Tunisian Squares and Tunisian Hat

Well, I puzzled out the way I like the mitered squares center done. I don't like the piece I saw so I have done a different decrease/increase for these.

Now I have been working on the increase for the second square in line. I found a little bit of information that says you pick up stitches along the side of the square you have just finished. This equals to half the amount of stitches you need for the next square.

So at this point you need to add additional stitches. I know only one increase that I just learn better of how to increase on the left side. So I played with this but I do not, really do not like how the base of that increase looks for these additional stitches.

In the last few days I decided to start to search for other ways to increase. I looked through my books, found nothing. I searched the web, found nothing. I did find a little bit that was a class taught by CrochetKim in increases and decreases in tunisian, but not the type I needed.

That tutorial of Kims lead me to explore short rows to make a hat in tunisian. I played with that all evening and almost have one completed. I was using a large moez cro-hook so I had to figure out the starting stitch count and where I would want my short rows to begin and end. That wasn't too difficult. I basically used the same stitch count that I use for hats for the grands when crocheting them on a P or Q hook. This one seems to be working out to be about the right size for me without a cuffed brim. I should have it finished later tonight. Here I need to thank Kim for having that lesson posted. It was a neat thing to run through. Even though I already knew the increase and decreases in the lesson, that short row part was great.

One thing I discovered as I played with this short rows in tunisian is that when you come back to pick up a full row of stitches, and you do not pick up a double strand in the end of the short row, guess what, you get holes. So part of the hat has some small holes in it but the other side is just fine. I am not worried about it with this first one as it is a sample I am making for myself.

Today, I searched more for another type of increasing for the left side, but again found nothing. So I started thinking (yep dangerous thing to do but I stepped right up to that brain and said lets do this). Ok there are a couple of ways that I could add an addition to the end of the row to add extra stitches. I thought well maybe if I attached another skein and chained out with this second skein then I could pick up the stitches with my working hook and I would have that increase from a chain. Then that yarn end could be held by a stitch holder till I came back again.

That does leave the end sitting there and that is not a bad idea as I see it. If I am working a piece and have that working chain going I can continue till I think the piece is as long or wide (depending on direction), as I want it.

Another option I got from learning to do entrelac tunisian from Eva. (thanks Eva for that lesson). You make your chain as long as you need it. Pick up only the amount of stitches as needed for the first square. When this square is done you pick up along the side and this brings you right back to the long chain you made. So pick up the rest of the stitches along the chain and work your next square. This is also a way to do the increase section without flipping yarn to make a stitch. That one is just yucky.

So now I have the center increase and decrease looking the way I want it. I have learned to increase in a better way, and I am good to go. Plus I learned short rows in tunisian and how to make a tunisian hat. Cool.