Craft a Cozy Treasure: Your Guide to Knitting a Tunisian Baby Blanket

Are you eager to create a beautiful, warm, and uniquely textured baby blanket? Look no further than the captivating craft of Tunisian knitting! This technique, sometimes called Afghan crochet, blends elements of both knitting and crochet to produce a fabric with a distinctive woven appearance that's perfect for wrapping little ones in comfort.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of knitting a charming Tunisian baby blanket, providing enough detail for an English speaker to follow along and complete the project without needing a specific video tutorial.

Understanding Tunisian Knitting

Before we begin, let's briefly understand what makes Tunisian knitting special. Unlike traditional knitting with two needles, Tunisian knitting uses a single, long hook (similar to a crochet hook but longer to hold multiple loops). Each row is worked in two passes: a forward pass where loops are picked up and held on the hook, and a return pass where the loops are worked off the hook. This creates a denser, often less stretchy fabric with a variety of possible stitch patterns.

Essential Materials You'll Need:

To embark on your Tunisian baby blanket journey, gather the following materials:

  • Yarn: Choose a soft, durable, and baby-friendly yarn in your preferred fiber and color. DK (double knit) or worsted weight yarn are excellent choices for baby blankets, offering a good balance of warmth, texture, and ease of care. Consider the estimated yardage based on your desired blanket size. For a typical baby blanket, you might need anywhere from 800 to 1200 yards.
  • Tunisian Crochet Hook: Select a Tunisian crochet hook in a size appropriate for your chosen yarn weight. The hook needs to be long enough to comfortably hold all the loops for the width of your blanket. Often, the yarn label will suggest a suitable hook size.
  • Optional Cable Hook: A cable hook of a similar size can be very helpful, especially for beginners, during the return pass. It can aid in managing the loops.
  • Scissors: For neatly cutting your yarn.
  • Tapestry Needle: For weaving in the yarn ends to create a clean and secure finish.
  • Stitch Markers (Optional): These can be useful for marking the edges of your work or repeating pattern sections.
  • Measuring Tape: To ensure your blanket reaches your desired dimensions.

Choosing Your Stitch: The Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS)

For a classic and easy-to-learn Tunisian baby blanket, we'll focus on the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS). This stitch creates a fabric with vertical bars on the right side.

Getting Started: Creating the Foundation Row

  1. Make a Slip Knot: Create a slip knot and place it onto your Tunisian crochet hook.
  2. Chain: Chain the desired width of your baby blanket. Decide on your preferred size beforehand (common baby blanket sizes range from 30x30 inches to 40x40 inches). The number of chains will directly determine the width.
  3. Forward Pass of the Foundation Row: Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Do not drop the loop from your hook. Repeat this process in each chain across. You will now have a series of loops on your hook – one loop for each chain you worked.

Working the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS):

Each row of Tunisian knitting consists of two passes: the forward pass and the return pass.

  1. Forward Pass (TSS):

    • Skip the first vertical bar (the one directly below the loop on your hook).
    • Insert your hook from front to back behind the next vertical bar of the previous row.
    • Yarn over and pull up a loop. Keep this new loop on your hook.
    • Repeat this process across the entire row, inserting your hook behind each vertical bar and pulling up a loop. You will end the forward pass with the same number of loops on your hook as you had chains in your foundation row.

  2. Return Pass:

    • Yarn over and pull through the first loop on your hook. This completes the first stitch of the return pass.
    • Yarn over and pull through the next two loops on your hook.
    • Repeat this "yarn over, pull through two loops" action until only one loop remains on your hook. This single loop is the starting loop for the next forward pass.

Continuing Your Blanket:

Repeat the forward pass (TSS) and the return pass until your blanket reaches your desired length. Regularly measure your work to ensure you achieve the size you envisioned.

Creating a Border (Optional but Recommended):

A border can give your baby blanket a polished look and prevent the edges from curling (a common tendency in Tunisian knitting). A simple single crochet border works well:

  1. Once you've completed the main body of the blanket, without cutting your yarn, rotate your work.
  2. Work a round of single crochet evenly around all four sides of the blanket. Place extra stitches in the corners to help the blanket lay flat.
  3. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet.
  4. You can work additional rounds of single crochet or choose a different simple crochet border stitch if desired.
  5. Fasten off your yarn and weave in the ends.

Binding Off the Main Body (If Not Adding a Crochet Border):

If you choose not to add a crochet border, you'll need to bind off your Tunisian stitches:

  1. Forward Pass Bind Off: Insert your hook behind the first vertical bar. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Slip stitch this new loop through the loop already on your hook. Repeat this process across the entire row. You will have one loop remaining on your hook.
  2. Cut your yarn, leaving a tail of about 6-8 inches. Pull the tail through the last loop to secure it.

Finishing Your Tunisian Baby Blanket:

  1. Weave in Ends: Use your tapestry needle to carefully weave in all loose yarn ends on the wrong side of your blanket. Secure them well to prevent unraveling.
  2. Block (Optional): Blocking can help even out your stitches and give your blanket a more professional finish. Gently hand wash your blanket and lay it flat to dry, pinning the edges to the desired shape.

Tips for Success:

  • Tension: Try to maintain consistent tension throughout your project. This will help create an even and beautiful fabric.
  • Hook Size: If your fabric feels too tight or too loose, try adjusting your hook size accordingly.
  • Practice: If you're new to Tunisian knitting, don't be discouraged if your first few rows look a little uneven. Practice makes perfect, and you'll quickly get the hang of it.
  • Experiment: Once you're comfortable with the Tunisian simple stitch, feel free to explore other Tunisian stitch patterns for future projects!

Congratulations! You've now created a beautiful and cozy Tunisian knit baby blanket – a handmade treasure that will be cherished for years to come. Enjoy the rewarding process of crafting something special with your own two hands!