How to Crochet: Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS)
By Rachel – 83 CommentsThis tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.
Tunisian stitches also known as afghan stitches, create a very elegant basket weaved look. Tunisian stitches are like a cross between crocheting and knitting because in crocheting these stitches it involves leaving loops on your hook when you are crocheting forward and then removing them when you crochet in reverse. Don’t let this confuse you! This tutorial will walk you through creating a small crocheted piece using Tunisian simple stitch.
Here is what Tunisian simple stitches look like:
Front |
Back |
Below is a step by step tutorial that will slowly walk you through crocheting a few rows of Tunisian simple stitches. If you need help with any of the steps, don’t be afraid to ask by leaving a comment on this post!
Step 1: Chain 10 (How to Crochet a Chain)

Step 2: Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook

Step 3: Yarn over (wrap the yarn over your hook)

Step 4: Pull the strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook. (This adds one loop onto your hook)

Step 5: Insert your hook into the next chain.

Step 6: Yarn over (wrap the yarn over your hook)

Step 7: Pull the strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook. (This adds one loop onto your hook)

Step 8: Repeat steps 5 – 7 for each chain across. When you are done you should have 10 loops on your hook, since you started out with 10 chains.

You just completed the first half. Now let’s finish this row of Tunisian simple stitches by working in the other direction. Just follow the steps below!
Step 9: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 10: Pull strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook. (There should still be 10 loops on your hook)

Step 11: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 12: Pull strand of yarn through the next 2 loops on your hook. (There should now be 1 less loop on your hook)

Step 13: Repeat steps 11 – 12 until there is only 1 loop left on your hook

Congrats! You have just completed one row of Tunisian simple stitches! Let’s try another row.
Step 14: Insert your hook into the second stitch (the stitch that looks somewhat like a vertical bar, it is located on the front of the work) Do not insert it into the first stitch; always insert it into the second stitch to make even rows. There are 10 “vertical bars” on the front of your work. These are the stitches that you will be inserting your hook into.

Step 15: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 16: Pull the strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook (This adds one loop onto your hook)

Step 17: Insert your hook into the next stitch (that looks somewhat like a bar)

Step 18: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 19: Pull the strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook. (This adds one loop onto your hook)

Step 20: Repeat steps 17 – 19 for each stitch across. When you are done you should have 10 loops on your hook, since you started out with 10 chains.

Now it is time to work in the other direction, follow the next steps to do so!
Step 21: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 22: Pull strand of yarn through the first loop on your hook.

Step 23: Yarn over (wrap yarn over your hook)

Step 24: Pull strand of yarn through the next 2 loops on your hook.

Step 25: Repeat steps 23 – 24 until there is only one loop left on your hook.

Congrats! You just completed another row of Tunisian simple stitches. To make more rows, simply repeat steps 14 – 25.
If you need help with any of the steps, don’t be afraid to ask by leaving a comment on this post!







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Didn’t win the book, but definitely scored with this tutorial. Thanks for posting it again!
That is the coolest instruction option ever for left handers ever. I was hard teaching myself to knit and crochet. This web page is definately getting saved on my PC. I trying to learn Tunisian right now…. Thanks from a South Paw…
Hi Rachel!
Thanks for the tutorial! I do have a quick question. How would you change colors?
Hi Heather! You can change colors in the same fashion you’d normally change colors in crochet. For instance, when you’re ready for the new color you can drop the old color and start drawing up loops with the new color. Here’s a basic tutorial on changing colors if you need it: How to Change Colors in Crochet
Thanks Rachel!
Also, are increases and decreases for this stitch done in the normal fashion? Other than going through the bar, instead of the top of the stitch?
Yes, it is very similar to regular increasing and decreasing. To decrease you’ll insert you hook into 2 of the bars, instead of just one, then pull the yarn through both of the bars. To increase you’ll pull up and extra loop by inserting you hook between 2 bars.
Thanks so much for the tutorial — I’ve been interested in Tunisian crochet for a long time but had never seen anyone do it. Do you have tutorials for more advanced stitches??
Sorry, not at the moment Linda. But hopefully we can get put some more up in the future
There is a knit stitch tutorial if you are interested in that though: How to Crochet: Tunisian Knit Stitch (tks)
This is great. Thanks. Just wondering, what if you want to make a wider piece? If i wanted to start with something as long as a 50 chains for instance, obviously i can’t have that many loops on a hook at once, so is it possible to make a piece that wide?
Aubrey, there are special Tunisian crochet hooks that you can use. They are extra long hooks compared to regular hooks or have a cord at the end that holds all the stitches.