Tunisian crochet. If you've been curious about this unique technique, you're in the right place! This tutorial will walk you through a super cute and versatile stitch that you'll absolutely love.

Whether you have a dedicated set of Tunisian crochet hooks or just a regular hook (perfect for narrower projects!), you can totally make this stitch work. Let's get started and explore what you can create with this beautiful texture!

Getting Started: Your Foundation Chain

Just like regular crochet, we'll begin with a foundation chain. For this specific Tunisian crochet design, you'll need to chain in multiples of three, plus two (e.g., 3+2=5, 6+2=8, 9+2=11, etc.). Take your time with this, and make sure your chain isn't too tight!

Row 1: The Forward Pass and Return Pass

This is where Tunisian crochet starts to look a bit different, almost like knitting!

  1. Forward Pass: Once your chain is complete, insert your hook into the second chain from the hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop. You'll keep that loop on your hook.
  2. Next, go into the next chain, yarn over, and pull up another loop.
  3. Continue this process – inserting your hook into each chain, yarning over, and pulling up a loop – all the way to the end of your chain. You should have a series of loops on your hook, similar to casting on in knitting.
  4. Return Pass: Now for the return! Yarn over and pull the yarn through two loops at a time.
  5. Repeat this: yarn over, pull through two loops, all the way back to the beginning until you have only one loop left on your hook. This completes your first row.

Row 2: The Pattern Begins!

This row introduces the unique texture of this stitch.

  1. Yarn over just one time to start the row.
  2. Look for the little vertical lines that were created in Row 1. You're going to insert your hook into the first vertical line, pull up a loop.
  3. Insert your hook into the next vertical line, pull up a loop.
  4. And one more time: insert your hook into the third vertical line, pull up a loop.
  5. You should now have five loops on your hook. The very first loop you started with acts like a chain.
  6. Now, here's the key: take the second loop (not the very first "chain" loop, but the next one) and pull it over the remaining three stitches on your hook. This creates the unique stitch definition.

Repeating the Pattern

You'll repeat the sequence from Row 2 (steps 1-6) across the entire row:

  1. Yarn over to start your next repeat.
  2. Pull up a loop from the next vertical line.
  3. Pull up another loop from the subsequent vertical line.
  4. Pull up a third loop from the next vertical line.
  5. You should have four loops on your hook (not counting the initial "chain" loop from the beginning of the row).
  6. Take the first loop out of these four and pull it over the other three.
  7. Keep repeating this sequence all the way to the end of your row.

Finishing the Row 2 Return Pass

At the very end of this patterned row, you'll have to do something slightly different for the final stitch before the return pass:

  1. Insert your hook right behind the last two loops at the very end of your work. Be careful not to go under three loops by accident! You want to go under just the two.
  2. Pull up a loop.
  3. Now, you'll perform the return pass just like in Row 1: yarn over and pull your hook through two loops at a time, all the way back to the beginning until only one loop remains.

Continuing Your Project: Repeating Rows 1 and 2

To continue your project and build up your fabric, you'll simply repeat Row 1 and Row 2. It's a two-row repeat that builds a beautiful and interesting texture!

A Little Tip for Tunisian Crochet!

Tunisian crochet has a tendency to curl up. To combat this, try to keep your stitches nice and loose. Don't pull them too tight! Another great trick is to use a crochet hook that's one size larger than what you would typically use for your chosen yarn. This will help maintain a looser tension and minimize curling.

What Will You Create?

This Tunisian crochet stitch is surprisingly easy once you get the hang of pulling that first loop over the others. It's a really fun departure from regular crochet, but not significantly harder. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!