Tunisian simple stitch makes a grid of upright bars. To build the next row, you pick up a loop behind each front vertical bar, then complete a return pass. A twelve-loop sample is large enough to show the structure without filling the hook with too much fabric.
Make the foundation pass
Use smooth yarn and a hook with room along its shaft. Chain twelve. Starting in the second chain from the hook, draw up one loop through each chain and leave every loop on the hook. The original working loop plus eleven picked-up loops gives twelve in total.
Do not turn the work. For the basic return pass, yarn over and pull through one loop, then repeatedly yarn over and pull through two loops until only one remains. The foundation row is complete.
Locate the front vertical bars
Look below the hook for the line of upright strands. The loop already on the hook represents the first stitch, so skip the first bar directly beneath it. Insert under the next front vertical bar, draw up a loop and leave it on the hook.
Continue across the interior stitches. At the final edge, work under the two edge strands rather than catching only a loose outer strand. This creates a firmer edge. Count twelve loops before beginning the return pass.
Repeat the same return pass
Draw through one loop first, then through two at a time until one remains. Do not add a second setup chain unless a particular pattern calls for it. The forward and return passes together are the row you record.
| Checkpoint | Expected count |
|---|---|
| After twelve starting chains | 12 chains |
| After foundation pickup | 12 loops on hook |
| After each return pass | 1 loop on hook |
| After later forward passes | 12 loops on hook |
Use the count to diagnose an uneven edge
If there are thirteen loops, check whether you picked up a loop through the first bar as well as keeping the original working loop. If there are eleven, inspect the far edge: its final stitch is easy to miss.
If the count is correct but one edge feels loose, compare the height of the first and final loops with the interior ones. Pulling an edge loop much higher can create a wavy border without changing the number of stitches.
Finish with a bind-off
After a return pass, skip the first bar as usual. Insert under the next front vertical bar, draw up a loop and pull it straight through the loop already on the hook, making a slip-stitch bind-off. Continue across, using the same two edge strands for the final stitch.
Keep the bind-off relaxed enough to match the sample width. A tight top edge can pull in even when every earlier row was correct. Fasten off and weave in the ends after checking both edges.
Measure the fabric, not its curl
Let the sample rest and care for it according to the yarn label. Some curl is common in this stitch. If it is too stiff or tightly curled for the intended project, compare a sample with a different hook before making a larger piece.
Label the finished swatch with “Tss,” the hook size and the twelve-stitch count. Later, place it beside a Tunisian knit-stitch sample made from the same yarn to see how the insertion point changes the fabric.
Continue learning
Review Tunisian equipment · Try the knit-stitch insertion · Choose a finishing method
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