This three color large strawberry square is a great way to practice Tunisian Crochet stranded color work. Grab 3 colors and your 5.5mm tunisian hook and let’s get started.
Inspiration & Design
I started my tunisian crochet journey in 2023 with Toni’s Pilson Blanket. Since I absolutely enjoyed the rhythm of it and making a blanket I naturally followed it by starting a garment. You saw the evergreen tank in the “affirmations vlog” Then a little seed took root. ” If you enjoy stitching Tunisian, would you enjoy Tunisian color work?”
Again I went to Toni’s YouTube and after seeing the Tunisian simple colorwork went, YES. But what to stitch? I had two thoughts in mind, Whimsy, but make it practical. After two hours of scouring pinterest I was still undecided. Until, when cooking, I found nary a hot pad in sight!
Et voila, I decided to stitch myself up a hot pad/ large strawberry square. This of course to match my recently completed whimsical oven mitt.
The Yarn
As I want to use this large strawberry square as either as coaster or a hot pad I went for 100% cotton yarn. Of course I went with some strawberry color classics. White for the background, red for my strawberry, and green for the leaf topper. These 100g will be enough to crochet 5 of these large square motifs.
- Honeydew – leafy top
- Fiesta Red – strawberry
- Swan – background
For the little seeds I actually used embroidery floss, all six strands in a gold/yellow color (833).
Can I make this large strawberry square?
My answer is of course yes! You can make anything you set your mind to!
Before we dive into how I crocheted my own. Familiarize yourself with the Tunisian simple stitch and stranded colorwork. I followed this tutorial from Toni of tl yarn crafts.
In addition to the tunisian simple stitch, I also use foundation simple crochet to start the project and the optional border is done using scV stitches
Full Description of Pattern
This Tunisian Crochet Large Strawberry Square is the perfect addition to your gingham blanket or your whimsical kitchen.
Large Strawberry Square in Tunisian Crochet
Skill Level – Intermediate
- we are changing colors
- stitching from a chart
Materials
- 100g of Snow or your chosen main color. These 100g should be enough to crochet at least 3 large coasters
- 100g of Fiesta Red
- 100g of Honeydew – 15 g for the green topper, without using this color for the border.
The yarn amounts listed may be more depending on which color you make your border in.
- 5.5mm tunisian hook, or an aluminum crochet hook with a stopper at the end so your stitches don’t fall off
- 5mm traditional crochet hook for the optional border
- Small amount of embroidery thread for the seeds
- Embroidery needle and yarn needle
Finished Size
With border after steaming 7” wide x 7.25” tall.
Abbreviations
- sl st
- YO – yarn over
- Fsc – foundation single crochet
- vb – vertical bar
- hb – horizontal bar
- FwdP – Forward Pass
- RtnP – Return Pass
- Tss – Tunisian Simple Stitch
- MC – main color
- CC1 – contrasting color 1
- CC2 – Contrasting color 2
Notes
- For this pattern you need to be comfortable with the tunisian simple stitch as well as color changes. If you are not comfortable with either one of these, please find a tutorial that works for you before proceeding with the written instructions.
- when working your forward pass, the loop on your hook counts as the first stitch (indicated as a circle in the chart)
- the last stitch is made through the two end loops (vertical bars) also indicated as a circle in the chart.
- Each row in the chart stands for the Forward and Return Pass.
- When working colorwork remember to catch your non working yarn at least every 3sts.
Large Strawberry Square in Tunisian Crochet
ROW 1: With MC and your 5mm hook, Fsc 23, turn switch to 5.5mm Tunisian crochet hook and pull up a loop in each st, total loops on hook 24 then complete a RtnP.
Rows 2 to 20 – Work the chart below completely in Tss using the stranded colorwork technique, changing color as shown. Rows begin on the right edge and are worked from the bottom up. White squares represent MC; red squares represent CC1, and green squares CC2. The last stitch of the row is always worked as indicated in the notes section.
Written Instruction example Row 5
Forward Pass: Starting in the 2nd vb, *insert your hook, pull up a loop in your MC (white); rep from * 8 more times, there should be 10 white loops on the hook, [ insert your hook into the next vb and pull up a loop in the CC1 (red) ] x 4, insert your hook into the next vb and pull up a loop in white until you work the last st of the row, see notes for this last st. We should have 24 loops on the hook.
Return Pass: With your MC – YO, pull through 1 loop, YO pull through 2 loops until you have 1 white loop rem on the hook and your next loop is a red, switch to your CC1, YO pull through in the CC1 until you have 1 CC loop left on the hook, switch to your MC, YO pull through 2 until you have 1 loop left on the hook.
After you’ve completed, row 20 of the chart, *Insert your hook into the vb, YO pull through loop on the hook (sl st); rep from * until all vertical bars have been worked into. Cut yarn leaving a long enough tail to weave in and fasten off.
If you decide to stop here, weave in all your ends. Then either steam block or wet block your large strawberry coaster.
I think this square would make a lovely join as you go checkered blanket, like the Pilson blanket.
Optional Border
With right side facing, attach yarn to the top right corner of the large strawberry coaster, sc in this space.
Then, [ *sk1, scV, sk2, scV; rep from * until 2 sts rem in the row, sk1, ScV inc in the next space ], rotate 90 degrees so that you are now working down the side, rep instructions in [ ] 2 more times We should only have one side remaining. Distribute 8scv’s as evenly as possible so that we only have 1 st remaining at the end of the row. Skip the last st, into the same st as our beg sc, (sc, ch2, sc, ch2 ) sl st to the first sc to join the round.
Adding details
You can add some “seeds” with embroidery thread in gold.
Line the oversized coaster with some fabric for extra whimsy and heat protection if using as a hot pad.
- Cut a square of fabric that is at least 8 x 8”. You want your fabric piece larger than your square so you can account for the seam allowance. Machine stitch your seams.
- Lay your coaster and fabric wrong sides facing and hand stitch the fabric to the last row of tunisian stitches, leaving the crochet border free.
Turning your coaster into a hot pad.
- Work 2 more foundation sc in our cast on so that your work measures 7.25×7.25. When you begin working your colorwork make sure to adjust for 1 extra st on the side of the strawberry.
- If you prefer to leave the chart as is, consider adding width on the border rounds by working taller stitches at the sides before completing the scV border.
- Once you’ve completed your large strawberry square you can add a cotton batting between the crochet and the fabric lining for extra heat protection.
Not the right time to make this? – Pin it!
What else can you make with this square?
A strawberry cushion cover! you can also continue using the JOYG technique to continue adding width and length and make yourself a blanket
