May 2, 2021

How To Crochet The Tunisian Simple Stitch

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Welcome to the first stitch tutorial of our Tunisian CAL: Tunisian Simple Stitch, or TSS for short. In this tutorial, we’re going to learn how to make this stitch and identify each place you need to insert your hook. This is the easiest and most basic stitch of the Tunisian stitches, and is fundamental in building other Tunisian projects.

Working Your First Square

Now we’re getting into it! In this section, I’m going to teach you how to read the pattern and how to work the first stitch which is the main stitch you will need to know for every project: Tunisian Simple Stitch–TSS.

The TSS is used to get all projects started off, which is called your starting or foundation row. This does not count as your first row when following patterns or row counting. You also will not count your bind off row at the top unless the pattern states that you will.

Materials List:

Note: this list contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you!

I used:

Worsted/Aran/#4 weight yarn–Brava Worsted by Knit Picks in Cornflower, Tidepool, Alfalfa, and mint. I was able to get 2 squares out of each skein. As there are 12 squares, if you are using the same yarn, you will need 3 of each. I also used Brava Worsted Speckle in Tidal for borders and joining.

You can find Brava Worsted at WeCrochet

Fiber: 100% premium acrylic

Weight: Worsted

Crochet Gauge: 11-14 sc = 4″ on I-K hooks (5.5mm-6.5mm)

Yards: 218

Grams: 100

Machine was and dry

I used a 6.5mm Tunisian hook from Furls and also one from Love To Crochet–a set I bought on Amazon.

Getting Started

For our first stitch lesson, we are only working one stitch: TSS. The swatch we will work will only be 4″ X 4″ (a standard gauge swatch) which you will then use to as practice for making that first square of the CAL!

For the CAL, you only need to work up a 12″ x 12″ square.

Row 1

For Tunisian Crochet, you will need to know that a row consists of both the forward pass and the return pass (refer to our Introduction post to remind yourself). You must have completed both to consider that row complete. I’d like you to mark the very end stitch (farthest left stitch, two loops) which will mark where you work your last “ending” stitch (refer back to the Introductory post to be reminded of what that is). At this point, I would also like to show you how a Tunisian pattern looks:

Row 1:

Forward Pass–TSS across

Return Pass– Normal return.

Let Me Explain…

Did you understand that? I’ll help. For the Forward Pass, we need to work the indicated stitch. To do this, we need to grab up loops again. But WAIT! Not just any ol’ spot will do! Each different stitch will have a specific spot you need to insert your hook into: what we call “bars”. These are the vertical “bars” along the row as shown in the next picture:

Completed foundation row, showing vertical bars

So Where Does My Hook Go??

Each different Tunisian stitch will have a different bar to pick up however, do NOT pick up the very very first one that is right below the loop on your hook. If it helps you to know where to start, count your bars from the opposite end of the work–INCLUDING THE VERY END STITCH THAT WE MARKED. When you reach the number of stitches you counted for your chain, you will know where to start. Here’s another picture:

Technique

In the picture above, where I show you where to find the first bar, you can see that I skipped the bar directly below my loop that was already on the hook and went into the next bar. Here’s the instructions:

insert hook behind next front bar, yarn over and pull up a loop. Stop.
insert hook behind next front bar, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Stop.
repeat step 2 until you reach your marked stitch: insert hook into TWO loops at the end (your chain up from previous row), yarn over, and pull up a loop:

go thru two loops on very last stitch at the end of the forward pass of row 1 and each row thereafter

Now we have completed our first forward pass.

Next Step:

To work the next part of this row, complete the return pass as follows:

Yarn over, pull thru one loop (this is your chain up and also referred to as the edge stitch)
Yarn over, pull thru two loops. Stop.
Repeat step 2 until only one loop remains on the hook.

You now have completed both your foundation row and first row of TSS!

To continue, you need only keep working row 1 until you have the desired sizing.

First gathered TSS stitch of the forward pass

Where To Get The PDF Pattern

Sunflower Store

Get the PDF pattern on Ravelry for free for the month of May. Use code TSS at check out. Click the button below to go to the pattern and enter the code.