Entrelac Shawl 3k4t36

Tunisian crochet entrelac shawl

A few years ago I had a love affair with tunisian crochet. I experimented with the entre-lac tecnique and wondered if it was possible to crochet af shawl by starting at the point of the shawl and going upwards toward the widest part (at the neck). Yarn: if you want to use selfstriping yarn it is best to use yarn with long stripes of color, preferably with smooth transitions from one colour to the next. For this shawl I used Kauni 8/2 multi (effect yarn), but any yarn with long stripes or gradually changing colours, I could suggest

Scheepjes Whirl, Mayflower 3 or 4 or Lang Yarn Puno. For the edging I would recommend using one colour, preferably one that coordinates with the colours that the body of the shawl is crocheted in. I used Kauni 8/2 solids. Amount: for the body of the shawl I used 260 g. Kauni 8/2 multi and for the edge 80 g of Kauni 8/2 solids. If you want to be sure to have enough yarn I wil recommend that you by a little bit more than this, as my weights are based on weighing of the finished shawl. Kauni has a 100 g yardage of 400m Hook: it is best to use a hook that has the same thickness along the whole hook (no shaft on it). A good length is around 12-15 cm, so it is not nessecary to put on a wire if you have a hook that can do that. For me the best length is 15 cm, but that is individually what you prefer. The size of the hook must be 1 mm bigger than you would normally use to knit the same yarn. On Kauni yarn it says 3.00 mm hook, so I used a 4.00 mm hook. Gauge: 15 stitches + edge stitch, and 13 rows gave me a square that messured 10 cm diagonally. You will have to use the number of stitches and rows that give you a square of the same size. Look at the end of this pattern where I explain how I came to my number of stitches and rows. Look under swatch. Size: about 150 cm at the top and ca. 80 cm deep. Abreviations: Ch – chain Tss – Tunisian simple stitch Ss – slip stitch

Sc – single crochet Dc – double crochet Hdc – half double crochet Dec – decrease ( in sc make themyourpreferred way, in tunisian described below) Rw - row Dbr - double row Rd - round Yo - yarn over Bo - bind off Tct - tunisian crochet together (described below) Les - left edge stitch ( described below) Fwdr1 - forward row 1 Fwdr2 - forward row 2 Bwdr1 - backward row 1 Bwdr2 - backward row 2 Picot - ch3, ss in fist ch Crochet technique: you will crochet in tunisian crochet in tss. 1 rw is made up of 1 forward row and 1 backward row. How to start tunisian crochet: ch the given number. You will pick up stitches from each ch, starting in the 2ʼnd ch from hook. Pick up the stitches from the bump at the back of the ch. *put the hook through the bump, yo and pull through a loop*, repeat from * to * untill you have used all the ch and your hook will be full of loops. This is the bumps you will pick up stitches through. This way you will get a nice edge, which will make esier when crocheting the edge of the shawl.

Bwdr1: yo and pull through 1 loop on hook (you are actually doing a ch), *yo and pull through 2 loops on hook*. Repeat from * to * unt il you have 1 loop on the hook. Now you will make a Fwdr1: pick up loops by putting the hook horisontally through the vertical loops/ridges of yarn, yo and pull through. Do that with all the vertical loops/ridges until you have used all the vertical loops/ridges. You will have the ch that you started the bwdr1 with left. Now you will do a les - put the hook into the ch in such a way, that the front and the back loop of the ch can be seen as 2 loops to the left of the hook. Yo and pull through

Bwdr1: as described - yo pull through 1 loop ( take care that this ch isn't too tight), * yo pull through 2 loops* , repat from * to * until 1 loop remain on hook. Bwdr1 is used when you crochet the bottom square( where the tip of the shawl is) and afterwards in the last square in each row of squares. In the other squares you will use. Bwdr2: * yo, pull through 2 loops* , repeat from * to * until 1 loop remains on hook.

When making a start-square or a middle-square you will use fwdr2 which is described below. Fwdr1/fwdr2 followed by bwdr1/bwdr2 is repeated. 1 fwdr and 1 bwdr is one row of tss. When you bind off you stick the hook under the vertical ridge/loop in the stitch that you would normally start the next rw with. Yo pull through the ridge/loop and further through the loop on the hook. Do that with all the stitches ( and also in the last ch), cut yarn and pull through the loop onthe hook to close. The shawl is crocheted from the tip of the shawl and upward towards the widest part at the neck. The shawl is then finished off with a crocheted border consisting of sc, V- stitches and picots. The shawl is composed of squares where you start at the bottom square. Afterwards you will crochet rows of squares with 1 aditional square for each row until you have 14 squares in the row. After this you crochet a row with triangles (15 of them) and then the border. The rows of squares consists os start-square, middle-square and an end-square. Row 1: (consist of 1 square) Bottom square: ch 17, pick up loops from the bump on the back of the ch. Start with the 2ʼnd ch - 17 loops on hook. After that do the bwdr1 ( to first pull through 1 loop and after that through 2 loops the rest of the row). Continue with fwdr1 and bwdr1 until you have done 13 rws. Bind off as described, cut yarn and pull through loop on hook Row 2: (consists of 2 squares) Start-square: make a ss in the lower right corner, in the stitch where

you started to pick up loops from the ch. Ch 17 and pick up loops as described, start with the 2'nd ch from hook. Continue to pick up loops until 1 ch remains - 16 loops on hook. Put the hook through the square that has already been crocheted. You will put the hook into and trought the first rw of the ading square, preferably a bit close to the first vertical loop/ridge to minimize the risk of a hole. (The first ch is tightened by pulling the loose end).

Yo and pull through - 17 loops on hook. Now you will use the bwdr2 (yo pull through 2 loops until you have 1 loop left on the hook). After that use

Fwdr2: pick up loops as described from all the vertical loops/ridges. The last loop is picked up by going through both loops at the edge of the ading square (see picture) - 17 loops on the hook.

Continue with fwdr2 followed by bwdr2 until you have done 13 complete rws and have "used" all the rws from the ading square. Now you will bind off: put the hook through the first vertical loop/ridge, yo, pull trhough and further through loop on hook. Continue until you have used the last vertical loop/ridge. Now you will put the hook through the samme stitch/hole as you did at

the end of the last fwrdr2 (see picture), yo and pull through and through the loop on the hook.

Now you are ready to start the next square, and in square-row number 2 that is a End-square: you start the square by picking up loops from the boundoff stitches, of the square you have been crocheting into at the end of the fwdr2 (in this case the bound off stitches from the bottom square). Put the hook through the bound off stitch, yo pull through. Do that through to the end, the last loop is picked up from the edge stitch - 17 loops on the hook. Now you use bwdr1 and continue with fwdr followed

by bwdr 1 until you have done 13 complete rws. Bind off and cut yarn and pull through the loop to close. Row 3: (consists of 3 squares) 1 start-square as described above. Now comes the first Middle-square: pick up loops by going through the bound-off stitches on he square you have just crocheted into at the end of the fwrdr, as described in the end-square. The last stitch is picked up from the ading square as described in the start-square - 17 loops on the hook. Use bwdr2 and after that fwdr2 followed by bwdr2 until you have 13 rws. Middle-square is bound off int the same way as the startsquare. Row 3 is finished with a end-square. Row 4-14: Continue in rows that start with a start-square and ends with a endsquare incorporating a rising number of middle-squares. After 14 rows of squares you get the top edge straight by crocheting a row of triangles. Start-triangle: you start in the same way as the start-square but with 16 ch. Pick up loops, start in the 2ʼnd ch and stop when there is 1 ch left - 15 loops on the hook. The last loop is picked up from the first rw in the ading square like in the start-square - 16 loops on the hook. After that do a bwdr2. On the next row you will start decreasing. You do that by skipping the first vertical loop/ridge when picking up loops on the

fwdr. Except from skipping the first vertical loop/ridge the fwdr is like fwdr2 and the bwdr is like bwdr2. Continue skipping the first vertical loop/ridge and otherwise like fwdr2 followed by bwdr2 until there are 2 vertical loops/ridges on the row. You have now used all the rows from the ading square. Pick up a loop from the 2ʼnd vertical loop/ridge and the last loop is picked up from the first bound-off stitch of the ading square.

Yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through the last 2 loops.

Do a hdc or a dc ( try and see what gives the best transition from one triangle to the next) in the same stitch as you finished he last fwdr crocheting into (the first of the bound-off stitches of the ading square). Now start the middle-triangle: pick up stitches from the bound-off stitches of the ading square - 15 loops on the hook, the last loop is picked up in the same way as in the middle-square/fwdr2 16 loops on the hook. After that do bwdr2. Continue as the start triangle. Do middle-triangles until you reach the last triangle where the fwdr ends the same way as in the end-square ( with a les). Darn in all the ends! Now it is time for the border. The border looks nicest if it is done in a single colour that coordinates with the colours of the main body of the shawl. I chose a solid colour Kauni 8/2. The edge is composed of 3 parts. First you crochet 1 rd of sc, followed by rds of V-stitches and then a rd of picots. The shawl os finished with 2 rds of surface/overlay crochet. Part 1 of the border: The to shorter edges of the shawl has different number of stitches because the squares are 15 stitches wide and 13 rows high. You fix that, when crocheting along the edge where the endsquares are (you crochet sc into the rws, 1 sc in every rw), you crochet an extra sc in the space between the rows of squares. When crocheting along the edge where the start-squares are, you make a decrease in each row of squares. This way you wil get the same number of stitches on each of

the short sides of the shawl. Before you go further check that you have the same number of stitches on each of the short sides of the shawl. If you don't, the edge will be assymmetric when doing the V-stitches. Start the rd of sc around the middle of the widest part of the shawl (at the neck). Start with a ss, ch 1, sc in the next stitch and in every following stitch until you reach the first corner In the corner crochet sc + ch2 + sc in the same cornerstitch. This is the first corner made. Continue with 1 sc in every stitch on the edge until you reach the space between the rows of squares. You have crocheted 13 sc inclusive the last sc in the corner. Do an extra sc in the space between the rws of squares.

Continue with 1 sc in every stitch and 1 extra sc between rows of squares until you reach the tip of the shawl. The tip/corner is crocheted in the last ch that you picked loops from in the bottom square. Crochet 3 sc in this corner stitch. On the next side, where you crochet sc into the edge of the start squares, the last 2 sc of every square is crocheted together ( you make a dcrease) so that you will get 14 sc on the edge of each square.

The last 2 stitches is crocheted together. On the last square - actually a triangle you wil crochet the 3'rd last and 2'nd last stitches together. That way you can crochet sc + ch2 + sc in the corner stitch Continue with 1 sc in every stitch until the rd is over. Sow the rd together with an invisible . Darn the ends. Second part of the edge: Now you will start the V-stitches. Start by making a ss in the left corner ch2 space, you will crochet along the side with the end-squares. Ch4 and do a dc in the same ch2 space. In the next stitch (the last sc in the corner) do a dc + ch1 + dc in the same stitch ( a V-stitch).

*skip 2 sc, V-stitch in he next sc*, repeat from * to * down towards the tip of the shawl. When approaching the tip of the shawl make sure, that when you have done the last V-stitch before the 3 sc at the tip, you have 1 or 2 sc between the last V-stitch and the the first of the 3 tip stitches. If you don't have that, you can fix this by having 1 sc more or less between some of the last V-stitches before the tip. In my case I had 1 sc before the corner stitches which was just fine. to do the same adjustments on your way back up the other side of the shawl, so that the V-stitches match. Skip 1 (or 2) sc and do a V-stitch in each of the 3 stitches at the tip.

After that you continue with V-stitches in the same way up the edge with start-squares as you did down the edge with end-squares. In my case I skipped 1 sc before starting the V-stitches on the new side edge. The edge with start-squares end the same way as the edge with endsquares started. That is, when there is 3 sc before the ch2 space in the corner, you will skip 2sc, v-stitch n the next sc (the first sc in the corner) and a V-stitch in the ch2 space. Now you will crochet along the upper wide edge of the shawl. This top edge is done in sc: ch1, sc in the top of the last dc in the V-stitch that you have just crocheted, 2 sc around the post of that same dc, 1 sc in the ch2 space in the corner and after that 1 sc in every sc along the top wide edge of the shawl.

When you reach the corner where you started the V-stitch border: sc in the ch2 space in the corner, 3 sc around the ch4 you started the rd with.

2'nd round with V-stitches: Ch4, V-stitch in the first V-stitch of the first rd of V-stitches (around the center ch in the V), the right leg of that V has 3 sc around it. After that: * 1 V-stitch in the middle of the next V-stitch*,

repeat from * to * until you reach the 3 V-stitches at the tip of the

shawl. At the tip of the shawl: V-stitch in the first V-stitch, in the centre Vstitch crochet (V-stitch + ch2 + V-stitch) in the same V-stitch. V-stitch in the last V-stitch.

Continue with V-stitch in every V-stitch along the side with startsquares. When you are 2 V-stitches from the corner (the last leg of the last Vstitch have scs around the leg) : V-stitch in each of the 2 V-stitches, ch1, dc in the top sc of the scs aound the left leg of the last V-stitch.

Next you will crochet sc along the top border of the shawl: ch1, sc in the top of the dc you have just made, 2 sc around the post of that same dc. After that sc in every sc towards the other corner. At the end you crochet 3 sc around the ch4 you started the rd with. Continue with rounds of V-stitches along the 2 short side edges and sc along the top edge of the shawl. How many rds of V-stitches you crochet is up to you. I found that 4 rds looked right for me. Picots:

Picot and sc in the first space on this round (the same ch4 space that have just done 3 sc in. After that: * sc + picot + sc in the next V-stitch *, repeat from * to * down towards the tip of the shawl.

At the tip of the shawl where you have V-stitch + ch2 + V-stitch, repeat from * to * in the first V-stitch, aound the ch2 and in the last V-stitch at the tip.

After that: repeat from * to * upwards from the tip towards the last corner. The picot rd is finished when you reach the next corner, that is you will not crochet sc along the wide edge at the neck. Cut yarn and darn the ends. Surface/overlay crochet: The transition from tunisian entrelac and the start of the border can be a bit uneven in the first rd of sc. To even this out you can do 2 rds of surface crochet.

The first rd of surface crochet is done in the same stitches as you crocheted the first rd of sc into.

The second rd is crocheted into the first rd of sc.

Put the hook through the shawl from the front to the back and pull through a loop to the front. * stick the hook through the next stitch from front to back and pull through a loop to the front and pull this loop through the loop on hook*. This is your first surface crochet stitch. Repeat from * to * all the way around. At the end you will have to sow the rd together for a nice finish. The first rd of surface crochet.

In the corners you crochet so it fits with the stitches. The finished sample with 2 rds of surface crochet.

Cut yarn and darn the ends. Wash and block the shawl. Gauge: If you cannot get the gauge to fit you can do as I did when I first contemplated crocheting this shawl. I wanted the shawl to messure 150cm at the upper part. If each square is 10 cm diagonally, 15 squares along this border would be appropriate. Swatch: You will have to figure out the number of stitches and number of rows that will result in a square that messures 10 cm diagonally.

You can calculate the numbers using the formula: a2+b2= c2. C is the distance from one corner to the other corner diagonally opposite ( 10 cm), A and B is the 2 sides of the the square. Because the square has sides that are equal in length, A and B are the same number. If you do the math you will find, that the sides of the square should be anout 7 cm. Try and crochet a bottom square and figure out how many stitches you will need for to get 7 cm in width ( the les stitch at the end). After that crochet back and forth until it messures 7 cm in height.

Now you have a square, to check that it messures 10 cm diagonally.

Happy hooking Gunvor