Tunisian crochet creates a fabric that looks almost woven or knitted. In contrast to traditional crochet, all your stitches are held on a long hook which is great for maintaining tension. This method is actually much closer to knitting; the fabric produced is quite dense rather than lacy and the reverse side of the basic fabric even looks like knitting! As with both knitting and crochet, there are many different Tunisian stitch patterns. In this tutorial we will show you how to get started, master Tunisian simple and purl stitches then combine them together to make a honeycomb stitch. When you’ve got the hang of Tunisian crochet, have a go at our gorgeous lavender sachet pattern.
The hook
For this tutorial we are using Denise interchangeable crochet hooks with a cord and an end-stop. These really lend themselves to this technique as the cord can be changed to suit the required number of stitches. You can also purchase straight varieties that look like long knitting needles with a hook at the end.
Foundation chain
Tunisian crochet begins with a normal foundation chain (ch).
How to do it: Make a slip knot and place it on the hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through loop. This is your first ch. Continue in this way until you have the correct number of ch (NOTE: do not count the loop on the hook as a ch).
Picking up stitches
In this technique all the stitches are held on the hook, to start you need to transfer your ch onto the hook. This is called ‘picking up’ stitches.
How to do it: Insert hook into first ch, yoh, pull
through first loop only, leaving two loops on hook. Repeat this until you have picked up all the ch sts.
Return pass
Each Tunisian crochet row is made up of a forward and a return pass. Do this after picking up your stitches.
How to do it: Yoh, pull through first loop on hook.* Yoh, pull through next two loops. Rep from * until
one loop rem on hook. Every return pass will be worked in this way unless otherwise stated.
Tunisian simple stitch (TSS)
Step 1: Miss the edge stitch and, with the yarn at the back, insert the hook into the vertical bar at the front of the stitch. Wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through the bar, leaving two loops on the hook.
Tunisian simple stitch (TSS)
Step 2: Continue along the row in this way. Work into the edge stitch at the end of the row. This creates a row of vertical bars.
Tunisian purl stitch (TPS)
Step 1: Miss the edge stitch. Move the yarn to the front of the work and insert the hook into the vertical bar at the front of the stitch. Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front and pull through the bar, leaving the loop on the hook.
Tunisian purl stitch (TPS)
Step 2: Continue along the row in this way until you reach the last st. Work a TSS in the edge stitch. Tunisian purl stitch creates a row of horizontal bumps.
Honeycomb stitch
How to do it: This stitch pattern is made up of alternating one TSS and one TPS stitch on each row. On the following row, continue to alternate, working TSS in TPS stitches and vice versa.
Fastening off
After your final return pass, you will be ready to fasten off. Try to maintain your stitch pattern for a neat finish.
How to do it: Miss the edge stitch, * insert hook into bar (either TSS or TPS-wise according to pattern), yoh hook, and pull through both loops on hook. Rep to end, working a TSS into last edge stitch. Cut yarn and pull through last st to secure.
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Top Tunisian crochet tips from author, teacher and crocheter extraordinaire Pauline Turner
- Use a hook much larger than that recommended for knitting on the ball band to produce a soft fabric, and a hook smaller than the Tunisian hook for all other crochet
- When adding a border, pick up two strands of yarn at the sides to avoid holes
- Easily interlock two colours using Tunisian simple stitch to form amazing tweed-like fabrics
- Embellish Tunisian simple stitch with cross stitch embroidery
- Produce a reversible Tunisian fabric by working with a double ended Tunisian hook
- Interlock two different types of yarn – one smooth and one fluffy using a double ended Tunisian hook for an exciting reversible fabric
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