My Mosaic Crochet Pillow
A first attempt at this crochet technique!
Learning new crochet stitches gives me great pleasure and some frustration. It takes time to learn new crochet stitches. I often have to try and try again.
I wanted to learn a simple Mosaic Crochet stitch.
I researched video tutorials on Youtube and found an excellent designer Tinna Thorudottir Thorvaldar of TinnaCrochet.
The Apache Tears Crochet stitch uses Single Crochet and Double Crochet stitches (US Terms). I followed Tinna’s instructions in this video.
The Apache Tears Crochet stitch lends itself to several pattern ideas.
Cushions ( This is what I wanted to create)
Scarfs and cowls
Blankets
Shawls
Hats
It was hard to get the number of foundation chain stitches right. I seemed to have too few or too many. I worked them about three times before I got it!
The Apache Tears stitch in multiples looks like stairs or steps using yarn in two different colors. Multiple colors can be used too. The double crochet stitch (US Terms) looks like a tear drop. Each row is worked in a different color.
You leave a short tail at the beginning of the row. The row is worked from right to left. At the end of each row, the yarn is cut, leaving a short tail.
All the ends may put people off, but Tinna creates a double border that hides them all. Another option is leaving the ends and making a twisted fringe.
I followed Tinna along for the ten rows of the swatch and enjoyed the process.
Materials and Tools Needed:
I used Furls Wander Autumn Palette. You could substitute another yarn that is a #4 medium weight.
H (5mm) Crochet Hook
Darning Needle
Scissors
How To Do The Apache Tears Crochet Stitch
The Border Stitches
Each row begins on the right-hand side with a border stitch. To do the border stitch, insert your crochet hook through and under both loops.
Pull your yarn up and work one chain stitch leaving a 5 cm tail then you go into the same stitch and do one single crochet (SC).
At the end of the row, create another border stitch, insert your hook under both loops and work one single crochet.
Cut your yarn, leaving a 5cm tail and then do one chain and pull through the yarn tail completely up, so it forms a little knot.
How To Do Single Crochet (US terms)
Insert your hook into the chain stitch, yarn over and pull the yarn through. You will now have two loops up on your hook. Yarn over again and pull through both loops.
When you are working the single crochet stitches in the foundation row, you’ll notice the foundation stitch you’ve just worked a single crochet into is open.
This helps you identify the next stitch you need to work because it doesn’t look open.
NOTES:
It’s important to always work the single crochets into the back loop. This leaves the front loop available for the double crochets (DC).
How To Do A Double Crochet Stitch (US Terms)
Instructions for how to do a Double Crochet for the Apache Tears pattern.
This stitch forms the “tear.”
Yarn over and insert your hook into the front loop of the row below the one you are working on. Pull through one, yarn over pull through two, yarn over pull through two. You now have one loop on your hook.
NOTES:
When doing a single crochet after a double crochet, be sure to leave the stitch behind the DC and work the next stitch. If you don’t do this, you’ll create an increase.
Apache Tears Pillow Cover Pattern
I decided to create a pillow cover using 54 + 3 foundation stitches. The Apache Tears pattern requires repeats of 6 stitches plus 3 at the beginning.
You will need to complete two sides following the instructions below.
Foundation Chain: I chose 57 foundation stitches (Repeats of 6 (54) plus 3.
Row 1 – Choose your color. Go into the second stitch from the hook and single crochet into each foundation stitch to the foundation stitches’ end. Always in the back loop. Leave a short tail and cut your yarn.
Row 2 – Choose your next color and leave a short tail. Do 1 border stitch. Single crochet into the previous row’s back loops until the last stitch, which you do another border stitch. Leave a short tail and cut the yarn.
Row 3 – Choose your next color and leave a short tail. Begin with the border stitch, then do 1 double crochet into the next stitch, and pick up the front loop of the 1st row. Do 5 single crochets.
Repeat the 1 double crochet and 5 single crochets until the end of the row. You should end with 5 single crochets and a border stitch. Leave a short tail and cut your yarn.
Each row is worked from right to left and the yarn is cut at the end of the row. The border stitch at the start of the row needs a short tail. The yarn needs to be cut at the end of each row leaving a short tail.
Row 4 – Begin with a border stitch and do one single crochet in the back loop of the double crochet stitch made in the previous row.
The pattern repeat is simple with the Apache Tears stitch. In each row, the double crochet moves forward one stitch.
Then do a double crochet into the front loop of the row below the one you are working on and then 5 single crochets.
Continue this repeat, and you should end with 4 single crochets and 1 border stitch. This is because you had one single crochet at the beginning of the row.
Row 5 – Do a border stitch and then 2 single crochets (always into the back loop), then a double crochet, and 5 single crochets.
Continue like this until you end with 3 single crochets and the border stitch because you had 2 single crochets at the row’s start.
Row 6 – Do a border stitch and 3 single crochets, then a double crochet, and 5 single crochets.
Continue like this, and you should end with 2 single crochets and the border stitch because you had 3 single crochets at the row’s start.
Row 7 – Do a border stitch, 4 single crochets, then a double crochet, and 5 single crochets. Continue with the repeat of one DC and 5 SC.
You should end with 1 single crochet and the border stitch because you had 4 single crochets at the row’s start.
Row 8 – Do a border stitch, 5 single crochets, then a double crochet. Repeat the 5 SC and 1 DC. You’ll end with a double crochet and the border stitch because you had 5 single crochets at the row’s start.
Row 9 – Do a border stitch. Now you’re back to Row 3, which begins with the border stitch, then do 1 double crochet into the next stitch.
Then do 5 single crochets.
Repeat the 1 double crochet and 5 single crochets until the end of the row. You should end with 5 single crochets and a border stitch.
Then continue to follow the instructions for Rows 4 – 8.
Repeat Rows 3 – 8 for the desired length of your pillow.
The Border
Step 1
Choose a color to complete slip stitches around the edge.
To do the slip stitch –
Insert your hook into the first stitch on the edge. I started about a quarter the way in from the edge on the first row edge.
Yarn over and pull back through. There are now two loops on your hook.
Then pull the first loop through the second loop.
Do the slip stitches around all four edges.
I found doing the slip stitches tricky. I reminded myself to take it slowly and be patient.
Step 2
Double crochet stitch border
Into each slip stitch complete a double crochet stitch in a different color to your slip stitches.
When coming to the corner, do two chain stitches and then complete a double crochet stitch into the next stitch from the corner.
See my progress on the border below
Once I completed the stitches for the front side I played around a little bit with how to do a border.
I decided to do a slip stitch around the edge in the Ambrosia colorway (mustard yellow) and then I could add the border made up of double crochet stitches in the Velvet colorway (dark plum).
The slip stitches and double crochet stitch border was completed for both sides of the pillow. When it came to blocking the cushion cover I realized the second side was slightly bigger. My tension must have loosened.
When I pinned both sides together to block, it wasn’t noticeable.
To sew up the two sides, I put my hook through both loops on either side, yarn over and pulled the yarn through both loops. I repeated this for each double crochet stitch of the border to sew both sides together.
I left a large enough gap to put the stuffing in. Once it had enough stuffing I pinned the gap and finished off crocheting the two sides together.
I love the finished pillow.
This pillow now has pride of place on my son’s bed. He said it brings color and cheer to his room.
I’m using Wander Yarn from Furls Crochet, 100% acrylic Worsted weight #4 yarn. The lovely team at Furls sent me an Autumn Palette pack to test out.
The colorways are Dragonfruit (pink), Thatch (Dark caramel brown), Velvet (dark plum), Snow (white), and Ambrosia (mustard yellow).
I’m not used to working with acrylic yarn, so I was surprised by this yarn. The Wander Yarn by Furls is lovely and soft and has a sheen to it. It’s not scratchy at all, rather lightly airy and fluffy.
I adore the colors and thought together they would make the perfect crocheted pillow. Read my review for the Wander Yarn Autumn Palette Pack.
I bought three different Furls Hooks to try in the Wander Yarn recommended size, 5mm (H). I chose the White and Nickel Odyssey, the Ergonomic Wooden Streamline Hook in Teak, and the Café and Cream Swirl Streamline hook.
I love them all, and throughout the project, I’ll use each of them. To start, I’m using the White and Nickel Odyssey and finding it very comfortable.
I wanted to try the Apache Tears pattern with all the Furls Wander Yarn Autumn palette’s five colors.
I decided to start with Ambrosia, followed by Dragonfruit, Snow, Thatch Velvet, and Snow again. I thought the Snow yarn, a creamy white, was a good option for breaking up the other colors.
I was happy with the swatch using the 5 colors (the top swatch in the pic above).
I am using 5 colors. The Snow colorway is used for every third row.
The repeats of the colorways are:
Ambrosia (mustard yellow)
Dragonfruit (pink)
Snow (white)
Thatch (Dark caramel brown)
Velvet (dark plum)
Snow (white)
The next part weaving in the ends before I continue. The above pic shows the pillow cover at 12.5 inches in height and 13.5 inches in width. I only have a few more rows to make it nearly square which is the shape I want it to be.
This pattern uses a Triple Crochet stitch for the tear and single crochet stitches in between. There is also another difference. Instead of the single crochets being worked into the back loop, you go through both loops.
The Triple crochet is worked into one side of the V created by the single crochet stitches.
It’s great to have different options.
Hope you found this guide to apache tears crochet helpful. I’m certainly enjoying the process, and it’s so rewarding as it creates such a beautiful fabric. I’ll be using this stitch pattern again!
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