Tunisian Simple Stitch: Tunisian Crochet Stitch Tutorial

I’ve recently gotten into learning Tunisian Crochet and I think it’s going to turn out to be quite addicting, kinda like regular crochet! And I thought that I would start sharing some stitch tutorials with everyone as I go.

I figured that I would start with the very first stitch that most people learn when they start learning tunisian crochet and that is the Tunisian Simple Stitch.

A Little Bit About Tunisian Crochet

If you have never crocheted tunisian crochet before, then you may have some questions about it. You may wonder how it is different from traditional crochet.

I feel like tunisian crochet is kinda a cross between crocheting and knitting as it seems to use techniques from both. It only requires one hook like regular crochet but you pick up loops and keep them on your hook like knitting.

Typically with regular crocheting, you will work across your row into each stitch individually and then turn your work and work another row back across. With tunisian crochet, you will work into each stitch across and pick up loops on your hook and then work back across and get rid of the loops without turning your work so the right side of your work will always be facing you.

A typical row in tunisian crochet is made in 2 steps, the forward pass (working from right to left) and the return pass (working from left to right). The return pass can also be referred to as the reverse pass or the backward pass.

How to Crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch

In a pattern this stitch will be abbreviated like so

TSS = Tunisian Simple Stitch

If you are a visual learner, then be sure to watch my video tutorial for the tunisian simple stitch! Or keep scrolling down for the step by step and picture tutorial.

The tunisian simple stitch does not require a specific number of stitches to do so there is no stitch multiple to work by. You can start with any number of chains that you would like.

Foundation Row

Start by chaining any number of stitches. Then insert your hook into the 2nd stitch from your hook going into the back bump of the chain stitch and pull up a loop.

Continue picking up loops in each stitch across. You should have as many loops on your hook as the number of chains you started with. Example, if you chained 25 stitches, then you should have 25 loops on your hook.

ch 1

*yarn over and pull through 2 loops* continue repeating from * to * until you only have 1 loop on your hook.

You have now completed the foundation row and your piece should look like this

Forward Pass for the Tunisian Simple Stitch

Insert your hook into the first vertical bar from the previous row and pull up a loop

Insert your hook into the next vertical bar and pull up a loop. Continue all the way across until you reach the end.

When you reach the end, you will insert your hook into the V at the end of the previous row (going under both loops) and pull up a loop

You have now completed a forward pass for the tunisian simple stitch

Return Pass for the Tunisian Simple Stitch

ch 1, *yarn over and pull through 2 loops* continue repeating from * to * until you only have 1 loop on your hook.

This completes the reverse pass and here is what your piece should now look like

Keep repeating the forward pass and reverse pass until your piece is the length that you want. Typically 1 row = a forward pass and return pass in tunisian crochet

Finishing Off / Bind Off the Tunisian Simple Stitch

Once your piece is the length that you want, you can bind it off. To do so, insert your hook into the first vertical bar and slip stitch

Insert your hook into the next vertical bar and slip stitch. Continue repeating across the row making sure to insert your hook through the V for the final stitch.

Cut yarn and weave in ends.

And that it how easy it is to work the tunisian simple stitch!