Welcome to the 9th square of the Tunisian Blanket CAL of 2023!!
Each square consists of a mosaic pattern in the center with a mosaic frame around it.
We will start with some easy patterns, and then explore some more complex ones.
There will be repeating and non-repeating patterns in this CAL and I hope you will enjoy making all of them!
Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links – please see my affiliate disclosure for details.
Tunisian Blanket CAL 2023 Details
This is going to be a free mystery CAL where one 10″ x 10″ square will be released every 2 weeks – at 10 AM Central Time on alternate Wednesdays. Each square will be made with a different mosaic pattern. Visit the main CAL blog post for the full schedule.
The last square and border pattern will be released right before Thanksgiving so that you can use the holidays to work on joining your squares and completing your blanket!
The written instructions along with the charts (without X’s) will be available for free on the blog.
You will be able to download the chart with X’s on the day of the release only – for 24 hours starting 10 AM Central Time.
To make sure you don’t miss a block or miss the window to download the free chart, sign up for my newsletter and I will send you a reminder every time a new block is released!
Pattern
Scroll down 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.
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
*All videos will be in English with an option to auto-translate captions to any other language supported by YouTube.
Technique and Difficulty
Squares – Beginner
The squares in this blanket are beginner friendly. There are only two stitches you need to know.
Border – Intermediate
The border in this blanket will be worked in a round. If you are not comfortable with working in a round, you can skip the mosaic border and make any border of your choice.
This is going to be a very slow paced CAL so you will have plenty of time to learn the stitches and to make your squares. I have a Facebook group where you can find some amazing people who love to learn and support each other! There, you can also see photos of the squares made by the participants of the previous CALs for inspiration 🙂
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.
Size
The size of the squares will depend on the yarn you picked. The measurements here are based on the gauge mentioned in the pattern. Each square measures 10” (25.5 cms).
There are multiple possibilities of putting these squares together:
- 6 squares x 4 squares – makes a 5’ x 3.5’ afghan or throw
- 5 squares x 5 squares – makes a 4’ x 4’ blanket
- Use them individually as dish cloths
- Add more squares to make a larger blanket – you can pick some from my earlier blanket CALs (you will have 75 squares to choose from!) – 2020, 2021, 2022!
A border is added to the blanket after the squares are joined. You can choose to add a border or skip it, keep in mind that adding a border will increase the size of the blanket.
My mosaic border is 3.25” (8 cms) wide and the size of my blanket is 4.75’ x 4.75’.
Gauge
8 rows of 8 stitches is a 2” square.
Use the following pattern to make the gauge swatch:
Row 1 (FR): Chain 8, make the foundation row stitches in the back loops of the chain.
Row 2: fs, 6 tss, ls.
Row 3: fs, 2 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.
Row 4: fs, 3 tss, etss, 2 tss, ls.
Row 5: fs, 4 tss, etss, tss, ls.
Row 6: fs, etss, 4 tss, etss, ls.
Row 7: fs, tss, etss, 4 tss, ls.
Row 8: fs, 2 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.
BOR: fs, 6 tss, ls.
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.
If your gauge swatch is smaller, go up a hook size. If it is larger, you can try going down a hook size but be sure to use a hook that is at least 2 sizes larger than the one recommended for the yarn you are using – this is to avoid curling.
Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- fs – First Stitch – Skip the first vertical bar of the previous row (the one right under the one on the hook). The loop on the hook will count as the first stitch for every row.
- ls – Last Stitch – Pick up the two vertical bars of the last stitch of the previous row, yarn over, pull through both the vertical bars into a loop on the hook.
- tss – Tunisian Simple Stitch– Insert hook in the vertical bar, yarn over, pull up a loop on the hook.
- etss – Front Post Extended Tunisian Simple Stitch – Locate the stitch that’s two rows below the next stitch. Pick up the two vertical bars (front and back bars) from above the return pass chain, yarn over, pull through, chain 1.
- FR – Foundation Row
- BOR – Bind off Row
What you will need
Yarn
You can use any yarn to make this blanket. I recommend using at least two contrasting colors because that will make the pattern pop.
I used Stylecraft Special DK yarn in colors:
- Silver – 2250 yards / 2000 m / 24 oz / 700 gm (7 skeins)
- White – 1600 yds / 1475 m / 17 oz / 500 gm (5 skeins)
The yardage above includes approximately 1000 yards for a 11 row border.
This is a great pattern to use up your scraps too! You could purchase the base color (C1) and use yarn from your stash as the other color (C2) for different squares.
My mosaic border is 3.25” (8 cms) wide and the size of my blanket is 4.75’ x 4.75’.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PATTERN ON RAVELRY*
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
Hook
Pick a hook that is compatible with the yarn you chose. I usually make a gauge swatch with a few different hooks before I pick one. The gauge swatch will give you a good idea of how the fabric will work up and if you would like it to be more or less drapey. I used a 6 mm (J-10) Tunisian crochet hook for making my squares and the border. I used a 5.5 mm (I-9) crochet hook to join the squares.
For making the border, I used a double ended hook – 6 mm (J-10) hook for the forward pass and 5.5 mm (I-9) hook for the reverse pass. I built my double ended hook by joining two hooks with a cable from my Denise interchangeable crochet hook set.
I used my Denise2Go 2 hook set to make my blanket.
Blocking Supplies
A blocking mat and, depending on the material of the yarn you choose, you will need some other blocking supplies. I used my KnitIQ crochet blocking mats to block my squares.
Other notions
Here are a few more notions that you will need to make your blanket:
- Scissors to cut yarn
- Tapestry needle to weave in tails
- Measuring tape
Colors
C1: Silver
C2: White
Resources
- Stitch tutorials for Tunisian Mosaic Crochet
- How to change color at the beginning of a Forward Pass
- How to make a Foundation Row
- How to bind off and end a project
- Tunisian Crochet Hooks
- How to block a crochet project
Video Tutorials
Tunisian Mosaic Crochet Stitches (Right handed)
Tunisian Mosaic Crochet Stitches (Left handed)
How to read a Tunisian Mosaic Crochet Chart
How to add X’s to a Tunisian Mosaic Crochet Chart
SKIP THE ADS AND GET THE EBOOK AND COURSE*
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
General Information
The square in the center is the mosaic pattern that will change in every block. There is a frame around the center square that is the same for all the squares.
It is possible to make all the squares from the charts only. The charts are worked from right to left, bottom to top. However, left handed people will get a mirror image of the pattern if they follow the instructions this way. Left handed people can read the charts from left to right to get the exact same square.
We change color after every row. Each row is worked with only one color, we do not change color in the middle of any row. The pattern is created by making extended stitches that are worked over the stitches from the previous row.
I recommend using two contrasting colors or if you are using color changing yarn, plan your squares such that the two colors you are working with are different enough for the pattern to pop.
I recommend blocking your squares before joining, it brings them all to the same size and shape and that makes it so much easier to join them!
Pattern Notes
Row 1 is the Foundation Row for all the squares in this pattern.
The written instructions are only for the forward pass. The return pass for every row is the same:
ch1, (yo, pull through two loops)* until one loop remains on the hook.
There is no return pass for the bind off row (BOR).
Work all odd numbered rows and the BOR with color C1 and all even numbered rows with color C2.
Pattern Repeats
All stitches are made in the next available stitch unless mentioned otherwise.
Repeats are mentioned in this pattern in three different ways:
- 3 tss ->
tss in the next 3 stitches - (tss, etss) * 2 -> tss, etss, tss, etss
- [tss, (tss, etss) * 2] * 2 ->
[tss, tss, etss, tss, etss] * 2 ->
tss, tss, etss, tss, etss, tss, tss, etss, tss, etss
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE EBOOK AND COURSE*
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
How to read the charts
The following instructions are for charts that contain X’s to indicate the front post extended simple stitches. If the chart you are using does not contain X’s, please see the video tutorial above to find out how you can add them to your chart.
An empty square indicates a Tunisian Simple Stitch that is worked in a stitch from the previous row.
A square with an ‘X’ indicates an Extended Tunisian Simple Stitch that is worked in a stitch from two rows before the current row.
A square with an ‘E’ indicates an edge stitch and is either a last stitch or a first stitch depending on which side you start working on the graph from. The edge stitches are a part of the pattern so you always start with 43 stitches (41 pattern stitches and 2 edge stitches) in your foundation row.
The black and white squares are not a part of the pattern, they indicate that one color is used for the entire row and that we change color after every row.
Every square is made up of 43 stitches and 41 rows. The vertical repeats are separated by red lines and the horizontal repeats are separated by blue lines.
The pattern is colored into the chart to show you what to expect after you complete your square. Please keep in mind that you do not have to make any color changes on any row, all you need to do is to check if there is a ‘X’ in the block or not and make the corresponding stitch.
Foundation and Bind Off rows
Row 1 is the Foundation Row for all the squares in this pattern. Start with chain 43 and then make the foundation row stitches in the back loops of the chain.
The Bind Off Row is not shown in the charts. After completing Row 41, make a row of Tunisian Simple Stitches and make a slip stitch every time you pick up a loop on your hook. Fasten off and weave in ends.
SKIP THE ADS AND GET THE EBOOK*
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
Instructions
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, (5 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss) * 2, 5 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.
Row 11: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (6 tss, 3 etss, tss) * 2, 6 tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.
Row 12: Repeat Row 10.
Row 13: fs, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, (etss, 3 tss, etss, 5 tss) * 2, etss, 3 tss, etss, tss, 3 etss, tss, 3 etss, ls.
Row 14: fs, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, (tss, 3 etss, 6 tss) * 2, tss, 3 etss, tss, etss, 3 tss, etss, 3 tss, ls.
Row 15: Repeat Row 13.
Rows 16 – 33: Repeat Rows 10 to 15.
Rows 34 – 41: Repeat rows 10 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.
SKIP THE ADS AND GET THE EBOOK*
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
Front and Back of the Square
How to follow the CAL
You can follow this CAL on my website or on my social media. Here are some helpful links that you can use to keep track of the CAL:
- Pinterest – Follow this Pinterest board for all the squares in this CAL.
- Facebook Group – If you would like to connect with other people who are participating in this CAL, join my KnitterKnotter Hangout group on Facebook. This CAL, along with any future CALs, pattern releases, giveaways and anything else I would like to share can be found there. It is a great place to share your progress and to ask questions. The group is very focused on learning and everyone there is amazing at helping each other out! I request that you respect the rules of the group while posting.
- Instagram – You can follow me to get updates there and if you choose to share photos of your project, please use the tags @knitterknotter and #knitterknotter so that I can find them!
- Email – If you haven’t already done so, you can subscribe to my newsletter to get all important updates of this CAL.
- Purchase the Ebook* or the Ebook & Course* – scroll up to find all the details.
*This is a mystery CAL so, if you make a purchase, you will NOT receive all the patterns at once. You will receive a new pattern every 2 weeks as the squares are released in the CAL.
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!