Tri Tweed Square

Tri Tweed Square by Terry Morris

What is Being Made

The Tri Tweed Square is a 7" x 7" knitted dishcloth or decorative square designed as part of the Holiday Mystery Gifts collection. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a versatile square that blends three different colors of yarn into a single cohesive design. The square is ideal for use as a standalone dishcloth, or as part of larger projects such as afghans where solid-colored squares in coordinating hues need a transitional piece to tie the color palette together.

Techniques Used

The Tri Tweed Square employs a slip-stitch mosaic knitting technique as its primary construction method. This approach is notable for its efficiency and visual impact: you work with only one color of yarn at a time, yet the strategic use of slip stitches creates the appearance of three colors blending seamlessly throughout the design. The slip-stitch method involves slipping stitches as if to purl while holding the yarn in front, then moving the yarn to the back before knitting the next stitch. This creates clean, interlocking color transitions without the need to cut and rejoin yarns between color changes, as the unused colors are carried along the edges of the work.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch structure in the Tri Tweed Square is built on knit stitches combined with slip stitches. The mosaic pattern relies on the strategic placement of slipped stitches to create the visual blending of three colors. Border stitches are consistently slipped as if to purl with specific yarn positioning to maintain clean edges and prepare for seamless transitions between color sections. This stitch combination creates a flexible, even fabric suitable for dishcloth use.

Materials and Gauge

The Tri Tweed Square is designed to work with worsted or DK weight yarn, offering flexibility based on yarn availability and desired fabric characteristics. The pattern calls for US size 7 (4.5mm) needles, though the designer notes that the appropriate needle size may vary depending on your specific yarn choice to achieve proper gauge. The target finished size is a 7-inch square. Gauge is listed as 4.7 stitches per inch (or 5.3 stitches per inch) when worked in the mosaic pattern, though the pattern notes that because worsted weight yarns vary considerably in actual thickness, you have flexibility in choosing your gauge and cast-on stitch count to achieve the best results for your specific yarn. Importantly, you do not cut yarns as you work; instead, you pick up the new color when it is time to work that color again, keeping all three yarn colors active throughout the project.