Do not let the name mislead you. The Tunisian knit stitch is not knitted at all; it is a crochet stitch. It is called the knit stitch because the finished fabric looks like knitted stockinette.
It is worth knowing if you want crochet that resembles knitting.
What Tunisian crochet is
Tunisian crochet uses a long hook with a stopper at the end – closer to a knitting needle than to an ordinary crochet hook.
Unlike standard crochet, you do not finish each stitch before moving on. Every row has two passes. On the forward pass you pick up loops all the way across and keep them on the hook. On the return pass you work them off again, two at a time, until one loop remains.
That two-pass structure is what makes the fabric so different from ordinary crochet.
The knit stitch itself
Start with a chain of any length greater than two stitches, and work the foundation row – you can work into either the front or the back of the starting chain.
The knit stitch is then a matter of where the hook goes. Instead of inserting it under the front vertical bar as in the basic Tunisian simple stitch, you push the hook through the middle of the stitch – between the front and back vertical bars – and draw up a loop there.
That single change in hook placement is what produces the columns of Vs that read as stockinette.
What the fabric is like
Dense, thick and heavy. Tunisian fabric uses more yarn than either standard crochet or knitting for the same area, and the result is warm and substantial.
It also has very little stretch compared with real knitting, because the return pass locks each row.
The curling
Tunisian fabric curls, noticeably, especially at first. This alarms people who have not met it before.
It settles with the weight of a larger piece and with blocking. A border worked around the finished piece helps considerably. It is a characteristic rather than a fault, but it is worth knowing before you conclude you have done something wrong.
Practical notes
Use a long hook or one with a cable. The whole row of loops has to fit on it, so a standard-length hook limits you to narrow pieces.
Go up a hook size. Tunisian fabric comes out tight at the hook size you would normally use with a given yarn.
Keep the last loop loose at the end of the return pass, or the edge draws in.
Where it works
Blankets, cushion covers, bags and anything where a thick, structured fabric is wanted.
Less good for garments that need drape, because the fabric is heavy and has limited give.
