Advanced Tunisian Crochet
Text from an Online Chat Tutorial
Three Stitches Taught in This Class:
Tunisian Double Crochet, Tunisian Bobble Stitch and Tunisian Purl Stitch
11/06/06
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Please note that this text is written in "chat format," although I've edited some of it out. Therefore, there are several conversational, rather than instructional, elements.
Kim> Before I get started, I need to say that this is the "next step" of the prior class
Kim> So, I need to make sure that everyone is familiar with Tunisian crochet and specifically the regular afghan stitch and the Tunisian Knit Stitch
Kim> You'll need a cro-hook or afghan hook and one ball of yarn for this class. I will start in about 5 minutes
Kim> Linda (Diznemom) is also my guest teacher for the color changing class later this month. :-)
Stitchinpick> For many MoEZ people, Linda is somewhat of a celebrity. Are you blushing?
Linda> yes I am Thank you
Kim> Exactly the reason I was THRILLED when she offered to teach for me. :-)
Beatriz Medina> Great! Ill try to be here then.
Kim> Okay, I think we'll start now so that we make sure to get everything going before our hour
Kim> This will be my first time teaching this class online, so I'm unsure how much I can fit into it in an hour
Kim> So, I will need to get about four names of point people this time since we have so many
Kim> These four point people will give me an idea where everyone is at during the class
Kim> But, if at anytime anyone has a question or falls behind, just jump in there and let me know
Kim> Come on now, don't be shy. :-)
Kim> Now, you four will need to type "K" each time I say "Say K when ready"
Kim> So, let's begin
Kim> You will start by making a chain of 20
Kim> If your chains are loose looking, all the better
Kim> Nothing to worry about
Kim> Loose is better
Kim> Say K when ready
Kim> Now, we will just do a standard foundation row to get started
Kim> You will skip the first chain
Kim> Turn the chain toward you so that you see the back bump
Kim> It is under this back bump that I want you to insert your hook
Kim> Yarn over and pull up a loop
Kim> Continue to pull up loops on your hook all the way across
Kim> You will have 20 loops on your hook
Kim> Count them and say K when ready
Kim> The purpose of using the back bump is to make a very clean edge on the bottom
Kim> It also helps a bit with curling
Kim> And, I'm sure you've all heard about and know about the curling
Kim> Remember to stay loose
Kim> Now, to close your stitches
Kim> Yarn over and pull through ONE loop on your hook
Kim> This will close the first one
Kim> Then, yarn over and pull through TWO loops for each remaining
Kim> When you have one loop remaining on your hook, you have closed them all
Kim> When you are at one loop, say K when ready
Kim> Okay, we will begin with a double stitch
Kim> There are many ways to do this, but this time, we will be working the stitch as for Tunisian Knit Stitch
Kim> Make one more chain by simply yarning over and pulling a loop through the one loop on your hook
Kim> This gives you a little bit more height
Kim> Sometimes you need it, sometimes you don't
Kim> It just depends on how loose you stitch
Kim> So, this will work pretty much like a standard double crochet
Kim> Skip the first vertical bar
Kim> Yarn over
Kim> Insert your hook into the next, as for Tunisian Knit Stitch
Kim> Yarn over, pull up a loop
Kim> Yarn over and pull through two loops
Kim> You will now have two loops on your hook
Kim> Say K when ready
Kim> Now, you will continue working these double stitches all the way across
Kim> You will have 20 loops on your hook
Kim> Count them
Kim> A lot of people miss that last stitch, so you'll need to count
Kim> Say K when ready
Linda> k but I did something wrong I have 21 stitches on the hook
Joan> grr// I pnly have 19 sts... I did go thru last stitch!
Kim> Linda, you could have either used the first stitch since it looks different with the extra chain or you could have done a stitch in between one of them
Kim> As you practice, you will get better at making sure that you get the correct number each time
Linda> sounds like it. I usually am good for missing a stitch
Kim> Oh, and you might have forgotten to do that yarnover and pull through two loops in one of the double stitches
Kim> That will add an extra loop
Joan> I think I may have missed a st right in the beginning
Kim> Sometimes, you might even pull through a loop extra when closing the double crochet
Kim> Just practice
Kim> Try to remember how many you have on this row for future rows and see what happens
Beatriz Medina> OOf... 20 stitches finally!
Kim> To close this row, you will do a standard closing
Kim> Yarn over and pull through one loop
Kim> then yarn over and pull through two loops
Kim> You will continue all the way across until you have one loop remaining
Kim> Say K when ready
Kim> Now, we're going to make one row of Tunisian Knit Stitch, only we'll be incorporating a few bobbles
Kim> So, skip the first vertical bar
Kim> Work three tunisian knit stitches
Kim> (No need for that extra chain at the beginning like before)
Kim> You will have four loops on your hook
Kim> Say K when ready
Kim> Now, in the next stitch
Kim> You will be working four of the double stitches you just learned all in the same stitch, inserting your hook as for Tunisian Knit Stitch
Kim> Say K when ready
Linda> 8 stitches on the hook?
Kim> Yes, you'll have 8 loops at this point
Kim> Now, you will yarn over and pull through four loops on your hook
Kim> Be careful to only go through those four loops
Kim> It's very easy to go through extras and lose stitches
Kim> Now, chain one to complete your bobble
Kim> Work 3 Tunisian Knit Stitches
Kim> Then, a bobble
Kim> Yes, five loops after that first bobble
Amy Schemidt> Do you continue on in front of the bobble or behind?
Kim> I like to push the bobble a little forward
Kim> I believe you should have 9 loops once you've finished the second bobble
YarnBox> 9 loops left
Janie> Oh wow, I just turned looked at the back of my work. That is so cool looking.
Kim> Continue working on three Knit Stitches and a bobble all the way across
Kim> But, don't put a bobble in the last stitch
Kim> When you end with extra stitches, just fill them with Tunisian Knit Stitch
Kim> Just play around basically, making sure that you've got the bobble down
Kim> Say K when ready
Kim> And, after this row is completed, I want to stop a minute and hear from everyone to make sure that you're getting it and answer any questions
Janie> I have 20 loops left at the end.
Beatriz Medina> I also have 20 loops.
Linda> k and 20 stitches
Stitchinpick> yep, 20
Divaborn> k. I also have 20
YarnBox> so will there be 14 loops at the end
YarnBox> what happened
Divaborn> 4 bobbles
Kim> You should have 20 loops
Angie> 20 loops and 4 bobbles
Kim> If you have less than 20 loops, you either missed some vertical bars
Kim> Or, you pulled through more than four loops in closing
mva5493> 20 lps 4 bobbles
Kim> Yarnbox, you can probably take out that row and continue with the next stitch, then go back again with the text to get the bobbles
Kim> So, before I continue with the last stitch, I'll need you to do one row of regular afghan stitch
Kim> You'll need to close all those loops
Kim> Then pull up your loops for regular afghan stitch
Kim> Then, close them
Kim> Say K when ready
mva5493> close the same as before?
Kim> Yes, all three of these stitches are closed by going through one loop, then two loops for the remainder
Linda> it is not easy to find the stitch to go into at the bobble
Kim> That little chain at the top of the bobble is the place to insert your hook and it does tend to hide on you
Linda> yes it did. I had to go back and do the row all over
Kim> Linda, I wonder how a bobble edged MoEZ afghan would be?
Linda> I never did this stitch before
Linda> I love the way the bobbles look
Amy Schemidt> I've never done a bobble stitch before. It's pretty cool.
Kim> It's very cool and just as pliable as the rest. Very nice indeed
Stitchinpick> Well, I am using the black hook now (about an M size), and the bobbles are large, maybe like rosebuds?
Kim> Now, before I get to the last stitch of the hour, I need to make sure that everyone is ready, after finishing that one row of afghan stitch and at the one-loop on hook
Kim> Keep in mind that these bobbles can have any number of the double stitches
Kim> You can make them with 3 double stitches, five double stitches
Kim> Just depends on the look you want
Kim> Okay, everyone take a deep breath
Kim> We will now learn the purl stitch
Kim> You will find it uncomfortable
Kim> It is not normal LOL
Kim> And, it can be evil buwhaaaaaa
Kim> You will skip the first vertical bar as with all the other stitches
Janie> I'm scared
Kim> You should be scared, Janie! :-)
Kim> Now, bring the yarn to the front of your work, not the back like it is now
Kim> I like to hold that yarn there close to my work, just below where you are going to insert your hook
Kim> Insert your hook just like a regular afghan stitch
Kim> Now, using your hook like a real grapple
Kim> Pull that yarn through
Kim> You may have to twist your hook a little
Kim> You will end up with a regular afghan stitch, with a horizontal bar sitting in front of it
Kim> People say that this helps with curling when you do it the first few rows
Kim> I don't know
Amy Schemidt> Is the yarn in front coming through between the first loop on the hook and the vertical bar
Kim> Because it's evil
Kim> LOL
Kim> You're going to pull the yarn through the vertical bar like normal, however, you're holding that yarn in front instead of the back
Kim> You might have to do the little twist, especially when you're first learning
Kim> Always keep the yarn to the front of your work
Kim> I actually hold it down with my thumbnail of my non-hook hand in order to get it to stay there
Kim> And, it's really not as bad as it sounds once you get some practice at it
Kim> So, basically, you will end up with a horizontal bar, a tiny one, sitting in front of your stitch once you've pulled up a loop
Kim> It's just sort of twisted around there
Kim> Everyone seeing what I mean with that?
Stitchinpick> Yep. Do we want a knit stitch in the last one?
Kim> Due to the sheer evil-ness of this stitch, you may not get it right away. And, I'm going to suggest that you visit NexStitch for Amie's videos if you don't get it because it's a good stitch to have in your experience folder :-)
Kim> A lot of designers use it.....I'm not one of them LOL
Kim> Yes, Linda, you can knit the last stitch to keep that edge looking good like I've taught you. Good on you for remembering that tip! :-)
Amy Schemidt> I have the annie's attic stitch guide open to it right now. I cheated :o)
mva5493> think I am gonna need a video for this one, lol
Kim> I can personally assure you that not one of my patterns on my site or through Annie's Attic or any other magazine with my designs.....not one of them has the purl stitch LOL
Stitchinpick> Personally, I think your reverse stitch helps curl better and is prettier than this.
Kim> They may say Purl stitch on the pattern and, if it does, then it means Reverse Afghan Stitch
Kim> So, any questions?
Amy Schemidt> This is a lot easier for me than purling in knit.
Kim> Combining the purl with other stitches in the same row may work very well for curling
Linda> no questions but I think I found a stitch I do not like
Linda> LOL
Kim> Let's say a knit stitch, then a purl....back and forth
Kim> hahahahahaha
Kim> Carolyn Christmas had me stitch up one of the models for one of her afghans and she used a purl. It really does get easier after awhile.
YarnBox> well I will have to get my book out and try it
Beatriz Medina> My purl stitches are tighter than knit stitches. Is this normal?
Kim> Now, how is everyone with these stitches?
Beatriz Medina> Or just lack of practice?
Kim> Because of the hand acrobats that you have to do for the purl stitches, it does get tight like that, Beatriz
Kim> Just practice
mva5493> good on all but that last one, I think it is gonna take a bit of practice
Linda> are the bobbles always on the back side
Kim> I push them forward before doing the next stitch and make the next stitch a little tight to hold it there
Kim> But, you can just push them through to the front after the row as well
Amy Schemidt> I think I need to do a bigger swatch to see how the purl looks vs. the RAS.
Kim> Just like you have to do with regular crochet sometimes
Linda> ok
Amy Schemidt> I find the RAS pretty awkward as well.
Kim> The RAS looks more like the garter stitch in knitting
Kim> Another stitch requiring practice :-)
Janie> I have to go now. Thank so much Kim. Will you be linking the transcript of this class on your blog?
YarnBox> good class I just need to practice
Kim> Just remember back when you started crocheting and you had to practice in order to get your stitches right and your tension right
Joan> I got the purl OK.. I found if I sort of twirled the hook around as I was pulling it thru it worked fine
YarnBox> good night
mva5493> yes, good class but I see lots of "homework" in my future lol
Kim> Yes, I'll be trying to get all the text ready for the blog.
Kim> Then, you'll have something to practice with
Joan> Great! I meant to save it all but got knocked off before I could.
Linda> are these stitches used in your new tunisian book. I am still trying to find it in the stores here
Kim> Yes, I think I've covered just about all the stitches you would need for the new book
Kim> Whereas the first three books used only two stitches, the new book used several more
YarnBox> what is the name of it
Kim> The new one?
YarnBox> yes the one with the stitches
Kim> Tunisian Baby Blankets from Annie's Attic
Beatriz Medina> I liked this stitch a lot.
Kim> That's wonderful, Beatriz!
Angie> I really like the bobbles, i'll practice on the purl...LOL....thanks a bunch, kim!! give the little man a hug from me....good night
mva5493> does the type of yarn matter when doing a project?
Kim> If anyone is really ambitious, I've got a Tunisian Cable in my leaflet at Kimane Designs LOL
Joan> Thanks Kim... I'll try to get caught up with the transcript... or I'll be back next Mon.
Kim> When you're first learning, I recommend a normal everyday yarn. But, Tunisian works really, really well with all kinds of novelty yarns that are so difficult in regular crochet
mva5493> I was thinking to practice, try the different stitches and making some dishcloths
mva5493> and cotton yarn
Kim> Dishcloths are perfect for practicing the stitches
Amy Schemidt> Kids are screaming, gotta go rescue Daddy. Thanks, Kim! Great class!
Kim> Don't forget to let me know if you post photos somewhere of your work after the class :-)
Linda> thanks Kim. Nice to learn new stitches
Kim> Best apple this teacher can get
mva5493> ok as soon as I get something to photograph
