Tunisian Crochet

[clairymary]

Hi everyone, I want to teach myself tunisian crochet but I have no idea where to start! Can anyone give me a nudge in the right direction, I dont mind buying a really good book if anyone could suggest one. Plus I would like suggestions on the best hooks too. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[cris]

I am no expert on hooks but I tend to use a size N simply because I crochet tight in general and the tunisian crochet basic stitches tend to curl.

 

I am actually teaching myself as well. I cannot do anything fancy but I can do the regular tunisian stitch and the tunisian perl which makes wonderful scarves.

 

Before buying a book, I would just look to the internet. Look up tunisian crochet on youtube and also Crochet Pattern Central. They have an instruction directory and it's all free.

 

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/instruction_directory.php

 

If you find you really enjoy tunisian crochet, then I'd say look for a book. I enjoy it but have found so many resources online for free that buying a book hasn't become necessary yet.

 

Hope this helps!

- Cris

[clairymary]

Thank you Cris, I will check cpc and you tube out first. I was planning on just buying one hook to see if I could pick it up and if I liked it! I was thinking of getting a 5.0mm/H as its the size Im quite comfortable with. I fancied a new challenge for the new year!!! Many thanks again for your guidance.

[happy stitcher]

I started with youtube and some cotton yarn. That way any little squares I made could at least become dishrags!

 

Crochet Cabana has a section on Tunisian: http://www.crochetcabana.com/specialty/index.htm

[TCarra]

I enjoy working with Leisure Arts pattern books. A couple of them have tunisian crochet projects in them, and for those, there are special instructions on how to do the stitch. I saw an angel afghan that I wanted to make for someone very dear, so that gave me the motivation to focus on those instructions until I figured it out. (So I guess what I'm saying is that, for me, it was a combination of good clear instructions from Leisure Arts and my determination.) Best of luck to you! There are so many wonderful projects using this lovely technique!

[RoseRed]

It's really not difficult = just very different.

 

I would get at least a J or K hook. Tunisian is a very tight stitch. My Grandmother would use Wintuck and a G hook. The fabric would come out like cardboard.

[sparkle814]

The fabric would come out like cardboard.

 

LOL that just made me laugh for some reason, hehe.

 

Good luck with your venture into Tunesian! It's one of the many things on my crochet to-do list.

[clairymary]

Thank you all for your suggestions, Ive watched a couple of youtube tutorials and the examples look really loose! Im thinking that maybe it was just to demonstrate where to put the hook! Anyway I will buy a larger hook as suggested and have a go. Thanks all.

[hypermama]

YAY! I've been wanting to learn how as well!

[acraftylady]

I haven't done this but would the short row dishcloth be good for a beginner? Mary

[clairymary]

Hey sharonB551, thanks for telling me about that, I have now got the basics sorted and I am aware of that book but it is difficult/impossible to get a hold of the the uk! I will keep trying though, I now want to try and follow a pattern and try some of the more challenging stitches so I will have another look at youtube and hopefully get a copy of the book eventually. Thanks for your suggestions.

[my2girlies]

I am quite interested in tunisian crochet since I know how to knit, love the look of the knitted stitches but enjoy more crochet... LOL Hope I'm making sense here. I will research this technique in you tube.

[1wani]

I don't know if this is still relevant or not but a good while back I bought a kit at Walmart that was put out by Annie's Attic. It had three hooks and a booklet called " Getting Started With Easy Tunisian Crochet". Fast, Fun, and Fabulous. It shows 5 stitches, and some general information as well as several patterns. I have made the shawl several times and everyone loves the softness of it. And I used RH yarn which is not extremely soft to begin with. Just a suggestion.

[1wani]

I haven't done this but would the short row dishcloth be good for a beginner? Mary

 

 

You all know I had to try this. It is fun to make. The only problem that I had was finding the last vertical bar on each row before going into the chain or previous wedge. Never done anything that wasn't straight rows before. Thanks for link Mary.

[acraftylady]

Hey sharonB551, thanks for telling me about that, I have now got the basics sorted and I am aware of that book but it is difficult/impossible to get a hold of the the uk! I will keep trying though, I now want to try and follow a pattern and try some of the more challenging stitches so I will have another look at youtube and hopefully get a copy of the book eventually. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

 

There is www.ebay.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk to check for that book. Mary

[amydepew]

I absolutely LOVE Tunisian crochet. I have a few video tutorials on my blog, as well as some free patterns to try out. They are mostly done in the round (for which you need a double-ended hook) but there is a scarf pattern that is fast and easy!

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of Tunisian!

 

[clairymary]

Thanks for that Mary, I have checked both of those sites and its not available on ebay and on amazon they are charging £113 which is about $180!!!! I have my fingers crossed it will come down in price lol! Im wondering if its out of print now and thats why they are asking for so much!

[acraftylady]

Ok, sorry. if you put it in your ebay favorites you will get an email every time one comes of for auction or at least for the U.S ebay you can so I would imagine the UK one has the same settings. Mary

[scotkat]

I sent online for a tunisian crochet hook size 8mm it arrived today.

 

I have my pattern but would like to watch atutrial on Set-up tks Fwp can anyone help me please.

 

Many thanks Scotkat

[acraftylady]

Well there are some posts at the beginning of this thread with links so try those. Also search at crochetville for it and I am sure you can find other helpfull threads. Mary

[PurpleRainbow]

So, how's your new adventure in crochet going?

 

When I decided to try Tunisian, I just played around with regular crochet hooks and practiced making the stitches. Next I discovered instructions for entrelac and intarsia which also let me use the ordinary hooks, and I made 2 afghans for the grandkids. I have a G afghan hook and as long as I don't work too tightly, it's OK, no carboard (love that comparison!). I can't find larger hooks locally and have just about given up trying to find them. One day I'll go ahead and find some to order online I guess.

[clairymary]

PurpleRainbow, I found that too, my local craft shop had 1 size and that was a g hook! This month my hubby treated me to a set I had seen on ebay.co.uk so I got 10 hooks from 4mm up to 10mm and they only cost £18 which is a bargain compared to what I paid for one locally! They arrived yesterday and I have loads of ideas to try and make! I would love to try entrelac and intarsia but it looks a bit complicated!Think I will have to work my way up to it!!!

[RNcrocheter]

I am new to tunisian crochet as well. In the March/April issue of Crochet today there is a 2 page tutorial on tunisian crochet. This was helpful to me.

[Arlie]

Hello im new here and to tunisian crochet. Sharon/villager could you please post a link to those photos on Flicker from the book 101 easy stitches for tunisian crochet here in this forum? I searched there but could not find them. That book is out of print and can only be found ,what i could find, on amazon.com for around $75 to$ 150.00. I would love to be able to see some of it.

Thank you

Arlie

California

[Arlie]

I am new to tunisian crochet as well. In the March/April issue of Crochet today there is a 2 page tutorial on tunisian crochet. This was helpful to me.

 

Hi

 

That is the magizine article that started me on tunisian also. I downloaded the author's book ,that the article is based on, from kindle to my iPad.