Tunisian Twisted Top is the new Summer Tunisian crochet pattern to have on your hook!
I am really pleased to be able to let you know that my Twisted Tunisian Top pattern is now available in my Ravelry and Etsy Stores as an individual pattern including, for the first time, a UK terminology version in addition to the original US terminology one.
Then you will have the full pattern along with adjustment suggestions to make it just how you want it, styling tips and links to video clips for the stitches used.
The Twisted Tunisian Top is a neat, versatile garment that’s eye catching and really adaptable for different occasions and outfits. I could equally see this being worn at the beach, in the office, at a party or around the home and although designed with summer in mind I feel it could be quite adaptable for other seasons as a layering garment.
Styling Tips/Suggestions
For the office - To complement the dramatic detail of the top choose a skirt or pants suit in a classic, unstructured style and keep accessories to a minimum. You may prefer to omit the picots and attach 1”/2.5 cm buttons to the inside of the hemline points, hanging the tassels from these with a simple loop so they are removable for business wear.
Casual, on the move - The top will look great with your favorite style of jeans and casual footwear for an informal day out or lunch with friends. Pair with another handmade, such as a shrug or wrap that keeps your shoulders warm while still showing off your top if the weather is cool or changeable.
Casual, at home - Match the top with a flowing tiered skirt or shorts plus a long cardigan for an easy, comfortable stay at home outfit.
Date Night - Pair with a pencil skirt and high boots or heels plus a fashionable mini bag and make the most of the low neckline to feature some bold jewelry, maybe even a piece you’ve crocheted.
The simple stitch and block shaping make this a great first garment project with easy seaming and blocking and a subtle, interesting texture. The Tunisian twisted simple stitch is much less prone to curling than the standard simple stitch so it’s perfect for this garment with its interesting neck and hemline!
My inspiration for this project comes from pretty much exactly this time last year when I had the wonderful experience of designing The Woodland Sunrise Hoodie for Crochet Foundry! When they sent me to look for a hook on the Furls site, I became quite entranced by their stunning Tunisian hooks and the top was inspired by the twisty appearance of the hook and created in the hope that I'd get sent back to the Furls site to pick a Tunisian hook next time!
I set to work swatching and sketching and a few days later had the design ready.
Before too long, I had the lovely shades of the Lion Brand Pima Cotton yarn Blueprint and Raincloud colours arrive at my door. Cotton is probably my favorite fibre to use for yarncrafts; if it’s cotton, I’ll almost certainly like it! The Lion Brand Pima Cotton is a real treat to work with. It feels soft and easy to manipulate and even with the sharp hook I found best for the twisted Tunisan stitch, it didn’t split much at all. Lion Brand has the ball wind just right too, as there was no tangling, unwanted unraveling or annoying doubled lengths appearing around my tension finger.
I am normally a good judge of which hook will be right for an unfamiliar yarn but here I was caught out and needed a slightly bigger size than I’d estimated after swatching with a similar length to weight yarn in my stash.
Cotton is also my favorite fibre to wear. It feels so soothing to the skin and I like the weight and behaviour of cotton garments. This yarn in particular combines the crisp freshness of new cotton in its appearance with the gentle, soft feel of well washed cotton. It maintains a good stitch definition and is a little more matte than some other pima cottons I have used. It seems to be a consistent good quality and even thickness throughout, with no uneven lumps or bumps, thin sections, knots or unexpected fluffy sections. It stood up well to a little unpicking and reworking when necessary too. My sneaky plan to obtain a lovely wooden Tunisian hook came to naught as Furls were out of stock but instead I was also sent a beautiful Furls Streamline Laurel 3.75mm (F) hook to use for the straps and a lovely wooden needle case too. Since then I've always been able to find a needle to weave in my ends (I still don't always get to those as quickly as I should though) and the hook is not just pretty; it really makes crochet easy with its long, pointed tip and smooth finish.
When the pattern was complete, I needed it tested.
It took me a while to find a tester who wanted to try a Tunisian crochet garment but then I struck lucky; the tester of one of my previous patterns Paulina (paulina.s.maraboli on Instagram) was able to take on the task of testing. She was the perfect person as she is a confident crocheter who is fairly new to Tunisian Crochet and that's exactly who I thought might enjoy the pattern. I was amazed at how fast she had it worked up too. We both found that the first panel went quite slowly and then we finished the other three in a very short space of time! I think it's just a stich that takes a few rows to get a really automatic feel. Just look at the stunning light, neutral version of the Woodland Sunrise Cropped Hoodie she created! I get so excited whenever someone has made one of my patterns and sends me a photo of the finished result and when it looks this good - Wow! Paulina gave me lots of helpful feedback too and I was able to improve the pattern ready for the Technical Editor to make the final checks. Thanks so much Paulina; it's wonderful to know and work with other creative people.
On Friday 23rd June, I was interviewed live on the Furls YouTube channel about the design for the top. If you couldn't join us, here's a link to the recording.
Pattern: Twisted Tunisian Top
Yarn: Lion Brand Pima Cotton in Rain Cloud and Blueprint
Hook: Furls Streamline Laurel 3.75mm (F) and 5mm (H)
Also published in: Crochet Foundry June 2023
Crochet Foundry Summer Bundle (June July August issues)
until 7th July 2024 The Crochet Foundry Renovation Mega Bundle 2020-23, including all issues of Crochet Foundry
Do let me know if you make the Twisted Tunisian Top. I'm always so excited when I see that someone has used one of my patterns! I love to get comments on my blog too, so do let me know your thoughts on the design or ask any questions you have below.