Tunisian crochet combines techniques from both knitting and crochet to create a distinct craft that belongs in its own category. The most basic form is....well....Tunisian basic! For this tutorial you will need at least half a skein of yarn and an afghan hook (I suggest starting with one that measures 5-6.5 mm, as this range works with #4 yarn). 

A warning: Tunisian crochet uses far more yarn than standard crochet does. On patterns, as with any other, you will be told how much to get, but if you're planning on just whipping out a hook and doing a basic project without a pattern, get more yarn than you think you need. It's always better to have too much than not enough.

Now that we've got all that out of the way, let's get into the foundation row and Tunisian basic!

Foundation Row: (This will be used as the first step in all the Tunisian stitches, just like the foundation stitch is for crochet)

1.) For practice, make a slip knot around the afghan hook and Ch 16. (I hold the afghan hook near the bottom, but you can do whatever is most comfortable and what gets the job done fastest.)

2.) If you twist the chain on itself, you'll notice a series of bumps on the bottom of the chain (these are called "back loops" or "back ridge loops"). Insert the hook into the second back loop from the hook.

3.) YO and pull up a loop. The back loop should be off the hook and you should have 2 loops on the hook.

4.) Insert hook into next back loop.

5.) YO and pull up a loop. The back loop should be off the hook and you should have 2 loops on the hook.

6.) Rep across the chain. When finished, you should have 16 loops on the hook. Make sure this is the correct number. The number of loops on the hook should equal the number of chains you started with at the beginning.

When finished, do not turn.

Return row:

1.) Without turning the piece, YO and pull through one loop on the hook. 

2.) YO and pull through the next two loops on the hook. Rep across the piece. When you finish you should have 1 loop on the hook. Do not turn.

Pick-up Row:

1.) If you notice from the stitches you just made, on the side facing towards you, there is a series of vertical bars. Skipping the stitch you just made, insert the hook into the second vertical bar from the hook.

2.) YO and pull up a loop. The bar should be off the hook and you should have 2 loops on the hook.

3.) Insert hook into the next vertical bar and rep step 2. 

4.) Rep step 3 across the piece. When you reach the end, make sure you have inserted the hook into the vertical bar on the very edge of the fabric (from the starting st in the return row, when you only pulled through 1 loop). 

Check to make sure you have 16 loops on the hook. It is very easy to miss a bar on the pick-up row. If you missed a bar, pull the loops that came after it off the hook and undo the yarn. Then redo the stitch.

To make Tunisian basic fabric, rep the Return Row and Pick-up Row until fabric is desired/required length. When you are ready to finish, make sure you've ended on the return row (so that you only have one loop on the hook). Fasten off as you would using standard crochet.

(I apologize for lack of pictures, but if you're a visual learner, there's a video in the margins to explain it if this is confusing.)