st, work 3 sc.

Rotate your square to work along the side edge, RS facing up.  In the end of each row, work a sc st until you reach the last row.  In this row, work 3 sc and rotate your square to work along the bottom.  Sc in each ch st from the foundation ch until you reach the last st.  Work 3 sc in this last st and rotate your square to work up the other side.  In the first st of each row, work a sc until you reach the last row.  Sl st to join to the ch-1 space of the Bind off row, and fasten off.

Finishing

Block your square using your preferred method.  If you’ve used an acrylic yarn (like I have), or if you find that the edges of your square are curling quite a bit, I recommend a full wet block: soak your square for 15-20 minutes in the sink or a tub of lukewarm water and a bit of wool wash.  Drain and gently squeeze out as much water as you can (do not wring or stretch).  Lay the square flat on a towel, and either fold the towel up or roll it neatly, then step on it to draw the rest of the water out of the square.  Lay it out flat, and you may pin the edges if you like to help the stitches settle.  Leave pinned until completely dry. 

When your square is dry, weave in all ends to the WS. I like to save this until the very end, so that there’s no chance of puckering or pulling during the blocking process.

Congratulations on finishing the Stashdown Square pattern! I hope this customizable pattern helps you use up your scraps to make a beautifully coordinated square that fits nicely with the rest of your blanket. You could even make a few different ones to tie the whole thing together!

If you share your project on social media, don’t forget to tag me @capital.crochet and @knitterknotter, and use the hashtags #StashdownSquare and #KnitterKnotterTunisianBlanketCAL2021!

You may sell finished items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the designer by linking back to this blog post.

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