The last block Matilda is the most difficult one. It is worked in rows starting from one corner and uses two colors in several rows.
MATERIALS
Rialto DK by Debbie Bliss, 100% wool, 105 m per 50 g skein, in shades Ecru, Citrus, Navy, and Pool
Regular crochet hook 4mm
Yarn needle to weave in ends
FINISHED SIZE
15 cm x 15 cm
ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMS)
C – color, ch(s) – chain(s), RetP – return pass, sl st – slip stitch, sp(s) – space(s), st(s) – stitch(es), Tss – Tunisian simple stitch, YO – yarn over
INSTRUCTIONS
START (Beginning Square)
With ะก1, ch 5.
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook and working in back ridge (bump) of chains, pull up 4 loops (5 loops on hook). RetP: YO and draw through 1 loop on hook, *YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, repeat from * across, leave last loop on hook.
Rows 2–3: Tss in next 4 sts, RetP.
Bind off: Sl st in next 4 sts.
Cut yarn and fasten off.
SECOND ROW OF SQUARES
First Square (Top Square)
With C1, join yarn in last ch of starting ch-5. Ch 4.
Row 1: Working in back ridge (bump), pull up 3 loops across ch and 1 loop from 1st border st (5 loops on hook). RetP (for this and all remaining squares except Last Squares): *YO, draw through 2 loops on hook, repeat from * across, leave last loop on hook.
Rows 2-3: Tss in next 3 sts, pull up 1 loop from next border st (5 loops on hook), RetP.
Bind off: Sl st in next 3 sts, sl st in last border st used.
Last Square
Row 1: Pull up 4 loops from next edge (5 loops on hook). RetP (for this and all remaining Last Squares only): YO and draw through 1 loop on hook, *YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, repeat from * across, leave last loop on hook.
Rows 2–3: Tss in next 4 sts, RetP.
Bind off: Sl st in next 4 sts.
Cut yarn and fasten off.
THIRD ROW OF SQUARES
With C2, join yarn in last ch of starting ch-4. Repeat Top Square instructions.
Second square (Corner Square)
Row 1: Pull up 3 loops across next edge and 1 loop from first border st of next square, RetP.
Rows 2-3: Tss in next 3 sts, pull up 1 loop from next border st, RetP.
Bind off.
Do not cut yarn.
Last Square
Repeat Last Square instructions.
FOURTH ROW OF SQUARES
With C1, work one Top Square, two Corner Squares and finish with Last Square. Cut yarn and fasten off.
ROWS 5-7
With C1 (for Rows 5 and 7) and C2 (for Row 6), repeat Fourth Row instructions, working 3 (4, 5) Corner Squares for 5 (6, 7) squares in total.
ROWS 8-9 (BEGIN DECREASING)
With C1 (for Row 8) and C3 (for Row 9), pull up a loop from left border st of the first square of the previous row. Work 6 (5) Corner Squares per row in total.
ROW 10
With C3, pull up a loop from left border st of the first square of the previous row. Work one Corner Square. Do not cut yarn. Join C2 by pulling a loop through the loop on hook. Tighten C1 loop. With C2 and working over C3 yarn (to bring it closer to its next starting point), work two Corner Squares. Switch to C3 and work one Corner Square.
ROW 11
Repeat Row 10 instructions, working first and last Corner Square in C3 and second Corner Square in C1 for three Corner Squares in total.
ROWS 12-13
With C2 (C3), work 2 (1) Corner Squares.
LAYOUT DIAGRAMS (3x3 motifs)
1. Original motif layout (left). It turns out not very good because the flowers merge with the yellow stripes.
2. The solution is to change the color of that row (right).
3. You can also use a contrast color for the flowers (left).
4. Another option is to turn and rotate motifs and create another spectacular geometric pattern (right).
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Happy crocheting!
Links: Tunisian Entrelac Motifs
