THREE…..TWO…… ONE…… GO, GO, GO, GO!
The Landscape pattern is out there and the SCHEEPJES “Landscapes” Tunisian crochet Make a Long which will be going for 4 weeks has officially started. It will be running in the official Scheepjes Facebook groups where will get all the support you need:
Official SCHEEPJES International Group – Facebook
Official SCHEEPJES Nederlandse Groep – Facebook
A big, big thank you to all the mods, administrators, testers, translators, mental helpers, organizers and the community in the groups for all help and support. You make all this possible and are pure gold!
The pattern is available on Ravelry: THE LANDSCAPE SHAWL
The pattern includes:
- A general Entrelac photo tutorial which also will be published here on the blog.
- The “Landscape” pattern as a ready to print PDF.
- The “Landscape” charts plus a black and white colouring chart so you can test your very own colourway
- Links to the exclusive YouTube video tutorial in 3 steps. You will find links to the YOUTUBE tutorial directly in the pattern.
TAKE YOUR TIME
But stop, stop, stop…. This is your friendly reminder to slow it down. This is not a competition, this is not a race. We are not going to do it that way. We all have our own pace and speed. Opportunities to find the time to crochet vary a lot and we are going to respect that. We are united by difference.
A FEW PERSONAL WORDS
From the first tries to develop Tunisian crochet in a different direction, to the inspiration of the Wavy c2c Blanket by @brightbag, to a lot of trial and errors and countless prototypes, it took me more then 3 years to realize, crochet and release the “Landscape” shawl. There is absolutely no need to rush it now. The pattern will stay and be there even after the 4 weeks of the MAL and you will find support in the loving official Scheepjes groups on Facebook even after 4 weeks. It is in my opinion very unlikely to crochet this pattern in 4 weeks. Surely there are crafters out there who will manage it, but its absolutely not necessary.
When we shift focus from pace and speed to progress and experience, amazing things can happen. That is what little thread in the Dutch Facebook told me when a fellow crafter told us that she will not participate in the MAL because she can not find the time to crochet the Landscape pattern in time. It did not take long and a some members of the group jumped in, explaining that there is no hurry. I took this incident as a sign and motivation to leave my smartwatch at home and not hunt seconds and speed during my morning run. Instead I really tried to enjoy the experience. And guess what? When I took my regular after-morning-run selfie, there was not the usual exhausted fighter face, but there was a big, happy smile on my face. It is not the one who is the fastest who is wining, it is the one who enjoys the experience the most.
And as I did not track the run as usual, I did my very own tracking chart:
But back to the Landscape pattern, which I really hope you enjoy. I already have seen loads of beautiful colorways in the groups but even very personal and emotional stories where people use the pattern to recreate their inner happy place or a place connected to their childhood. I can get very emotional about things like that and feel very, very honored to be able to contribute a little with my pattern. It is also really fantastic to see in which individual way you are using the pattern and how its appearance changes by choosing to highlight different parts of the pattern. All this is very, very exciting.
Find your colorway and buy your yarn at the local yarn shop: Scheepjes Dealers . If you do not have the possibility to buy local, you can order your Scheepjes yarn at Wool Warehouse or Jimmy Beans Wool
I decided to put the general entrelac tutorial which also is part of the pattern as a ready to print PDF out for free on the blog.
You can find the German version here – Deutsche Verison
the Dutch version here – Nederlandse Versie.
and the English version a bit further down.
This should also give the ones of us who does not have too much experience with Tunisian crochet to try and test before deciding to jump on the train or not.
A few tips and tricks that will help you with the Landscape pattern:
- The pattern does not require a Tunisian crochet hook. I work with a normal crochet hook.
- The shawl needs to be blocked as the sides might curl a little.
- Slip-stitch loosely in top rows as it is hard to use the slip_stitches otherwise in the next row.
- When you miss a stitch you will carry the mistake with you to further rows. When you realize the mistake you can rip rows up or add/reduce the stitch in the square that is wrong. If you do not have too many mistakes it will not be very visible. I have small mistakes in all 3 versions, to be honest…
- I am aware of that some people prefer to make a chain-stitch between the very last border stitch of each Entrelac row and the first Tunisian stitch. I think this pattern works much better without the chain.
Common mistakes:
- Forgetting to slip-stitch in the first stitch of the next square as written in pattern.
- Forgetting to slip-stitch into the top row of the square, pulling up loops like a normal row only to have to go back to the start when you realize.
The official hashtags for this MAL are: #ScheepjesMAL #LandscapesMAL #ScheepjesScrumptious #ScheepjesMetropolis don´t forget to use them when sharing your projects in social media or simply tag @martin_up_north on your social media.
Hope you join the MAL and enjoy the “Landscape” pattern.
LET US CROCHET AND HAVE FUN!
More to come soon from up NORTH.
GENERAL ENTRELAC TUTORIAL
The entrelac technique is based on crocheting squares that are connected to each other.
Each square is made of a certain number of stitches and rows.
The technique is basically based on “collecting stitches” on your hook. Then you form the vertical stitches by pulling your yarn through two loops on your hook.
The photo tutorial is based on entrelac squares that are the same size 5 stitches and 5 rows.
When using the entrelac technique I am always counting the vertical stitches that are visual in the square and NOT the actual stitches made. It is much easier to check the size of your squares that way.
In every row you will have two more loops on the hook when “collecting” than stitches in the end.
The chain row in every first square has one more ch than the number of vertical stitches you want to have. Except the very first starting chain that has 2 more ch than the number of vertical stitches created.
To start an entrelac with the size of 5 vertical stitches you must chain 7 stitches.
First row
Insert hook in second ch from hook.
(It is handy to place a sm in the first ch-lp, where you’re going to insert your hook to start your next entrelac row, otherwise it’s difficult to find and even more difficult to get your hook into.) Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
*Insert hook in next ch. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook*. Rep * to * to last loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
First row completed. You can now already see the 5 vertical loops stitches you are going to use in the next row.
Second row.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn Over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 4 times.
(Picture above shows inserted hook in third vertical loop).
Insert hook in st of row beneath through both loops.
Yarn over. Pull up a loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
Second row completed.
Third to fifth row of first square, rep second row 3 times.
Top row of first square.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over: Ss very loosely.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn over. Ss very loosely) 4 times.
Insert hook in st of row beneath. Yarn over. Ss. Ch1, fasten off.
Second entrelac row.
Join yarn B in chain row of first entrelac row, where you might have placed a stitch marker, ch6.
First row of first square.
Insert hook in second ch from hook. (Place a sm in the first ch-lp, where you’re going to insert your hook to start your third entrelac row.) Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
*Insert hook in next ch. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook*. Rep * to * to last loop.
Insert hook in last stitch of first row of first entrelac row square. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
First row completed.
Second row of first square.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn Over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 4 times
6 loops on hook.
Insert hook in first st of next row of first entrelac row square. Yarn over. Pull up a loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
Third to fifth row of first square, rep second row 3 times.
Top row of first square.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over: Ss loosely.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn over. Ss loosely) 4 times.
Insert hook in first ss of top row of square in first entrelac row. Yarn over. Ss.
First square of second entrelac row completed.
Last Square of second entrelac row
(Insert hook in next ss of square in first entrelac row. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 5 times.
6 loops on hook.
Insert hook in last st of the 5th vertical stitch row of square of first entrelac row. Yarn over. Pull up a loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
First row of last square of second entrelac row completed.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn Over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 4 times.
6 loops on hook.
Insert hook in last st of row beneath. Yarn over. Pull up a loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
Third to fifth row of last square: rep second row 3 times.
Top row of last square.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over: Ss loosely.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn over. Ss loosely) 5 times.
Insert hook in st of row beneath. Yarn over. Ss. Ch1, fasten off.
Second entrelac row finished.
Third entrelac row
First square in third row. Same as first square in second row.
First row middle square.
(Insert hook in next ss of square in entrelac row beneath. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 5 times.
The last ss is in the corner and often hidden.
6 loops on hook.
Insert hook in last stitch of first row of square of entrelac row beneath. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
Second row.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook.
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn Over. Pull up a loop. Leave loop on hook) 4 times
6 loops on hook.
Insert hook in first st of next row of square in entrelac row beneath. Yarn over. Pull up a loop.
7 loops on hook.
*Yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook* rep * to * to end.
Third to fifth row of middle square: rep second row, 3 times.
Top row of middle square.
Insert hook under first vertical st. Yarn over: Ss very loosely
(Insert hook under next vertical st. Yarn over. Ss loosely) 4 times.
Insert hook in first ss of top row of next square in entrelac row beneath. Yarn over. Ss.
Last square in third entrelac row.
Same as last square in second entrelac row.
From now on you can repeat first square, middle squares and last square in the same way as in entrelac row 3.
You “pass in” or “fit in” the middle squares in the space that is created by the entrelac squares in the row below.
Martin Up North 
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