It’s no secret that I love using up scrap yarn and it’s so awesome when you have just the right amount for a project around the home! This Tunisian simple stitch runner was born out of a desire for some new crochet Christmas decor. I thought It would be fun to bring you an easy and fast make for yourself or for someone on your gift list!
We have this beautiful vintage tv that my grandfather-in-law made. It’s such a special piece. And since we don’t have a mantel, this is where the stockings and nativity live. I wanted to spruce it up a little this year + bring y’all a fun Christmas decor project! This Tunisian simple stitch runner works up really quickly and is one of those great repetitive projects for the end of the day – when your mind is too tired to think, but also wants to stay occupied. 🙂
Have you tried Tunisian crochet yet? If not, are you waiting to try it cause you aren’t quite sure if its complicated or not? Honestly, I think that’s why it took me so long to try it. Well, let me tell you….It. Is. So. Easy!!! Like seriously y’all, I was shocked at how easy. I would venture to say its even easier than traditional crochet! You will find a photo tutorial below on how to crochet the Tunisian simple stitch…The video tutorial takes you through the steps as well!
what you will need:
- Main color (MC) – 3 skeins of Hobby Lobby I Love This Cotton! (approximately 459 yds) in Monkey Red or another #4 medium weight yarn.
- 1-5 #4 medium weight scrap yarn contrast colors (CC’s)
- 7mm Tunisian crochet hook (GAUGE: 15 STS x 11 rows = 4″ x 4″ in TSS)
- US H/5mm crochet hook
- small pom pom maker
- tapestry needle
abbreviations:
- CH – chain
- YO – yarn over
- FwP – forward pass
- RetP – return pass
- TSS – tunisian simple stitch
- SL ST – slip stitch
- MC – main color
- CC- contrast color
- ST/STS – stitch/es
- REP – repeat
- BO – bind off
pattern notes:
- I measured the vintage tv – where I wanted to place my crochet runner – before starting. I recommend measuring the length and width of the surface you are wanting to add your runner to first. Factor in how much (if any) overhang you would like on each end as well. Adjust your CH’s according to how wide you would like your runner to be. You will just continue in Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS) until you reach your desired length measurement.
measurements
- my finished crochet runner length is approximately 59″ without pom embellishments
- my finished crochet runner width is approximately 11″
tunisian simple stitch (tss) tutorial
Step 1. Set up row:
Beginning in your foundation CH. Insert your hook in the CH bump (see photo 2 below for where the CH bump is).
1. 2. 3.
YO and pull up a loop, but leave that loop on the hook (photo 4 below). REP for each CH bump across (photo 5 below). Note: you will have the same amount of loops on your hook as the amount of CH’s you made. This completes your first forward pass (FwP).
4. YO, pull up a loop and leave on hook 5. REP for each CH bump across
Step 2. Beginning your return pass (RetP):
YO and pull through 1 loop on your hook (photo 7 below) – this counts as a CH 1 and you will begin every RetP this way. *YO and pull through 2 loops on your hook (photo 9 below); REP from * for the rest of the loops on your hook. You will have 1 loop remaining when finished. This completes your RetP.
6. YO 7. pull through 1 loop (CH 1) 8. YO 9. pull through 2 loops 10.
Step 3. Beginning Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS):
FwP – Insert hook behind the vertical bar (photo 12 below). YO, and pull up a loop (photo 14 below).
11. 12. insert hook behind the vertical bar 13. YO 14. pull up a loop
REP for each vertical bar across. You have one more step to finish your RetP…
For your last loop, insert hook in the CH 1 (photo 16 below) from the previous row (photo 17 below), YO and pull up a loop (photo 19 below) – FwP completed.
16. 17. 18. YO 19. pull up a loop
Work your RetP the same as step 2 above. REP step 3. Continue to alternate steps 2 and 3 for as many rows as the pattern calls for. Congrats!! You now know how to crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch! 🙂
Step 4: Binding off (BO):
Once you have worked the last row in the pattern you will need to bind off (BO) your STS. There are several different ways to do this, but I will just go over this one for now. As you can see in the photo below, the last row worked looks unfinished. A BO row will give your project a nice finished edge.
*Insert your hook behind the vertical bar as though you were making another TSS FwP, YO (photo 21 below), pull up a loop (photo 22 below), and pull that loop through the loop on your hook as though you were making a SL ST (photo 23 below). One loop remains on hook (photo 24 below). REP from * for all the vertical bars. Finish BO row by inserting your hook in the CH 1, YO, pull up a loop, and pull that loop through as though you were making a SL ST.
21. insert hook behind vertical bar, YO 22. pull up a loop 23. pull that loop through as though you were making a SL ST 24. 1 loop remains on hook
You now have a clean and pretty finished edge.
Now, let’s crochet a runner! 🙂
here is a video tutorial on how to crochet a tunisian simple stitch runner. press play!
A quick Tunisian simple stitch tutorial is included in the video.
tunisian simple stitch runner pattern:
With MC CH 40.
Working in the CH bump (see TSS tutorial above), begin your first FwP by pulling up a loop in each of the CH bumps. (40 STS)
Work a RetP: CH 1, *pull through two loops on hook, REP from * until there is just one loop on hook.
Row 1: TSS FwP (see tutorial above) Don’t forget to insert your hook in the CH 1 for your last ST.
Row 2: RetP (don’t forget to CH 1 first).
REP rows 1 and 2 until you reach the desired length of your runner.
BO STS (see tutorial above).
slip stitch embellishment
Grab 1-3 CC’s of stash yarn (I will be using 3 for this tutorial). With BO edge facing you, insert your 5mm crochet hook in the second SL ST from the edge. (This should be directly below the second vertical line of vertical bars from the edge. Photo 1 below.)
1.
Place yarn over hook (photo 2 below) and pull up a loop (photo 3 below).
2. 3.
Make a SL ST around the BO edge SL ST (photo 4 below). With working yarn underneath your crochet hook and to the right, insert your hook on the left side behind the vertical bar (photo 5 below).
4. 5.
YO, (photo 6 below) pull up a loop and make a SL ST (photo 7 below). Note: make sure your SL STS are very loose so that you don’t bunch or pull your work.
6. 7.
REP the steps in photos 5-7 until you reach the opposite edge of your runner. Insert your hook in the ST from your CH row (photo 8 below) and make a SL ST. Fasten off.
8.
REP the same steps for all of your CC’s.
9. 10.
pom poms
With small pom pom maker and desired CC’s, make 1-3 pom poms for each corner (I am using 2 on each corner) . I used the same size pom pom maker for each pom pom and just trimmed the ones that I wanted to be smaller more – you can also use different size pom pom makers if that works better for you. Note: keep long enough yarn tails when making your poms for attaching them (at least 3″).
getting started:
Insert 5mm crochet hook in a ST from one of the corners of your runner (photo 1 below). Note: you will use this same corner ST for all of your pom pom strands. Place yarn over hook (photo 2 below) and pull up a loop (photo 3 below).
1. 2. 3.
Make CH’s until you reach your desired length for your pom pom strand (I made my longer strand 10 CH’s and my shorter strand 5 CH’s). Fasten off.
4. 5.
attaching pom poms
Thread tapestry needle with one of the pom pom yarn tails (photo 6 below). Insert tapestry needle into the last CH on the strand for your pom pom (photo 7 below). Tie pom pom tails together (photo 8 below) tightly in a knot securing it to the CH strand.
6. 7. 8.
Thread tapestry needle with pom pom yarn tails and insert them into your pom pom (photo 9 below). Pull tapestry needle through and trim yarn tails to match the pom pom (photo 10 below).
9. 10.
REP steps in photos 9 and 10 for the yarn tail at the end of your CH strand, just make sure you trim it short enough that you don’t see it in your pom pom.
To give your pom poms a nice finished look, wrap the yarn ends from where you attached your your yarn to your runner around the pom pom strands 2-3 times (photo 13 below). With tapestry needle, insert tails through back of wrapped yarn (photo 14 below) and trim.
12. 13. 14.
Follow these same instructions for your desired pom pom quantity in each corner.
You now have a super cute Tunisian Simple Stitch runner! YAY!! 🙂
Thanks so much for making this Tunisian Simple Stitch runner with me! I hope you enjoy your new crochet Christmas decor piece. See you soon! 🙂
Sign up for the yokieB newsletter and find out when new patterns, tutorials and blog posts are published. Plus, get some freebies! Just click the button below!
check out more free yokieB crochet and knitting patterns – click the button below!
Tunisian Simple Stitch Runner | Crochet Christmas Decor Pattern
pin it for later!
