The Beginner’s Guide to Tunisian Crochet
While the origins of Tunisian crochet are debatable, the beauty of it is universally accepted. Some makers may see it as a hybrid of knitting and crochet while others recognize it for the unique qualities that set it apart. If you’ve been considering Tunisian crochet, you’ve come to the right place. Here is a full training on get your first stitches on the hook.
PIN IT NOW, READ IT LATER
When I first decided to try Tunisian crochet, I scoured Pinterest and YouTube, as all crafters do. There are dozens of tutorials out there, but I wasn’t able to find a single channel that answered all of my questions.
To solve this problem, I launched my very own YouTube channel in March 2017. It was scary to take such a big step, but the five videos I’ve produced on the topic of Tunisian crochet were useful to others: as of February 2018, these five videos have over 400,000 views! I hope they’ll be helpful to you too.
Part 1: The Absolute Basics of Tunisian Crochet
In just 20 minutes, I cover the absolute basics of Tunisian crochet. I cover some basic need-to-know tips, the tools, and then I walk you through your first swatch.
Part 2: Your First Project!
Who would have thought you’d be ready for your first Tunisian crochet project after just one tutorial? Take what you’ve learned and make this adorable ear warmer. *Note: depending on the hook and yarn you use, you may want your ear warmer longer or wider. To widen it, add chain stitches to the very beginning. To lengthen it, continue with your rows until the ear warmer is the length you need it to be.
Part 3: Changing color
After learning the basics, I immediately wanted to spice up my Tunisian simple stitch swatches. Introducing color changes! Each technique offers a different result, further proving how versatile this stitch is!
Part 4: Tunisian Crochet Knit and Purl Stitches
To me, Tunisian crochet is a great alternative for crocheters who don’t want to learn to knit. (sorry!) It has the flexibility to mimic lots of knit stitches, including the knit stitch and the purl stitch. This video shows you how while making a fun coaster project.
Part 5: Even More Tunisian Crochet Stitch Patterns
Are you ready to take your skills to the next level? Try five gorgeous and easy Tunisian stitch patterns with this tutorial video.
Bonus Video!
Soon after I posted my Tunisian tutorial series, I started getting a lot of requests for a very specific stitch that crocheters had seen floating around the Internet. I reverse engineered a swatch I found on Facebook and created a tutorial for the Tunisian smock stitch. I’d call this a beginner+ to intermediate level stitch pattern. Give it a try!
And that’s that! So, what do you think? Are you absolutely in love with Tunisian crochet yet? I hope so. If you need more convincing, here are a couple beginner friendly projects in the TL Yarn Crafts pattern shop for you to try out:
PIN THIS POST!
Hi Toni , Thank you so much for your amazing videos, I have never tried Tunisian Crochet but after seeing your videos i am hooked, you explain everything in so much detail it is so easy to follow, looking forward to more Hilary
Hey Toni, I’m addicted to your sites. Can you please tell me the white or cream colored Tunisian stitch project is? Thanks Vicky
Hi Vicky! Thank you so much for your kind words and visiting the site. The cream-colored project will be released in the next month or so. It’s under wrap for now, but I’ll be sharing it with my Cozy Club email list closer to the release date. You can join the Cozy Club here: http://eepurl.com/coZYM1 🙂
Thanks so much for these videos. Tunisian crochet is one of those things that has been poking me in the side to try forever, but I have not wanted to. I know how beautiful it is and now I am definitely going to try it in ernest. I have the Flatiron shawl in mind. Thanks again.
….justwannacraft,CathyM
You got this, Cathy! I’ve had students to get the hang of Tunisian crochet in just one afternoon. Give it a try and let me know how it goes 🙂
I would like to thank you so much for your videos and website. I am an experienced crocheter, but am new to Tunisian Crochet. You have such a calm, clear way of teaching and I appreciate it.
So far, I have mastered the Smock Stitch (thanks to you), and I look forward to learning more.
What a wonderful, clear, well-thought website! I’m very impressed, and appreciative.
Helo Toni! My name is Icus and I live in Hungary. You’ve discovered your crochet on You Tub. It is even understandable to me who doesn’t know English very much.
Thank you !!! Hi. Icus
Hello! i’m a new subscriber to your YouTube channel and I hope you read this comment. I love to comment on videos that are helpful to me. I watched your Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Tunisian Crochet and 5 Simple stitches for Tunisian Crochet Beginners and I was hooked. After a little practice I decided to try this pattern. I have been diagnosed with ALS and the disease has robbed me of my ability to sew garments and continue my quilting but I can still knit and crochet. Too many “how to”” YouTubers don’t make their instructions easy enough for people with disabilities but yours was excellent. My first 2 rows are kinda wonky because I have also lost some of my fine motor skills but I kept going and it’s looking great. I want to try the braided one next after I obtain a tunisian hook. Thank you for your videos.
Hi Pam! I’m so touched that you took the time to leave your comment here. I’m so glad that I could help, and I hope you continue to have fun learning and experimenting with crochet 🙂
Thank you for the excellent lessons on video. I have enjoyed making the Tunisian simple stitch ear warmers so much, made five to give as gifts. They were well received and being used daily.
I’m so glad the videos were helpful, and it warms my heart that your gifts were received with so much love 🙂
Hi Toni!
Thank you so much for these tutorials, they’re so clear and easy to follow! I’m so excited to finally be learning this great technique!
I’m so glad they’re helpful, Gemma! Let me know if I can help at all along the way 🙂
Hi!!
I’m a long time knitter and crocheter, but I’m sooo excited to learn Tunisian Crochet!! Thank you so much for your instructions! They are very easy to follow and look so fun!
Hi Toni. Can you do a tutorial on tunsion meters square continuous join. So there is no trying to join the squares after the blanket is made.
Thanks
Gwendolyn
Hi Toni. You are so awesome teaching crochet. You make it very easy but I have 1 question for you. I’m trying to learn the Tunisian smock stitch but my brain works better if I have it in writing. Do you have the directions anywhere on your site that I can follow? Thank you so much
Mary
Hi Mary,
We have a video and written tutorial How to Crochet the Tunisian Crochet Smock Stitch – VIDEO TUTORIAL Hope that helps 🙂
Dear Toni,
I’m Prachi a crocheter since 2017, my insta page is Contemporary Crochet Prachi.
It has been my dream, to host an Intermediate level crochet retreat to handhold & encourage makers to try different crochet techniques & make their crochet journey even more interesting.
My retreat (hosts 5 makers only) is finally coming together and is scheduled in the next 10 days – 29 Nov to 2 Dec 2025, Lonavala, Maharashtra, India. I hope you consider to take a look at my insta page – @hangoutbycontemporarycrochet
I love your teaching skills & have learnt so much from you that I’d love to include your Merci cloth pattern in my retreat take home practise kit as a gesture of gratitude for your generous contribution to our community.
Kindly let me know your thoughts. I hope you want to connect with my valuable retreater’s.
Warm regards,
Prachi.
Hey there, Prachi,
How lovely you are to contribute to the crochet community! Your retreat sounds incredible, and we thank you for your support of Toni’s work. Go ahead and shoot us an email at [email protected] with this information, but essentially, you are free to include the pattern in the practice kits you wish to distribute as long as the pattern is bought for the amount of people you have. So, if you have five makers including yourself, then you would purchase 6 patterns from tlyarncrafts.com (or Ravelry). Let me know if you have any other questions, and have an incredible retreat! 🙂
Just learning how to do this style of crochet, I can do regular crochet somewhat. Do you have a video to learn how to read a tunisian crochet pattern? Thanks.
Hey there, Paige! No, Toni does not currently have a video on how to read Tunisian crochet patterns, but she does have a video on how to read crochet patterns. That video can be found here.
She does have a video on the absolute basics of Tunisian crochet that could be helpful in learning the terms of the craft. That video can be found here.
I also suggest Toni’s book, The Tunisian Crochet Handbook, as she walks you through a lot of the basics of the craft, and then provides beginner patterns to hone in your skills 🙂 You can find her book here.