How to Crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch

Hello dear readers! I just received my aluminum Tunisian crochet hook set from Crochet Creations. I'm so excited! I've been wanting to learn how to do Tunisian crochet for quite a while. The hooks are nice and balanced and easy to handle. The sizes range from 2mm to 8mm, plenty of sizes for lots of projects. 

Tunisian Hook Set

I really like Tunisian crochet, it's sort of meditative. The repetition relaxes me, and I find it fun to do. I wanted to share a sort tutorial on how to crochet the Tunisian simple stitch.

First crochet a chain stitch. Any number of stitches is okay, it just depends on the width of the project you want to crochet.

Now turn your chain on its side. Do you see the little bumps that create a spine down the chain? These bumps are where you'll insert the hook, not into the front of the stitches like in regular crochet. 

Insert the hook into the first bump and leave it on the hook. Insert the hook under each bump and leave them on the hook. 

This is the forward pass row. Each row consists of two passes, the first one is to pick up the stitches onto the hook, and the return pass is where you actually work the stitches.

Yarn over and pull the yarn through the first loop. Yarn over and pull the yarn through the next two loops. Continue to yarn over and pull the yarn through two loops across the row.

When you complete the return row the fabric will look kind of strange. This is because the row is half completed. For the next row insert the hook into the first vertical loop and leave it on the hook. Don't use the vertical loop directly under the hook, but the next one. 

Continue to work the rows until you reach the length you want. Your work will look like the next image.

Notice the vertical lines in the fabric. These are the hallmark of Tunisian crochet. The fabric is nice and dense. It does have a tendency to roll up, but once you work a border it does straighten out. 

To finish you will need to bind the last row off. On a return row (the row where you go back across the forward row and the hook is at the right hand side of the fabric) yarn over and pull the yarn through two loops. 

Continue to yarn over and pull through two loops until you come to the end of the row, pull the yarn up and then you can fasten off the yarn. 

So there you go! The Tunisian simple stitch. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it has helped you learn this fun technique. Post some pics on my Facebook page of your work, I'd love to see your projects.

Until next time, take care!