Top 10 Countdown! #3: Tunisian Crochet Entrelac Style Baby Blanket

 

Yes, another baby blanket. (And be prepared, there’s actually one more squeezed into the Nikki, In Stitches Top 10!) This one looks complicated, but is made using Tunisian crochet. If you have yet to experiment with Tunisian crochet, now is the time to start. It’s super simple, just like crocheting, but you can make much more intricate stitches, just like knitting!

Enjoy…again!

Nikki, In Stitches

PS…This is my last post on the old site! A new Nikki, In Stitches is debuting very soon. Unfortunately, if you are currently a subscriber, your email address will not be carried over to the new mailing list. If your inbox starts to get quiet, head over to www.NikkiInStitches.com and subscribe on the new site!

********ORIGINAL POST********

March 18th, 2010

Tunisian Crochet Entrelac Style Baby Blanket

I love the look of Entrelac, but let’s be honest, it’s not the quickest thing to knit up, and, for a beginner knitter, all of the turning can be a little intimidating. That’s just another reason why I fell in love with Tunisian Crochet. This blanket works up in a third of the time, is so easy to make, and looks just as great as its knit counterpart. The pattern for the top follows below, and you can find instructions for backing and binding it here: A Knitted and Quilted Baby Blanket. I have just one small, yet very important, note before you get started. Please be mindful of your tension! It is extremely easy to end up with a very wonky blanket!

Questions and comments are always welcome! If you’re new to Tunisian Crochet, check out my previous two posts. They contain links and tutorials for all of the basic stitches you will need for this project.

Tunisian Crochet - I’m Bringing It Back

Tunisian Crochet - Cabled Scarf

Also, this project was partly inspired by the cover project on the Winter issue of Crochet Magazine. Check it out for more creative ideas!

Enjoy!

Nikki, In Stitches

Added Later: This pattern is now available as a PDF! Click here for a printer friendly version: Tunisian Crochet Entrelac Baby Blanket.

Materials:

Plymouth Baby Bunny Yarn in White - 500 yards

Plymouth Baby Bunny Yarn in Blue - 500 yards

Size 10Tunisian Crochet Hook

Notes:

1. For this pattern only, Return Pass is worked in the following way: *Yo, draw through 2 loops, rep from * across.

2. To bind off: Insert hook from front to back between 2 strands of vertical bar as if to knit, yo, pull up a loop. Yo, and draw through both loops on hook.

3. To pick up loops of bind-off row: Insert hook through both loops of bind-off chain, yo, pull up a loop.

4. To M1 (make one stitch): Insert hook in space between next 2 vertical bars, yo, pull up a loop

Directions:

White white, chain 74 loosely.

Starting Tier (12 Base Triangles):

Row 1: Insert hook in second ch from hook (next ch for successive triangles), yo, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 2: M1, TKS in next vertical bar. Insert hook in next ch and pull up a loop. (4 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 3: TKS in next 2 vertical bars, M1 between last vertical bar and selvedge edge of last row. Insert hook in next ch, pull up a loop. (5 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 4: TKS in next 3 vertical bars, M1 between last vertical bar and selvedge edge of last row. Insert hook in next ch, pull up a loop. (6 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 5: TKS in next 4 vertical bars, M1 between last vertical bar and selvedge edge of last row. Insert hook in next ch, pull up a loop. (7 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 6: TKS in next 5 vertical bars, M1 between last vertical bar and selvedge edge of last row. Insert hook in next ch, pull up a loop. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 7: BO 6 stitches. Sl st in same ch as last stitch from last row. (One triangle complete.)

Repeat Rows 1 - 7 11 more times, to give 12 base triangles total. For last triangle, sl st in last free chain. Fasten off.

Tier A (1 Right-Edge Triangle, 11 Squares, 1 Left-Edge Triangle):

Using blue yarn, join in bottom corner of first base triangle made (or in last edge stitch of previous right-edge triangle for successive tiers).

Right-Edge Triangle:

Row 1: Ch 2, pull up a loop in 2nd ch from hook and in edge of first row of last tier. (3 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 2: M1, TKS in next vertical bar and in edge of 2nd row of last tier. (4 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 3: M1, TKS in next 2 vertical bars and in edge of 3rd row of last tier. (5 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 4: M1, TKS in next 3 vertical bars and in edge of 4th row of last tier. (6 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 5: M1, TKS in next 4 vertical bars and in edge of 5th row of last tier. (7 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 6: M1, TKS in next 5 vertical bars and in edge of 6th row of last tier. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 7: BO 6 stitches. Sl st in next stitch from last tier.

Square:

Row 1: Pick up 7 stitches along edge of previous tier. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Rows 2 - 6: TKS in next 6 vertical bars and in edge of next row of last tier. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 7: BO 6 stitches. Sl st in next stitch from last tier.

Repeat Rows 1 - 7 of the square 10 more times, to give 11 squares total.

Left-Edge Triangle:

Row 1: Pick up 7 stitches long edge of previous tier. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 2: TKS across. (7 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 3: TKS across. (6 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 4: TKS across. (5 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 5: TKS across. (4 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 6: TKS across. (3 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 7: BO 1 stitch. Fasten off.

Tier B (12 Squares):

Using white yarn, join in first stitch of last tier and work 12 squares as for Tier A.

Repeat Tiers A, then B, 8 times more, then Tier A one more time.

Finishing Tier (12 Finishing Triangles):

With white yarn, join in first stitch of last tier.

Row 1: Pick up 7 stitches long edge of previous tier. (8 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 2: Skip next vertical bar, TKS in next 5 vertical bars and in edge of next row of last tier. (7 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 3: Skip next vertical bar, TKS in next 4 vertical bars and in edge of next row of last tier. (6 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 4: Skip next vertical bar, TKS in next 3 vertical bars and in edge of next row of last tier. (5 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 5: Skip next vertical bar, TKS in next 2 vertical bars and in edge of next row of last tier. (4 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 6: Skip next vertical bar, TKS in next vertical bar and in edge of next row of last tier. (3 loops on hook) RetP.

Row 7: Skip next vertical bar, sl st in next stitch of last tier. (One triangle complete.)

Repeat Rows 1 - 7 11 times more, to give 12 finishing triangles total. Fasten off.

Block.

Weave in all loose ends.

Abbreviations:

yo…yarn over

RetP…Return Pass

ch…chain

sl st…slip stitch

bo…bind off

M1…Make one

TKS…Tunisian Knit Stitch

Possibly Related Posts from Nikki, In Stitches:

Tunisian Crochet - Cabled Scarf

A Knitted and Quilted Baby Blanket

You Asked For It (Knitted Entrelac Baby Blanket)