Art of Crochet Blog

I’m making a Tunisian Sampler Afghan, and each week of the Swatch-along will now also have patterns for 8.5″ x 8.5″ squares*. Each of these squares would also make a good all-over pattern for an entire afghan, and the stitch patterns that make them up can be incorporated into any design you choose - sweaters, skirts, purses, scarves, hats - let your imagination run wild. ( *when using DK weight yarn and a 6.00mm hook. )

Use the patterns for the squares as a starting point to create your own stitch patterns. You can: take sections of different squares and combine them to create new designs; take a single stitch pattern and reflect it or reverse it; add colorwork to a square shown as a solid; experiment with finer yarns and smaller hooks to create more intricate patterns…

The stitch patterns I am sharing didn’t just pop into my head and then spring forth from my fingers - Not At All! I did a lot of experimentation, all sorts of trial and error and nitpicking about stitch placement and centering (when applicable) and the tension created by the interplay of the stitches. I swatched, and ripped back, and swatched again.

And you know what - it’s a lot of fun because it becomes personal. I often feel like a crochet scientist in my own little lab, and maybe I’ve a touch of the Dr. Frankenstein but I become attached to the results of my process. As silly as it might sound to some, when you “get it right” you know it right away because it glows a little brighter and something a lot like EUREKA! echoes in your mind. It’s easy to get addicted to that feeling, and it’s totally worth pursuing.

This week I am going to share the patterns for 5 squares, 4 of which utilize Tunisian front-post doubles (featured in week 2 of the swatch-along) and the final square is created with T-push and T-pull techniques (featured in week 1). Each stich pattern will have its own post, so that you can easily bookmark the information you want. And you can always click on the “Afghan Squares” tag to access all of the posts (to date) with these patterns.

Checkerboard Checkerboard Pattern:
(remember: when counting rows - the very bottom row is the foundation, and the next row is Row 1)

• Base - using 5.50 mm standard hook and DK weight yarn, ch 38. Switch to 6.00 mm Tunisian hook.
• Foundation - lp on hook counts as first st (now and throughout), 1 Tss into each of the next 36 chs, end-st into last ch, return.
• Row 1 - 1 Tss into each of the next 36 sts, end-st into last st, return.
• Row 2 - * {fp-Td, 1 Tss into next st} x 4, fp-Td, 1 Tss into each of the next 9 sts *, repeat between * *, end-st into last st, return.
• Row 3 - * {1 Tss into next st, fp-Td} x 4, 1 Tss into each of the next 10 sts *, repeat between * *, end-st into last st, return.
• Rows 4 to 7 - repeat Rows 2 & 3.
• Row 8 - repeat Row 2.
• Row 9 - repeat Row 1.
• Row 10 - * 1 Tss into each of the next 9 sts, {fp-Td, 1 Tss into next st} x 4, fp-Td *, repeat between * *, end-st into last st, return.
• Row 11 - * 1 Tss into each of the next 10 sts, {fp-Td, 1 Tss into next st} x 4, 1 Tss into next st *, repeat between * *, end-st into last st, return.
• Rows 12 to 15 - repeat Rows 10 & 11.
• Row 16 - repeat Row 10.
• Rows 17 to 32 - repeat Rows 1 to 16.

If you want to use this as an all-over pattern for a blanket, simply add repetitions of the stitches between the * *. This stitch pattern is 18 stitches wide and 16 rows tall. Your starting chain for a larger piece should be a multiple of 18, plus 2 (1 each for the beginning stitch and the end stitch).