The Baroco Placemat, Christmas crochet tablemat, is a wonderful addition to your Christmas table décor that will add a beautiful personal touch to your festive dining experience. Bring on the mince pies and hot chocolate!
The placemat is made using Tunisian crochet and stranded colourwork technique and two colours. Both strands of yarn are carried at the back of the work and long floats are trapped on the consecutive row of work. Blocking the placemat at the ends is essential to ameliorate for the curling and evening out stitches.
The sample is made using wool yarn in worsted weight by Hobbii.
You can purchase the add free PDF version of the pattern at LoveCrafts here and Ravelry here.
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Skills required:
To create this beautiful Christmas crochet tablemat you will need to master (or already know) these stitches and techniques:
Chain, Tunisian crochet technique (alternating forward and return passes), Tunisian simple stitch (tss), stranded colourwork, Tunisian simple stitch bind-off, blocking.
Skill level:
Finished measurements:
The final Christmas crochet tablemat measurements (blocked):
Small
38 cm x 35.5 cm (approx. 15 x 14)”
Large
56 cm x 43 cm (approx. 22 x 17)”
Materials and tools
To get the exact look as on the pictures of my Christmas crochet tablemat, you will need:
Hobbii Friends Wool (100% Wool | Worsted weight | 50 g (1.75 oz) = 100 m (109 yds)), (#114) Sage 1 (2) ball(s) (A), (#55) Mulberry 1 (2) ball(s) (B)
Tunisian crochet hook size 6.5 mm (US size K/10.5) with cable (at least 25.5 cm (10”)) or size to obtain the gauge
Tapestry needle
Scissors
You can get your craft supplies here.
Gauge:
Blocked Gauge:
14.5 sts x 9.5 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4)” over st pattern (tss with colourwork)
Gauge helps you to understand how the project turns out in terms of the final size. If you would like to achieve the exact size of the final project as in the instructions above, you gauge needs to match exactly to the above.
If you get more stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hook size as per instructions, your final project will turn out smaller. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hooks size as per instructions, your final project will turn out bigger.
To make adjustments, if you get more stitches and/or rows, you can try using bigger hook size to get closer to the desired size. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows, you can try using smaller hook size to get closer to the desired size.
It may take trial and error to try out a few hook sizes to achieve the exact size.
Alternatively, if you really don’t want to make several samples to achieve the desired size, you can try to alter your tension as you work the project. However, I would advise to try this out once you master the basics of Tunisian crochet as it may be a bit tiresome to try to master the basics of Tunisian crochet and focus on alternating your tension while working the project.
Stitch guide:
Tunisian crochet stitches are worked in 2 steps; forward and return pass from right to left, with the number of sts (lps) increasing on the hook during the forward pass and decreasing during the return pass.
Return pass is worked in the same way for all stitches (rows of sts) used in this project as follows: 1 ch, * yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, rep from * until 1 lp on hook.
Edge stitches:
Right edge stitch- This is the first lp on hook and counts as first st unless otherwise stated.
Left edge stitch- This st is referred to in the pattern as the End Stitch (ES) and is crocheted as follows: Rotate the end of the fabric towards yourself, insert the hook under both bars (left and right) of the last st, yrh and pul.
- First row of Tunisian crochet: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across.
- Tunisian simple stitch: insert hook from right to left behind the next front vertical bar, yrh and pul.
Changing colours as you go: When changing the colours within a row in Tunisian crochet, place the new strand of yarn over the old strand. This locks the old colour in place and prevent gaps occurring between the different colour sections.
How to change colours on return pass: Follow colour changes as per forward pass (colour chart) with changing to consecutive colour (X) when second lp from hook is in X.
Stranded colourwork: The basic principle for the colourwork is to trap long loose floats created during FP and RP of a particular row on FP of the consecutive row.
It is most useful and efficient to trap the floats after every 3 stitches. For example, if the strand(s) of yarn is (are) carried over 6 stitches, the float would be trapped on stitch 3 and 4. Trapping floats more often can result in very neat looking WS of the project but it adds a lot of extra work, while trapping floats less often leaves floats that are likely to caught on jewellery, fingers of whatever comes their way. This is however only my observation, and you may test the method to come up with your own stitch interval.
The process of trapping loose floats is carried out in 2 steps as follows:
- Work tss as per pattern instructions, while inserting the hook under both floats of the previous row (1 created during FP and 1 created during RP), yrh and pul. (Appendix: Pic 1)
- Work tss as per pattern instructions, while inserting the hook over both floats of the previous row (1 created during FP and 1 created during RP), yrh and pul. (Appendix: Pic 2)
Repeat these 2 steps as needed at regular stitch intervals.
Tunisian Simple stitch bind-off: Insert hook from right to left under front vertical bar of the next st, yrh, pul and pull through the lp that is on the hook. One lp remains on the hook.
If this crochet Christmas placemat is your first Tunisian crochet project and are not sure if this project matches your skills, I have a Tunisian crochet masterclass tutorial that will jump-start your Tunisian crochet journey!
| Abbreviations: | |
| ch- chain | yrh- yarn round the hook |
| st(s)- stitch(es) | pul- pull up a loop |
| lp(s)- loop(s) | FP- forward pass |
| tss- Tunisian simple stitch | RP- return pass |
| RS- right side | approx.- approximately |
| ES- End stitch | rep- repeat |
Stitch chart:
Notes:
- The Christmas crochet tablemat is worked flat, RS facing from right to left.
- Similar worsted weight yarns may be substituted; please check gauge and yarn content.
- The stitch count refers to the number of lps on hook on FP.
- The stitch pattern repeat is worked over 13 sts, while row pattern repeat is worked over 20 rows.
Instructions:
Placemat 1 (small size)
With A chain 54.
Row 1 FP: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across. 54 lps on hook.
Row 1 RP and all other RPs: Standard RP.
Row 2: Start working Baroco colourwork chart (R2 of the chart) changing colours as indicated, working tss in each st across to las st, ES.
Rows 3-21: Continue working colourwork chart (R3-R21 of the chart), tss in each st across to last st, ES in last st.
Rows 22-32: Rep Rows 2-12.
Row 33: In A, tss in each st across to last st, ES in last st.
Row 34: In A, tss bind-off.
Fasten-off.
Placemat 2 (large size)
With A chain 80.
Row 1 FP: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across. 80 lps on hook.
Row 1 RP and all other RPs: Standard RP.
Row 2: Start working colourwork chart B (R2) changing colours as indicated, working tss in each st across to las st, ES.
Rows 3-21: Continue working colourwork chart B, tss in each st across to last st, ES in last st.
Rows 22-41: Rep Rows 2-21.
Row 42: In A, tss in each st across to last st, ES in last st.
Row 43: In A, tss bind-off.
Fasten-off.
Weave in all ends.
Finishing:
Weave in all ends and block the crochet Christmas tablemat to final measurements.
I would love to see and share your work on social media, use #barocoplacemat or #exquisitecrochetuk.
Pattern support: exquisite.crochet.uk@gmail.com
Further resources:
Pattern video tutorial:
Appendix
Step 1 of colourwork (refer to Stitch guide for full instructions):
Step 2 of colourwork (refer to Stitch guide for full instructions):
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You can purchase the add free PDF version of the pattern at LoveCrafts here and Ravelry here.
Did you enjoy the Baroco Placemat pattern? Why not try my other stranded colourwork patterns:
Ebun Hat, Ebun Cowl and Ebun Headband
Thank you so much if you got this far in the pattern! I hope you got inspired for your own version using various colours. I can’t wait to see it! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and let me know in the comment section below how you got on with it! As always, if you have any pattern query, the quickest way to get it answered is by emailing me on the pattern support email address above.
Happy crocheting!
