How to Tunisian Crochet: Extensive Beginners Guide With Video

Awww… Tunisian crochet. It’s my absolute favorite needlework method.

Looking at Ravelry, even though Tunisian crochet makes up only a quarter of my body of work, I have the most Tunisian crochet patterns published than any other designer.

A pair of scissors

It is obviously my favorite and there is no denying it. I want it to be your favorite as well!

Why Does It Curl?

The first question I am always asked is “Why does it curl?” Yes, it curls. It curls just like knitting. It’s completely normal. But, it’s easy to combat the curl with my quick tips HERE.

Is It Boring?

The thing I hear is that “I’ve tried it and it’s boring.” Well, yes, I suppose that it can be boring if you stick with one stitch all the time. The same is true with knitting and regular crochet. You stick with one stitch and do nothing but that one stitch all the time, then it could definitely be boring.

But, thankfully, the stitches and combinations of stitches to form stitch patterns are limitless so Just Say No to Boring.

Bulky and Dense?

And, there is the inevitable “Tunisian crochet is stiff, bulky and dense”. To be honest, ANY needlework is stiff, bulky and dense if you work at a tight gauge. Loosen up and you’ll find that you’ll have more fun.

Lastly, we have “Tunisian crochet uses double the amount of yarn.” This myth got its start because of working at a tight gauge. The tighter you stitch, the more yarn you use. Again, loosen up! You’ll use less yarn. 🙂

Is Tunisian Crochet difficult to learn?

Tunisian crochet is certainly not at all difficult to learn. If you know how to do single crochet, you already know how to do Tunisian crochet.

Let me break it down. A single crochet is:

  • Insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop
  • Yarn over, pull through two loops.

With single crochet, you do these two steps, over and over, in sequence. In Tunisian crochet, you do step 1 all the way across and then you do step 2 all the way across. It’s just single crochet in assembly-line style. Easy peasy.

I have free online videos in Tunisian crochet, over four hours of them!

Both right- and left-handed video tutorials.

And, seriously, if you will just start at the first video, you can be working in Tunisian crochet with the initial stitches in just 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes, guys!

Come on. You can give me 15 minutes, right?!

Find my videos below and just get started!

You can easily learn the basic stitches with a regular crochet hook. Put a rubber band around the end of the hook and you’re good to go.

You’ve got this!

The Foundation Row

Most of your stitch patterns will start with the same typical foundation. It’s the first thing you’ll want to learn.

This is the one most often used but there are other types of foundations that can be used. The taller stitches and the lace stitch patterns will usually have a different Foundation, but we can ignore these for now.

Dive into the instructions for a typical Foundation Row by watching the video below.

For more information see this post about the foundation row.

Beginners Stitches

You are now ready to move on and learn some simple, basic beginners stitches.


Crochet Stitch

Tunisian Simple Stitch

This is usually the first stitch you’ll learn and many people stick with it quite a while before moving on to something else.

Check out the video tutorial below or go directly to the in-depth Tunisian Simple Stitch guide.


Crochet Stitch Closeup

Tunisian Flat Stitch

Tunisian crochet can curl just like hand knitting and, like hand knitting, there are ways to combat the curl. Try this stitch which is a hybrid of the Simple Stitch.

Check out the video tutorial below or go directly to the in-depth Tunisian Flat Stitch guide.


Crochet Stitch Closeup

Tunisian Reverse Stitch

This is the same exact stitch as the Simple Stitch except it’s worked from the back of the work instead of the front. It’s one of the best weapons in your arsenal for combating the curl.

Check out the video tutorial below or go directly to the in-depth Tunisian Reverse Stitch guide.


Crochet Stitch Closeup

Tunisian Knit Stitch

Because this one looks like stockinette stitch in knitting, people are very keen on learning it as soon as possible.

Check out the video tutorial below or go directly to the in-depth Tunisian Knit Stitch guide.


Once you’ve practiced these stitches, pick one of the Alternating Stitches in the Stitch Library.

NOTE:

One of the biggest mistakes people make is making a decision about whether they like Tunisian crochet based solely on one plain stitch.

That would be like making a decision about regular crochet after learning only to do a single crochet and a double crochet. You would be ignoring all the other incredible stitches available!

Pick out something you like and learn the stitches required, then give it a go. Because they don’t typically curl, you are free to enjoy it all on its own.

Now that you’ve dipped your toes into some basic Tunisian crochet, it’s time to learn about how to choose your crochet hooks and how to read a crochet pattern.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get started. You can pick up tools as you go, just like most people do when learning regular crochet.

When you’re ready, explore the Stitch Library, our guide to crochet abbreviations, and our list of crochet symbols for more awesome things to learn. The ones with videos are marked with a Video Banner.

Go to your local craft store or buy yarn online.

If you are looking for patterns, check out the many Tunisian Crochet Patterns available here on the website and in my published books.

Enjoy the learning!

A pair of scissors