Jump to content
  • 0

help starting "Tunision Shells Baby Blanket" pattern


civitas

Question

I found a pattern in July 2011 Crochet World called Tunision Shells Baby Blanket. It is so pretty I want to make one for my best friend who is pregnant. I'm stuck on the 2nd row - it just doesn't turn out right and I don't know where I went wrong. Here is the start of the pattern:

 

Notes:

Shell - 9dc

work loops off hoook - yo, pull through 1 loop on hook, *yo, pull through 2 loops on hook across, rep from * until 1 lp rem on hook (last lp on hook is first lp of next row)

bind off - insert hook from right to left behind front vertical bar, yo, pull lp through st and through lp on hook

tunisian simple stitch - insert hook from right to left behind front verticasl bay, yo, pull lp through.

 

Row 1: Ch 180, 4 dc in 4th ch from hook (beg 3 sk chs count as first dc) (counts as first half shell), *sk next 3 chs, sc in next ch, sk next 3 chs, **shell in next ch, rep from * across to last ch, ending last rep at **, 5 dc in last ch, turn.

 

Row 2:

Ch 1, *sc in next st, pull up loop in each of next 6 sts (7 loops on hook), work loops off hook;

[sk first vertical bar, tunisian simple st in each of next 5 sts, pull up lp in next st, work lps off hook] 3 times; (1 tunisian square);

ch 1, sk first vertical bar; bind off each of next 5 sts

Repeat from * consecutively 20 times, turn after last 5 bound off sts (21 tunisian squares at end of last row)

 

 

So the first row is a row of shells. Then I started the tunisian square. It looked right when it was done (the first square). Then I got stuck. If I went down to the next dc stitch in the row of shells, it left a gap at the edge of the square I could put my fingers through. That isn't how the picture of the blanket looks (holes in it like that). So how is it I am connecting them wrong? Do I work down the side of the tunision square? That doesn't seem right either. And by my count if I use each of the dc and sc stitches that make up the shells row (220 total) I will end up with just over 31 tunisian squares. So how am I messing this up? If I could just get this row 2 done I could do the entire rest of the pattern! Please help. I can also send any photos of my work if you send me a private message. I don't want to give up on this project so soon. Thanks in advance. ~Christina

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

I will be curious to see other replies, I tried to swatch this (last summer when the mag came out, so it's been a while) and didn't have gaps but it was crazy ruffly. I ended up giving up BUT I keep meaning to come back and try again. Maybe I'll try another swatch tonight...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fixed the gap issue. I was building the squares straight up. I kept working at it last night until i figured out what i was doing wrong. This is my first attempt at Tunision and it is easy and I do like it. However with this pattern I am now having the same problem of not getting it to lay flat. It seems like the squares lay flat and it makes the shells underneath puff up. I am going to try using smaller hook for the shells and larger for the squares and see if that helps. I will let you know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone-

As the designer of the pattern. I'll try to answer the questions that have been asked.

 

In tunisian crochet, every row is worked in 2 passes, the first row is to pick up the loops as indicated, and the 2nd pass is to work the stitches off the hook. In this case, the tunisian square is worked over 4 rows, each having 2 passes.

 

Here's how my instructions were written for Row 2(right side of the project)

 

sc in first dc (loop on hook counts as first loop). [insert hook into next st, pull up a loop and keep on hook]5 times,(you will now have 6 loops on your hook),insert hook into first dc of 9-dc shell, [yo and pull thru 2 loops]6 times, there will be one loop left on hook. The first tunisian row has now been completed. *the loop on the hook counts as your first st, skip the first vertical bar, [insert hook under the next vertical and pull up a loop]5 times, insert hook into next dc of 9-dc shell, [yo and pull thru 2 loops] t times, repeat from * t more times. You will now have 4 rows of vertical bars and a competed tunisian square. After the 4th tunisian row, you will need to bind off. Bind off by inserting hook under the 2nd vertical bar, yo and pull thru vetical bar and loop on hook, bind off the next 4 sts. There will be one loop left on hook, sc in 5th dc of 9-dc shell.

 

As far as the blanket laying flat, don't worry. It will need to be blocked after it's completed.

 

Please let me know if there are any other questions and I'll be glad to answer them.

 

Shari

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Christina, I'm glad you worked it out and got answers from the designer no less!

 

Shari, interesting that your description of the tunisian stitch differs from the magazine. Your description of working off the hook has you start working off the first 2 loops, the mag says 1 loop for the first stitch, 2 loops thereafter. Also a wee question, above you typed "t times", I think the first t should be a 6 and the second a 2, correct?

 

After swatching last night I figured out why I was having the ruffling/puckering problem. My second iteration of rows 1 and 2 lays perfectly flat, the first set had a problem because the 9 stitch shell made a 3/4" hole in my starting chain (I was using larger hook & yarn than pattern called for, suffice it to say it made the shell 1/3 bigger than it should have been). The second set of shells had almost no hole. This just may just be 'me and my funky chain technique' but I think I'd personally start with a foundation row of straight sc to give a firmer foundation for the shells.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, once the pattern leaves my hands, it goes thru numerous other hands such as the tech editor (they're usually pretty good) and then sent on to someone else to type out pattern. The designer almost never sees the final proof of the instructions.

 

If anyone else has any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

 

Shari White

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. My foundation chain also has very large holes where the shells are made. I may try that row of sc to see if it helps.

 

Shari - this pattern is wonderful! Thanks so much for creating it. I showed it to someone at work and she wants me to show her how to work the pattern so she can make one, too. I am a prosecutor in Illinois and in my office (between the attorneys and support staff) there always seems to be 2 or more people at a time expecting babies. There must be something in the water here....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just swatched this again with the sc first row. It works to reduce the shell gap and the puckering, BUT I decided to add the border to my swatch and the sc row interferes with the border. :sigh

 

I didn't completely re-swatch again, BUT I did just an experiment to put the shell stitches under/into 2 loops of the chain, which is something I normally never do. [i was taught to use the top loop of the chain only, then later discovered the back bump loop] It seems to work....

 

Also, doing the tunisian square the way Shari described, versus the magazine's version, made a big difference. No wonder I was having stitch count issues!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For some reason I ended up with 22 squares, not 21. I guess I need to go back and check my numbers again. Although I may just go with the 22 and keep working. It doesn't seem to interfere with the pattern.

 

How does the row of sc interfere with the border? I really liked that idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It might be something just the crocheter would notice.

 

The border's first row completes the shells all the way around; you make shells into the same stitch as the corresponding cluster. On all but the sc row, that stitch is right at the edge, but in the sc row, that stitch is 1 row away from you. I could have 'reached over' the sc row but I thought that would make too big of a hole. Instead I got a double hole. In the pic, the sc row is at the bottom.

 

Not sure why I had such a big hole on the right side. :think FYI I simplified the last row of the border a bit by subbing a chain st. for the picots and subbing a dc (into the sc between shells) for the chain stitch.

post-13625-13589773653_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yay!  Glad to have contributed to the help you got here.  I had originally attempted it for a wedding present for my nephew and gave up...but a couple of years later came back to it, with my notes & the suggestions here, successfully turned out a baby blanket for their daughter :hook  It's a really pretty pattern. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...