Tunisian terminology

Author: Crochetly · Last updated: May 16, 2026

Sources: The Craft Yarn Council

Tunisian crochet, also known as Afghan crochet, blends elements of knitting and traditional crochet. It creates a dense, textured fabric. This page covers the Tunisian crochet terms you will see in patterns.

Basic stitch abbreviations

The table below covers essential Tunisian stitch abbreviations. The most common are Tss (Tunisian Simple Stitch), Tks (Tunisian Knit Stitch), and Tps (Tunisian Purl Stitch).

Term	Abbreviation	Meaning
Chain	ch	Used to begin the foundation row; same as in standard crochet.
Tunisian Simple Stitch	Tss	The most basic Tunisian stitch; loops are drawn up from vertical bars.
Tunisian Knit Stitch	Tks	Mimics the look of a knit stitch; insert the hook between vertical bars.
Tunisian Purl Stitch	Tps	Similar to a purl stitch in knitting; yarn is held in front of the work.
Tunisian Full Stitch	Tfs	Worked in the space between stitches, including edge gaps.
Tunisian Reverse Stitch	Trs	Worked behind the back vertical bar; creates a bumpy texture.
Tunisian Crossed Stitch	Txs	Two stitches worked in a crossed fashion for decorative effect.
Tunisian Double Stitch	Tds	A taller stitch, similar in height to a double crochet.

General terms and concepts

The forward pass picks up loops onto your hook; the return pass works them off. The foundation row builds on the chain, and bind off closes the live loops.

Term	Abbreviation	Meaning
Forward Pass	-	The first half of a Tunisian row where loops are picked up and left on the hook.
Return Pass	-	The second half of a Tunisian row; loops are worked off the hook.
Foundation Row	-	The initial row of stitches built on the chain.
Bind Off	-	A technique to finish the project by closing off the live loops.
Edge Stitch	-	The first and last stitch in a row, often worked differently to maintain edges.
Work Under Vertical Bar	-	The most common method of inserting the hook in Tunisian crochet.
Work Under Back/Front Bar	-	Alternative insertion points to create texture and variation.

Special techniques

Tunisian entrelac uses blocks or diamonds to build fabric. Curling is common, but blocking helps reduce it.

Term	Abbreviation	Meaning
Tunisian Entrelac	-	A modular technique using blocks or diamonds to build the fabric.
Tunisian in the Round	-	Working Tunisian crochet in a circular fashion using a double-ended hook.
Curling	-	The tendency of Tunisian fabric to curl, especially with simple stitches.
Blocking	-	A finishing technique used to shape the fabric and reduce curling.
Extended Stitch	-	A stitch variation with added height by chaining within the stitch.
Honeycomb Stitch	-	A textured pattern alternating simple and purl stitches.