Learn Tunisian Crochet, Part 4.

Dear users, dear authors,
we’re continuing with Part 4.

Part 1 of this informative thread can be read here:
Learn Tunisian crochet for free / together it’s easy to get the hang of it

Part 2 can be found here:
Learn Tunisian crochet for free - Part 2

Part 3 is here:
Learn Tunisian crochet for free, Part 3.

Of course, we also have patterns matching the topic in the shop:
Patterns for Tunisian crochet.

@Autoren,
please remember that this is not an advertising thread. Thanks.

So, how’s it going with you all?

Unfortunately, interest in Tunisian crochet doesn’t seem to be very high right now.

I’m at a standstill too, but (thanks to Marion) I’ve decided to design a pot holder again.

My poncho is still languishing as a UFO.

Petra,
it looks like it’s just the two of us left.
That’s too bad—Tunisian crochet is so easy and looks so good.

It’s a shame your poncho is still a UFO. It looks so nice. Maybe you’ll come up with a solution after all.

Right now, I haven’t started anything either. I have plenty of ideas, but unfortunately no time to work on them. Maybe my next Tunisian project will be a colorful sofa pillow cover.

In any case, I’m excited to see what you’ll whip up next.

Is Tunisian crochet not that popular because you need special hooks for it?

I don’t know if that’s the reason—after all, a Tunisian crochet hook doesn’t cost much. I don’t really like Tunisian crochet because it doesn’t go fast enough for me. I can simply do “regular crochet” faster. And if a project is going to take a little longer, I’d rather knit.

What might appeal to me, though, is a project that combines knitting and Tunisian crochet. With Tunisian crochet, you have all the stitches on the hook in every odd row, so you could then continue by knitting. That would definitely make for an interesting pattern!

@Ruth,
give it a try and write up a nice pattern for it.
You’re sure to earn some extra karma points if you mention it at the awards ceremony.

Hi Ruth, look—that’s exactly how I did it.

@Ruth
I also don’t think it’s the needle’s fault, and it’s true that Tunisian crochet takes a little longer and uses more yarn—but I’m still thrilled with it; it’s just a matter of taste, like so many things.

I haven’t thought of combining knitting with Tunisian crochet yet—I don’t imagine it would be that easy either.

@ Marion
I just saw your post—did you crochet the top and knit the pattern at the bottom?

Maybe I’ll give this a try on vacation... Right now, I have so many other things on my mind that I want to get done.

Petra, yes, that’s exactly how the sweater is made.
I made it last year—it was already in the gallery.

Marion , now I remember that the sweater was in the gallery—you make so many beautiful things.

Ruth , I’m curious to see if you’ll give it a try.

I just finished a pot holder and will probably write a pattern for it :-)

I grabbed my potholder book and tried out something new from it again.

It’s really fun and works up quickly. It’s ideal for leftover yarn.

I can’t quite get used to crocheting in the round using the spiral method—it’s fast, but somehow I can’t really picture what the finished piece will look like beforehand.

I once crocheted small leaves for a project; it’s similar to that.

Petra, your leaves look really good.

My pot holder is almost done; I think I’ll make another one right away to use up the leftover yarn. 

I need to use up my stash of leftover yarn, too—Tunisian spiral crochet is perfect for that. Maybe I’ll give it a try myself sometime :-)

I actually crocheted a new pot holder today.

I changed the pattern layout—I think it looks much nicer this way.

There’s also a special category for Tunisian crochet at this month’s awards ceremony.
Final Stretch and Awards Ceremony / May 2019 Issue <\/a>

Marion, I like the color combination better too, especially the alternating narrow stripes.

My latest project is finished as well.

Petra, your new creation has turned out beautifully once again. 👍 👏

My two pot holders have the same pattern—they’re always just 6 stitches. For the light-colored one, I just shifted the starting points, 

This topic isn’t getting much traction in the forum right now.
Do you think it might become more popular again in the winter?

I don’t know.

In any case, I really enjoy Tunisian crochet, whether there’s a thread about it or not.
I’ll keep crocheting things and showing them to you.
I haven’t made anything new lately, though.

Glad you’re sticking with it. :-)

I actually crocheted a piece in Tunisian crochet in between.

It was a UFO—it was supposed to be a large shopping bag—but I didn’t like it anymore. That’s how this little bag came about, and I like it better.

Great :-)

I’m in the same boat as Marion—I’m in a bit of a slump right now. In any case, I’ll keep at it :-)

Great :-)

I’ve been wanting to try Tunisian crochet again for a long time, but unfortunately, the technique doesn’t work for my current projects… So my awesome hooks will just have to be patient a little longer!

My hooks are happy—they’re back in action.

I’ve finally decided to crochet a pillowcase.
It’ll be three-colored, made from leftover yarn. I don’t know yet what it’ll look like in the end; I’ll figure that out as I go.

Great idea—I’m curious to see what the finished piece looks like.

Petra, the front of my pillow is finished.
I’m going to knit the back, though. I still need to find some matching yarn in my scraps.

Wow, I really like this!♥♥♥♥
Did you crochet it all in one piece, or are these several separate pieces you crocheted?
I’m currently working on a counted pattern for a lighthouse pillow, so I’ll get to use my Tunisian crochet hook again :-)

Thanks, Petra.
I really like it, too. I started crocheting right away—well, one section,

anyway. I actually wanted to do it the way we tried it once with three colors (using relief stitches), but I wouldn’t have had enough yarn.

How’s everything going with you all?

As you can see, things have been pretty quiet around here, but that’s about to change.

I’ve been crocheting again for the first time in a long while. For this project, I tried out the double-hooked crochet hook for the first time—I’ve had it for ages.
It worked wonderfully and was very easy.

That’s how these thick mittens came to be, without a pattern. At the end, I knitted on a cuff, and they were done.

It turned out beautifully

Thanks, Josefa.

My husband likes them, too. He wants some as well.
I just need to find the right yarn, and then I can get started.

Wow... they turned out great.
I’ve never tried Tunisian crochet with two hooks before. Your gloves inspire me. Can you recommend a hook? I’d like to get one.

Petra, your new pattern has inspired me too; I’ll try it out soon.

I now have a few double-ended hooks. I crocheted my gloves with size 7 (blue).
I also have the same ones in sizes 8 and 12. They’re plastic hooks, and they’re also great for hats. 
I haven’t tried that yet, though. I also have a metal hook, size 4, but I haven’t crocheted with it yet.
I’m very happy with the plastic hook from KnitP.....; they’re sturdy and not very expensive.
 
I’ll be surprised to see what you try once you have some hooks.

Thanks, Marion—I’ll go look for some tomorrow and order a few. I don’t have an idea yet, but one will come to me, and then I’ll show you the result :-)

I’ve now also bought some double-ended hooks—a whole set, in fact.
The so-called turning technique worked without any problems, which I like because it works in rows and in rounds.
What I don’t like so much is the stitch definition; I find it more even with the normal Tunisian basic stitch. (Maybe it’s also because I’m not that practiced yet—it was the same at first with double-face knitting.)





I’ve tried out different stitches, and I like the full stitch best; for crocheting motifs, I like the knit stitch and the reverse stitch. I’ll definitely keep experimenting with this technique.

Petra, that’s already looking good, and it even has a stitch pattern. The fact that you don’t like the stitch so much might be due to the yarn. Did you crochet with cotton?
I used acrylic yarn for my gloves.



This pair was made with a size 4 hook and is also two-tone: one strand of light gray, one strand of dark gray. The yarn has a yardage of 130 m/50 g.

Yes, Marion, I crocheted with cotton—maybe it really isn’t the best choice. I’ll give it a try with a different type of yarn in the next few days. Thanks for the tip. I’ll check back here then :-)



Right now, I’ve discovered Entrelac—it’s really super easy and makes a big impact.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your Sunday.

Best regards, Petra

Yes, Petra, that’s right. Have you actually tried Entrelac in rounds yet?

I really like the piece you showed above (a pot holder?), and the colors are beautiful, too.

Have a wonderful evening
Best regards, Marion

I’m giving it a try—these will probably turn out to be pot holders, and the colors will come naturally to me since I do a lot of nautical-themed projects.

I’ve already tried working in rounds, but only with a single color; I still need to test it with multiple colors.



Warm regards, Petra

Petra, your doily or pot holder worked in rounds turned out beautifully. It looks great even in a single color.
The technique is simple, so you can do a lot with it. I’m sure you’ll come up with something—I’m looking forward to seeing it.
Your nautical colors always look great.

Warm regards

How’s it going with you all?

After quite a while, I’ve done a bit of Tunisian crochet again.

I had the opportunity to test-crochet a project in Tapestry for Ines. But since I used a different yarn, my piece turned out smaller and narrower.
So I widened it on the sides using the basic Tunisian stitch.
  It’s actually supposed to be a placemat, but mine turned out to be a small table runner. In any case, I really like it.

Marion, this really gets me in the Christmas spirit—I think the motifs really stand out best in the basic Tunisian stitch :-)

Right now, I’m in a bit of a slump with all my crafts; I just don’t feel like crocheting or knitting anything :-(
I hope this passes soon and I can get motivated again.

Going well?

I borrowed a book from the library about Tunisian crochet patterns. 


My problem is that the bottom edge curls up. Even with different hooks. What else could be the reason?

Thank you 
Best regards, Gabi 

That’s actually normal with Tunisian crochet. It’s similar to stockinette stitch—that curls up too. If you finish your project by crocheting a row of single crochet stitches around the edge, it usually evens out. 

Hi Gabi,

When you started your cast-on, did you insert the hook into the chain stitches as usual to bring all the loops onto the hook?

Try this instead:

Tilt the foundation chain forward and then insert the hook on the back side of the cast-on, below the cross rib. This way, the V-shaped loops lie along the bottom edge and it won’t curl up.

Of course, as Ruth also says, you can undo your work—that helps, too.

Or you can start with a cuff using the basic stitch and purl stitch, just like in knitting: 1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch.

How’s your Tunisian crochet coming along?