I’m on a bit of a Tunisian roll these days. After sharing the free Tunisian crochet pattern for the Modern Melissa Skirt last week, I decided to dust off the Mitered Square Pillow.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Skacel Collection.
The pillow and a companion blanket were originally featured in Love of Crochet magazine in 2014.
I think the Mitered Square Pillow is a perfect intro to Tunisian crochet. It includes the most basic Tunisian stitch (called the Tunisian simple stitch, or Tss), a decrease, and a simple bind off. And, since each square is pretty small, you don’t need any special tools. Yep, you can crochet this project with regular hooks.
So why not give it a try? If you’re still feeling a bit nervous about it, I have a video tutorial at the end to explain each of the special stitches.
f you make your own Mitered Square Pillow, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter or on Instragram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
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Mitered Square Pillow
Tunisian Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter
Learn Tunisian crochet with this pillow project, which teaches the basic stitch, decreasing, and binding off. This small project can be completed with a standard crochet hook.
Finished Size
- Fits an 18” (46 cm) pillow form.
Materials
- HiKoo SimpliWorsted by Skacel Collection (55% Merino superwash wool/28% acrylic/17% nylon, 3.5 oz/100 g, 140 yd/128 m) – 2 skeins ea in 036 Silver Hair (CA) and 011 Indigo (CB), or approximately 280 yd (256 m) in ea of 2 colors in any medium weight yarn.
- U.S. Size J-10 (6 mm) crochet or Tunisian crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain gauge.
- U.S. Size I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain gauge.
- Yarn needle
- 18” x 18” (46 cm x 46 cm) pillow form.
- Tools for wet blocking (pins, blocking mat or padded ironing board).
Gauge
- Square = 4” (10 cm) in pattern after. For best fit, always check your gauge.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- CA –Color A
- CB – Color B
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- ea – each
- rep – repeat
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- Tss – Tunisian simple stitch – Insert hook under next vertical bar, yo and draw up loop onto hook.
- Tss3tog – Tunisian simple stitch 3 stitches together – Insert hook under next 3 vertical bars, yo and draw up loop onto hook, going through all 3 loops. (Decreases 2 sts)
- yo – yarn over
- * Rep instructions following asterisk as indicated.
Special Stitch Patterns
- Color-Change Return – Ch 1, *yo and draw through 2 loops; rep from * across to last 2 loops, yo with next color and draw through 2 loops. Carry unworked color up back of square.
- Standard Return – Ch 1, *yo and draw through 2 loops; rep from * across.
- A video tutorial for the special stitches is available at the end of this pattern.
Pattern Notes
- Always skip first vertical bar (below first loop on hook) at beginning of row.
- For more even edges for easy seaming, insert hook under both loops of last st for final Tss of each row.
- Squares are worked in rows with Tunisian crochet. Borders are worked in the round with “standard” crochet.
- Watch the video tutorial for this pattern below and scroll down for the written pattern.
- If you can’t see the video tutorial above, click here to watch on YouTube.
Pattern Instructions
Solid Square (Make 10 ea in CA and in CB)
- With larger hook, ch 25.
- Row 1: Forward: Turn, skip first ch, *insert hook in next ch, yo and draw up a loop, leave loop on hook; rep from * across. Rep Standard Return.
- Row 2: Forward: Tss in next 10 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 11 sts. Rep Standard Return. (23 sts)
- Row 3: Forward: Tss in next 9 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 10 sts. Rep Standard Return. (21 sts)
- Row 4: Forward: Tss in next 8 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 9 sts. Rep Standard Return. (19 sts)
- Row 5: Forward: Tss in next 7 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 8 sts. Rep Standard Return. (17 sts)
- Row 6: Forward: Tss in next 6 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 7 sts. Rep Standard Return. (15 sts)
- Row 7: Forward: Tss in next 5 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 6 sts. Rep Standard Return. (13 sts)
- Row 8: Forward: Tss in next 4 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 5 sts. Rep Standard Return. (11 sts)
- Row 9: Forward: Tss in next 3 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 4 sts. Rep Standard Return. (9 sts)
- Row 10: Forward: Tss in next 2 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 3 sts. Rep Standard Return. (7 sts)
- Row 11: Forward: Tss in next st, Tss3tog, Tss in next 2 sts. Rep Standard Return. (5 sts)
- Row 12: Bind off: Insert hook as for Tss3tog, yo and draw through all loops on hook, insert hook as for Tss, yo and draw through all loops on hook. Fasten off.
Light Striped Square (Make 6)
- With CA and larger hook, ch 25.
- Row 1: Forward: Turn, skip first ch, *insert hook in next ch, yo and draw up a loop, leave loop on hook; rep from * across. Rep Color-Change Return.
- Row 2: Forward: With CB, Tss in next 10 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 11 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (23 sts)
- Row 3: Forward: With CA, Tss in next 9 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 10 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (21 sts)
- Row 4: Forward: With CB, Tss in next 8 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 9 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (19 sts)
- Row 5: Forward: With CA, Tss in next 7 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 8 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (17 sts)
- Row 6: Forward: With CB, Tss in next 6 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 7 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (15 sts)
- Row 7: Forward: With CA, Tss in next 5 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 6 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (13 sts)
- Row 8: Forward: With CB, Tss in next 4 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 5 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (11 sts)
- Row 9: Forward: With CA, Tss in next 3 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 4 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (9 sts)
- Row 10: Forward: With CB, Tss in next 2 sts, Tss3tog, Tss in next 3 sts. Rep Color-Change Return. (7 sts)
- Row 11: Forward: With CA, Tss in next st, Tss3tog, Tss in next 2 sts. Rep Color-Change Return, fasten off CA. (5 sts)
- Row 12: Bind off: With CB, insert hook as for Tss3tog, yo and draw through all loops on hook, insert hook as for Tss, yo and draw through all loops on hook. Fasten off.
Dark Striped Square (Make 6)
- Work as for Light Striped Square, starting with CB and alternating color sequence.
Assembly
- With yarn needle, eave in ends. Wet block squares to 4” (10 cm). Join front and back of pillows together with mattress stitch to form rows and then rows together, following placement diagrams. A photo tutorial for joining with the mattress stitch is available here.
Pillow Borders
Side A
- Round 1: With smaller hook, join CA with sl st in any corner, ch 3 (counts as dc, here and throughout), dc in same st, *dc in ea stitch across row to corner,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in corner st; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first st, ch 1, join with sc (counts as ch 1 here and throughout) to top of first ch 3.
- Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same ch-2 sp, *dc in ea dc around to ch-2 sp,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, join with sc to top of first ch 3.
- Round 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, *sc in ea st around to ch-2 sp,** (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 sc in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, sl st to top of first sc. Fasten off.
Side B
- Rep as for Side A, using CB.
Finishing
- With yarn needle, weave in ends. With wrong sides facing, join 3 sides of pillow cover with mattress stitch, insert pillow form, join final side of pillow cover with mattress stitch. Weave in ends onto inside of pillow.
Love your pillow. I have not tried the tunisian crochet yet. Lately I have been knitting more than crocheting. Stopping by from Snickerdoodle Sunday link party.
Thanks for visiting, Kimberlee. Snickerdoodle Sunday is one of my favorite link parties!