How to Work Tunisian Crochet in the Round
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Tunisian Crochet is fun, fairly simple to learn, and stylish. Let’s learn how to crochet Tunisian Crochet in the round with this tutorial!
How to Tunisian Crochet in the Round
There are many Tunisian crochet patterns that are worked in rows (back and forth like a old-fashioned typewriter) but did you know that you can also work Tunisian Crochet in the round? Tunisian worked in rounds is excellent for beanies, cowls, infinity scarves, mittens, coffee cup cozies, etc. Virtually anything that can be crocheted as a circle.
Perhaps the most visually appealing aspect of crocheting Tunisian in the round is that you can easily create a multi-colored project that simultaneously adds depth and looks much more difficult than it truly is.
It is imperative that you understand how Tunisian crochet is worked before attempting this technique. Not that it is difficult to master, but Tunisian is worked differently than regular crochet. Because of this, I highly recommend mastering any of these stitches first:
Tunisian Knit Stitch
*the stitch I am using in this tutorial
Tiny Clusters Tunisian Crochet Tutorial
For this tutorial I am using Lion Brand Hue + Me yarn. I absolutely love it and will be using this for future projects as well. Watch the VIDEO TUTORIAL for this technique below!
What you’ll need:
1. Two balls of yarn
I find it helpful to use two contrasting colors particularly when learning this technique – although this is not a requirement. I find it helps to differentiate between the “forward pass” yarn and the “return pass” yarn, which makes it easier to understand the process – particularly for beginners.
2. A double ended crochet hook
This can be a standard-length crochet hook, with the same size hooks on each end, or a cabled Tunisian hook, ideally with the same size hook attached to each end of the cable. Note that if you use the cabled version, you will be able to fit more stitches on at one time, but you will also need to have two sets of hooks – as most sets come with only one hook of each size.
Also note that in a pinch, I have used the closest two hook sizes I had from one set of cabled hooks, but this is not entirely ideal. If this is your only option, however, use the larger of the two hook sizes as the “forward pass” hook and the smaller of the two for the “return pass” hook.
3. Stitch Markers (optional, but helpful!)
While stitch markers are not technically a requirement, they certainly make the process – specifically counting your stitches and finding the first stitch of the row – much easier.
Helpful Tips:
Mark the first stitch of each round with a stitch marker, moving it up as you start each new row. Because you will always have more than one loop on your hook, counting can be tricky at first. Keeping track of the first stitch of each round is a lifesaver!
Because you need two balls of yarn to work Tunisian crochet in the round, and to keep things from turning into a tangled mess, I find it best to separate the two balls and place one on either side of my work space. If you have two yarn bowls (or any old bowl, really), this is an excellent opportunity to put them to use!
Always leave a minimum of two loops on the hook at all times: one using the “forward pass” ball of yarn, and one using the “return pass” ball of yarn. You can leave several loops from each ball on the hook as you work, but never less than two. In this tutorial the blue Magic Hour colorway is my “forward yarn” and the grey Cement Colorway is my “return yarn”.
Don’t let the chain (or the first few rounds) get twisted on itself. Make sure that the foundation chain and the first round are not twisted and continue to check until the piece is tall enough that twisting would be virtually impossible. I find it helpful to assess my progress after every round to make sure all of my stitches are even and straight, and that the piece is behaving as it should.
To start:
Using the double ended hook of your preference, make a crocheted chain as normal. For this example I am using a 9mm hook and starting with 40 chains – which just so happens to be the perfect size for an “adult” ear warmer!
Being careful not to twist your work, form a circle and pull up a loop in the first chain made (not a slip stitch). You may find it helpful to mark this loop with a stitch marker.
From here on out we will work in continuous rounds with no joining, no chaining, and no turning (except to work stitches off the back end of hook for the the “return pass”).
Pull up a loop in as many of the chains as you can comfortably fit on your hook. You will not be able to get them all – and that’s okay!
When the hook is as full of loops as you can comfortably wield it, it is time to start working the loops off the back end of the hook for the “return pass”.
To do this, turn the work so that you are looking at the inside. Notice the difference in the two photos above.
For the very first stitch with the second ball of yarn – and only this stitch! – simply pull through the first loop as pictured.
Now you’ll YO (yarn over) and pull through 2 loops as with traditional Tunisian crochet.
Continue working the chains off the hook, one chain per vertical bar until you have no fewer than two loops remaining (at least one loop from the “forward” and at least one loop from the “return” ball of yarn). As pictured above.
When you have worked most of the stitches off the back end of your hook, it is time to turn so that you are looking again at the outside of the work. Now you’ll continue picking up one loop in each chain until you can once again no longer comfortably wield the hook.
Now it is time to work stitches off the hook again. Turn the work so that you are looking at the inside and work those loops off the hook by yarning over and pulling through two loops with the “return” ball of yarn.
When you complete your first round, and reach the first stitch of the round (the one you marked with the stitch marker), you can either slip stitch to this first stitch or simply continue crocheting straight on through (pulling up the loops as you have been). I personally keep on going, then use the tails from the beginning to close any gaps created using a technique called the Invisible Join.
Once the first few rounds have been established, this technique becomes much easier. Continue adding stitches to the front end of the hook with the “forward pass” ball of yarn until you can fit no more on the hook, then turn and work the stitches off the hook with the “return pass” ball of yarn. Rinse and repeat until the piece is as tall as it needs to be. For this ear warmer I did 9 rounds, or just shy of 4″ tall.
To finish (cast) off:
When finished adding height to your project, it is time to cast off. If you would like the last row to be the same color as the first row (my personal preference), you’ll fasten off the “return pass” yarn now so that you only have the “forward yarn” remaining. (Or simply remove the loop from the hook and mark it with a stitch marker to weave in later).
Looking at the outside, or “right side” of the project, slip stitch in each stitch of the final round until you reach the beginning again.
(During this process you will never have more than one loop on your hook at one time.) This is essentially how traditional Tunisian projects are finished as well.
Fasten off using Invisible Join and look how seamless this is! ♥ Awesome!
Tunisian in Rounds Video Tutorial
More Tunisian and crochet tutorials:
Tiny Clusters Tunisian Crochet Tutorial
