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Tunisian Blanket CAL 2023 – Square #1

It is the beginning of the Tunisian Blanket CAL of 2023!! I am so excited to share the first square of this CAL with you!

Each square consists of a mosaic pattern in the center with a mosaic frame around it. We will start with an easy pattern, the first square is made with one of the simplest mosaic patterns that I have found.

Square #1 has the Apache Tears pattern at its center. It is super easy to make and looks great whether worked standalone or when combined with other patterns!

The 1st block of the Tunisian Mosaic Blanket CAL of 2023 hosted by KnitterKnotter. The CAL consists of 25 mosaic crochet squares that will be joined together and a mosaic border will be added in the end. This pattern is worked with 2 stitches only and, since we don't turn our work in Tunisian crochet, there is no need to cut and rejoin yarn after every row!

Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links – please see my affiliate disclosure for details.

Pattern

Scroll down for this square’s free pattern. There are also three different options to purchase the ad-free patterns.

If you are new to Tunisian Mosaic crochet, I also offer a beginner friendly course that walks you through all the basics of this technique in detail – A beginner’s guide to Tunisian Mosaic Crochet.

*I will share two videos from this course on my ad-supported YouTube channel. You can find them here if you’d like to take a look before you make your purchase.

Resources

  1. Stitch tutorials for Tunisian Mosaic Crochet
  2. How to change color at the beginning of a Forward Pass
  3. How to make a Foundation Row
  4. How to bind off and end a project
  5. Tunisian Crochet Hooks
  6. How to block a crochet project

Instructions

Note: For pattern notes and gauge information, please visit the main CAL page.

Row 1 (FR): This is the Foundation Row.
Chain 43, make the foundation row stitches in the back loops of the chain.

Row 2: fs, 41 tss, ls.

Row 3: fs, etss, 3 tss, 33 etss, 3 tss, etss, ls.

Row 4: fs, (tss, etss) * 2, 33 tss, (etss, tss) * 2, ls.

Row 5: fs, etss, 39 tss, etss, ls.

Row 6: fs, 3 tss, etss, 33 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.

Row 7: fs, 3 etss, tss, 33 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.

Row 8: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, 27 tss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.

Row 9: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, 27 tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.

Row 10: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (2 tss, etss, 2 tss) * 5, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.

Row 11: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (3 tss, etss, tss) * 5, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.

Row 12: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (4 tss, etss) * 5, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls. 

Row 13: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (etss, 4 tss) * 5, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls. 

Row 14: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (tss, etss, 3 tss) * 5, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls. 

Row 15: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (2 tss, etss, 2 tss) * 5, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls. 

Row 16: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (3 tss, etss, tss) * 5, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.

Row 17: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (4 tss, etss) * 5, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.

Row 18: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (etss, 4 tss) * 5, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.

Row 19: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (tss, etss, 3 tss) * 5, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls. 

Rows 20 – 29: Repeat Rows 10 to 19. 

Rows 30 – 34: Repeat Rows 10 to 14. 

Rows 35 – 41: Repeat rows 9 to 3 (in reverse order).

BOR: Repeat Row 2.
This will be the bind off row. You will make a slip stitch every time you pick up a loop on your hook. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Pattern

Scroll up for this square’s free pattern.

There are also three different options to purchase the ad-free patterns. Visit the main blog post to view the details of all three options.

Tunisian Mosaic Blanket CAL of 2023 by KnitterKnoter - Square #1 - Chart

Share your projects!

I am so excited to have you on this crochet journey with me. If you’d like to receive a free pattern from me, please sign up for my newsletter. I send updates about pattern releases, special offers, discounts that I am offering and events I am participating in.

I would love to see your projects, please join my Facebook group where you can connect with other participants of the CAL, show off your squares and see what everyone else is making!

Sheryl

Saturday 10th of June 2023

I’ve never done this type of work before and am looking forward to trying it. The patterns in the squares are beautiful. Thank you for sharing these with us.

Laura

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Hi. I am so excited about learning more Tunisian stitches. I have purchased the ebook and can't find where I can download it. Please help!

Shelley

Monday 13th of February 2023

1st - loving the TCAL. AND don't want this comment to seem critical, it's just a thing that keeps me thinking and wondering.

I bought the pattern - so I don't have to stress if I miss day 1 of any squares since I have a full time job and have been a caregiver at home once off work. I really only had reliable time on weekends to go online - and spotty time during the week to myself for such things (a bad day for one in the household was a bad day for all).

I have wondered though why you only offer the chart with X's for 24 hours? Since it's already created, is there a reason to time limit it specifically a 24 hour limit? Why not at least a week for people who have especially limited computer/internet/financial/time resources.

As a lefty, the chart is somewhat critical to me to see what to do since otherwise I have to try and figure out how to reverse the written pattern steps if I want mine to look "right" instead of mirrored. I am finding the charts with X's to be essential and refer to the written instructions mostly for double checks. :( I would have LOVED a purchase option for JUST the X charts. Reversing written patterns hurts my brain. :) (I may have just answered my own question in part...)

It's 100% your TCAL and you have every right to be paid for the development time put into it - which I know is a large time and material investment - from pattern (and chart) sales, but it just seems if you have the chart with X's there would be minimal downsides/losses to leaving it up a few days/a week or until the next square posts even to allow people with limited time/resources to grab a copy.

Astrid

Wednesday 15th of February 2023

@Shelley, leider kann ich das heutige Muster für den CAL 23 nicht finden. Steige leider heute neu ein.

Shelley

Monday 13th of February 2023

@Arunima, Thank you - for both your email and response here. I'm also very grateful that you provide videos for lefties. Technology has made the process of learning new techniques in crochet a ton easier than when I first learned to crochet and had to think through 'how do I flip this' myself. I learned right handed crochet then - once proficient enough that way - taught myself left handed with a mirror. This creates an interesting dichotomy as I can still 'mostly' crochet right handed and am now teaching a right handed family member things when she needs help. And I always wonder 'what would happen if I don't flip a work that calls for it and just switch hands instead'...makes for some fun projects.

I'm learning more about adding the X's to a blank chart just in general and it's not as hard (or at all reliant on the written pattern) as I had expected it to be. Mosaic had been 'too daunting to try' for a long time - and I'm kicking myself for not trying sooner as it's much easier than it first appeared. The first square's the hardest - from an utter newbie to mosaic crochet of any kind - not because it's difficult, but because it looks so complex it's easier to think you can't do it. I found that the X chart really did make all the difference in confidence that I was 'getting it right' each step of the way - so I am very grateful you decided to offer those as well as doing a post and video on adding X's if a chart is missing them. I'm not completely sure I'd have been as willing to try mosaic otherwise and that would be a shame because I really enjoyed making my first square - next weekend hopefully I'll do up the 2nd one.

Arunima

Monday 13th of February 2023

Hello Shelley, thank you for stopping by and leaving me a comment. I am glad to hear that you like the CAL so far :)

If you made a purchase, you don't have to come to the website and download the charts at all. I am going to email you and help you figure out how to find all the charts in one place.

About the chart download for 24 hours - I did not intend to offer the chart with X's for free initially but I know that a lot of people cannot afford to purchase the full pattern. So, offering it for 24 hours is a way to provide people an opportunity to download the chart. I know that not everyone is able to download all charts so I also provide a free video that teaches how you can add X's to a chart that doesn't have them. The chart without X's is always available for free on my blog.

You bring up a great point about left handed people, I am sorry that reading a written pattern is hard to read for you. I will keep this in mind for my future patterns and see if I can offer a left handed version as well. I have a left handed child and I understand how difficult it can be, I promise that this is important to me and I will try to do whatever I can to help.

Thank you for being so kind and understanding while explaining yourself, I really appreciate you taking the time to understand why I make certain decisions for my business. I will reach out to you through email directly and make sure you are able to access your purchase.

Nicole

Saturday 4th of February 2023

I might just be missing it, but I can't seem to find the download button for today's square.

Arunima

Monday 6th of February 2023

Hello Nicole, the download button for the first three squares is not available anymore. I offer the free download (of the chart with X's) for 24 hours after the release of a square. You are welcome to save the image without X's and add the X's on your own - I have a free tutorial for it, or use the written instructions. The release schedule is on my main blog post, you could also sign up for my newsletter and get a reminder email every time a square is released.

Mary

Wednesday 18th of January 2023

I have scrolled through the email for an hour and can't find the chart with or without the x's. There isn't a clear indication as to where the charts are. I went to Facebook and pinterest and to Instagram to no avail.