How to Make Easy Tunisian Crocheted Afghans
Tunisian stitch, also called afghan stitch, makes a smooth, uniform pattern well-suited to many projects, including blankets and throws or afghans. The Tunisian stitch requires a hook that is much longer than a standard hook, but afghan hooks are gauged the same as regular hooks. A simple, one-color afghan is a good beginning project for learning the Tunisian stitch and a four-color afghan is a good next step to advance your crochet skills.
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Things You'll Need
- 4-ply worsted weight yarn, 14 balls (Lion Brand Wool-Ease # 670) or 8 skeins (Red Heart Super Saver)
- U.S. size I crochet hook or size to match gauge
Instructions
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Simple One-Color Afghan
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Make four panels with one color of four-ply worsted weight yarn. Begin by chaining 55. Keep the chain stitches loose.
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Insert the hook in the second chain from the hook, move the hook under the yarn in your other hand -- called “yarn over” -- and draw up a loop. You now have two loops on the hook. Keeping all loops on the hook, draw up a loop through each of the next chains across to the end of the chain. Do not turn.
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Yarn over and draw through the first loop on the hook. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops, working the loops off the hook. Repeat the yarn over and drawing through two loops until 1 loop remains on the hook. This loop becomes the first stitch of the next row. Steps 2 and 3 create the foundation row of the panel. Do not turn.
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4
Skip the first vertical bar of the previous row and insert the hook behind the next vertical bar of the previous row, yarn over and draw up a loop. Insert the hook behind the next vertical bar and draw up a loop. Repeat yarning over and drawing up loops from behind each vertical bar to the end of the row. You will now have 54 loops on the hook. They will be crowded until you work them off the hook.
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Yarn over and draw through the first loop. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops to work off the loops. Continue working off the loops until 1 loop remains on the hook.
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Repeat the pattern until the panel measures 60 inches long, usually 210 rows. For the final row of the panel, skip the first vertical bar, and slipstitch in each vertical bar across. Fasten off. To finish the afghan, sew the four panels together using a whip stitch.
Four-Color Afghan
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Crochet four 60-inch panels with four colors of worsted weight yarn. Each panel is divided into four sections. Arrange the colors to produce an effect you like. For example, use four shades of green and arrange them in graduated order from dark to light green. Designate the four colors as color 1, 2, 3 and 4.
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Crochet the foundation row and 49 more rows with color 1. Use the Tunisian stitch.
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At the 49th row, when you have 54 loops on the hook, cut off the color 1 yarn, leaving a 2- to 3-inch “tail.” Pick up color 2.
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Yarn over and draw color 2 through the first loop. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops, working the loops off the hook across the row until 1 loop remains. This loop becomes the first stitch of the next row of color 2. Continue until you have 49 rows of color 2. At the 49th row, when you have 54 loops on the hook, cut off the color 2 yarn, leaving a 2- to 3-inch “tail.” Pick up color 3.
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Yarn over and draw color 3 through the first loop. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops, working the loops off the hook across the row until 1 loop remains. This loop becomes the first stitch of the next row of color 3. Continue until you have 49 rows of color 3. At the 49th row, when you have 54 loops on the hook, cut off the color 3 yarn leaving a two to three inch “tail.” Pick up color 4.
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12
Yarn over and draw color 4 through the first loop. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops, working the loops off the hook across the row until 1 loop remains. This loop becomes the first stitch of the next row of color 4. Continue until you have 50 rows of color 4. Finish the row with color 4 and finish with a slipstitch in each vertical bar across. Fasten off.
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To finish the afghan, weave the "tails" from each color change row into the end stitch of each color section. Sew the four panels together using a whipstitch. Be careful to align each color panel with the same color on the next panel.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the gauge. A total of 18 stitches times 14 rows should equal 4 inches.
Always pull loops up onto the main shaft of the crochet hook as you work the previous loops off to ensure that the loops are uniformly loose.
Tunisian stitch work always curls up from the bottom. Keeping the stitches loose will prevent some curling, but it may be necessary to “block” each panel before stitching them together.
To block your work, steam it lightly by holding a steam iron over the panel without touching the panel with the iron. When the panel is uniformly moist, pin it on a flat surface and let it dry completely.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Steve Mason/Photodisc/Getty Images
