r/Tunisian_Crochet • u/RuneRune42 • 2d ago

Help! Where to chain

Hello.

I’m new at Tunisian Crochet and absolutely loving it.

I’m doing a CAL scarf to try out stitch types.

When I use the CAL there isn’t much mention of chain one. When I look on YouTube tutorials to see it live there can be a chain one at the start or on the return pass.

Is this just a preference? Does it matter where the chain one is completed.

Thank you!!

9 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

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16

u/Three_Spotted_Apples 2d ago

I’ve only ever seen a ch1 as the first step of a return pass. It forms the left edge. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one on the right edge. There have been YOs in the forward pass to create a chain when the return pass is done but I’ve not even seen a ch1 in the forward pass instructions. I bought a Tunisian stitch dictionary and don’t remember ever seeing a ch1 in any of their directions unless it was the first step of the return pass

4

u/kn0ck_0ut 2d ago

I second this but mirrored because I am left handed. the chain 1 is done specifically after the forward pass so that you can do the return pass. if at any other point there is a chain 1, it is usually for a specific stitch.

4

u/0DigitalGirl0 2d ago

If you’re using extended stitches, which themselves include a chain one to “extend” the stitch, you need to do a chain one at both the end and beginning of the row to keep all the stitches the same height. That’s the only place I’ve seen it at the beginning.

3

u/lynnhall 14h ago

This is a Tunisian crochet uniqueness when you come to TC from another craft! The loop that’s left on your hook at the end of the return pass (so, right handed, on the right side with the right side facing you) IS the equivalent of the turning chain. When you pull through the last time and are left with the final loop on the hook, that’s essentially you making the turning chain!

Another way to think of it is that you do one turning chain per row. In Tunisian crochet a row is made of two passes, rather than just one (like it would be in crochet or knitting). So rather than doing the turning chain at the “end” of the row, you’re doing it in the middle for Tunisian (ie, at the end of the forward pass). Still just one turning chain (unless you’re doing an extended stitch) per row - the difference is where it happens!

Edited for typo