Crochet Afghan Stitch Examples

8/12/2019 Crochet Afghan Stitch Examples

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Crochet Afghan Stitch Examples

Afghan Stitch Examples

Photo Collage and Patterns Amy Solovay.Click here for free afghan stitch patterns.

Introduction to Afghan Stitch:

Afghan stitch is an easy crochet stitch made using the Tunisian crochet technique. If you're not already familiar with what

Tunisian crochet is, you might wish to take a look at myTunisian crochet overviewfor more information.

Afghan stitch goes by a variety of different names; some people also call it "Tunisian simple stitch." You might encounter

other names for it as well.

Afghan stitch is suitable for crocheting many different types of projects, including clothing, accessories, home decor, pet

items, toys and more.

Afghan Hooks:

There are several different types of crochet hooks you can use for working afghan stitch. One of the most popular is a long,

smooth hook, measuring at least ten inches. Typically, there is no thumb grip area on an afghan crochet hook. This type of

hook is similar to a straight knitting needle, because it has the same sort of a stopper at the end.

You could also use a circular crochet hook, a double-ended crochet hook, or a hook with a flexible extention at the end. My

page aboutcrochet hookshas a bit more information.

Afghan Stitch Project Examples:
http://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/tp/Tunisian_Crochet_Patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/tp/Tunisian_Crochet_Patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/tp/Tunisian_Crochet_Patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/tunisiancrochet/p/Tunisian_Crochet_Technique.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/tunisiancrochet/p/Tunisian_Crochet_Technique.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/tunisiancrochet/p/Tunisian_Crochet_Technique.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochethooks/tp/Crochet-Hooks.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochethooks/tp/Crochet-Hooks.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochethooks/tp/Crochet-Hooks.htmhttp://0.tqn.com/d/crochet/1/0/C/H/-/-/afghan-stitch-examples.jpghttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochethooks/tp/Crochet-Hooks.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/tunisiancrochet/p/Tunisian_Crochet_Technique.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/tp/Tunisian_Crochet_Patterns.htm


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Pictured above: Several different examples of easy crochet projects you can make using afghan stitch. Once you're finished

with this tutorial, you'll be ready to crochet any of these projects, plus many others too.

Top left: Crochet aneasy kitchen gift setinvariegatedearthtone colors. The set includespotholdersand adishcloth,both of

which are worked in afghan stitch. The dishcloth also has an edging ofsingle crochetstitch.

Top right: This is a close-up picture of the crochet stitches.

Lower left: If you've never worked afghan stitch before, thiseasy afghan stitch potholderis a great first project to try.

Lower right: Close-up picture of the crochet stitches in the easy potholder; I think this stitch is the perfect synthesis of pretty

and utilitarian.

See Another Example:Afghan stitch crocheted using two different colors of variegated yarn

Learn How to Crochet the Afghan Stitch With These Free Instructions

Afghan Stitch Begins With a Slip Knot, Followed by a Starting Chain.

Photos Michael Solovay

Before You Get Started:If you aren't already comfortable with holding your Tunisian crochet hook, you might want to take

a look at our page abouthow to hold a Tunisian crochet hook.

Begin Crocheting the Tunisian Crochet Base Row:

If you already knowhow to crochet,this stitch starts off with the same beginning you're used to; you start out by making a

slip knot (photos 1, 2 and 3) and then you work a chain stitch (photos 4-9.)

If you don't already know how to crochet, the pictures above illustrate these steps, but I recommend that you take a look at

my in-depth tutorialsfor the slip knotand thechain stitch.
http://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Crocheted-Gift-Sets/Earthtone-Kitchen-Gift-Set.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Crocheted-Gift-Sets/Earthtone-Kitchen-Gift-Set.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Crocheted-Gift-Sets/Earthtone-Kitchen-Gift-Set.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/g/Variegated_Yarn_Definition.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/g/Variegated_Yarn_Definition.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/g/Variegated_Yarn_Definition.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/a/Earthtone_Ombre_Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/a/Earthtone_Ombre_Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/a/Earthtone_Ombre_Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/p/easy_crochet_potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/p/easy_crochet_potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/p/easy_crochet_potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/ss/ways-to-combine-variegated-yarn_2.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/ss/ways-to-combine-variegated-yarn_2.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/ss/ways-to-combine-variegated-yarn_2.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/how-to-hold-a-crochet-hook_4.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/how-to-hold-a-crochet-hook_4.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/how-to-hold-a-crochet-hook_4.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/tp/crochet-for-beginners.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/tp/crochet-for-beginners.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/tp/crochet-for-beginners.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Slip_Knot.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Slip_Knot.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Slip_Knot.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Chain_Stitch.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Chain_Stitch.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Chain_Stitch.htmhttp://0.tqn.com/d/crochet/1/0/B/H/-/-/crochet-afghan-stitch-instructions.jpghttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Chain_Stitch.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Slip_Knot.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/tp/crochet-for-beginners.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/how-to-hold-a-crochet-hook_4.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetstitches/ss/ways-to-combine-variegated-yarn_2.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/p/easy_crochet_potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/homedecorpatterns/a/Earthtone_Ombre_Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/g/Variegated_Yarn_Definition.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Crocheted-Gift-Sets/Earthtone-Kitchen-Gift-Set.htm


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If you'd like to crochet along with me for practice, why not grab a skein ofkitchen cottonand a size J Tunisian crochet hook.

Chain 30 stitches, and then when you're finished you can use your finished swatch to create an afghan stitch potholderlike

the one pictured on the previous page.

Please note that I'm going to create a shorter starting chain in this tutorial. When you're crocheting the afghan stitch, you can

make a starting chain of any length.

Working Into the Front or the Back of the Starting Chain

Decide Whether to Crochet Into the Front or the Back of the Starting Chain. I'm Going to Crochet Intothe Back.


Photo 10 shows the front side of my starting chain; photo 11 shows the back.

I'm showing you both sides of the chain because you have a choice whether to work into the front or the back of it. At the

beginning, it can be a little awkward to work into the back of the chain, but that's what I usually do.

When you work into the back of the chain, it will leave twoloopsfree so that you can easily finish the project; you might

want to add anedging,orwhipstitchthrough those loops, or use the loops for some other type offinishing technique.

Photo 12 shows my crochet hook pointing at the place on the chain where I am going to insert it to draw up a loop.

Afghan Stitch Crochet Tutorial: Begin Crocheting the Forward Pass
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Begin Crocheting the Forward Pass


Draw up a loop in the next chain stitch (the second chain from your hook) by completing the following sequence: insert your

hook into the stitch (photos 13 and 14). Wrap the yarn over your hook, grabbing it with the hook (photo 15) and then pull it

up through the chain stitch (photo 16.)

Afghan Stitch Tutorial: Crochet the Forward Pass (Continued)
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Crochet the Forward Pass


Next, you're going to repeat the same exact steps again in the next chain stitch:

Photo 17 shows my crochet hook pointing to the spot where I'm going to insert my hook to draw up the next loop. Photo 18

shows my hook inserted into the back of the chain stitch. Photo 19 shows me grabbing the yarn with the hook. Then I pull the

yarn up through the chain stitch; photo 20 shows how it looks after I've drawn up the loop.

You're going to repeat this sequence all the way across your starting chain, pulling up a loop in every chain stitch until you

reach the end of it.

Afghan Stitch Tutorial: Numbering Rows in Tunisian Crochet; Return Pass

Afghan Stitch Tutorial: Complete the Forward Pass, and Learn How to Crochet the Return Pass


Photo 21 shows how my work looks once I've pulled up a loop in each chain stitch.

When you reach this point, you've completed the "forward," also known as the "forward pass."

There are some crocheters who would say you've completed row 1; others would say that you've only completed the first part

of row 1. I'm in that camp; to me, it makes more sense to think that I haven't completed a row until I've reached a point where

there are complete stitches, and they are secured. Which reminds me to mention that it's not a good idea to stop in the middle

of a row when you work this stitch. If you want to stop working, I also think it's a good idea to complete both the forward and

the return passes before you put the work down. Fixing messed up work is easy with this technique, but in some cases it does

involve ripping back a bit further than you might be used to with non-Tunisian crochet.

I've discovered that many aspects of Tunisian crochet seem to be controversial; we are somehow lacking a commonvocabulary to describe various aspects of this technique. In regards to which way is the correct way of numbering rows, I've
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come across expert crocheters on both sides of the debate. I've given up on worrying about which way is correct. If you ask

me, either way of doing it is just fine, provided that pattern designers make it clear which way they're numbering rows.

Which is the main reason why I mention my own preference; if you would like to use myTunisian crochet patterns,that's an

important tidbit of information for you to be aware of. Of course, you should also be aware that some crochet designers may

number their rows the other way.

Next comes the "return," otherwise known as the "return pass."

To start off the return pass, you'll crochet one chain stitch (photos 22, 23 and 24.)

If you already knowhow to crochet,you're used to crocheting aturning chainin between rows. I want to emphasize that this

chain stitch is not a turning chain! You aren't going to turn your work over; you're going to keep crocheting with the same

side of the work facing you.

Next you're going to start consolidating groups of two stitches at a time, as follows: wrap your yarn over your hook (photo

25) and then pull it through the next two loops on your hook (photo 26.) You'll end up with something that looks like photo

27. Repeat, wrapping the yarn around your hook again (photo 28) and pulling it through two more loops (photo 29.)

Afghan Stitch in Progress



Continue this process (photos 30 and 31) until you've worked back across the entire row. At the end, you'll be left with a

single loop remaining on your hook. (photo 32.)

Now it's time to start the next row.
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You can think of the first stitch in your next row as being completed already. With non-Tunisian crochet, you ordinarily

wouldn't count your active loop as a stitch. Here, you have to count it as the first stitch in your next row.

Next, locate the vertical bar that is directly under your crochet hook. You don'twant to work into that. You want to work into

the first vertical bar you see immediately next to it. If you're right-handed, that would typically be immediately to the left side

of it; if you're left-handed, you'd most likely look for it on the right side, depending how you hold your work. Photo 33 shows

my crochet hook pointing at the vertical bar you want to crochet into. Photo 34 shows me inserting my hook into it.




After you insert your hook into the vertical bar, you'll want to wrap your yarn over the crochet hook (photo 35) and pull it

through the vertical bar (photo 36.) It'll look something like photo 37 when you're finished. Photo 38 shows my crochet hook

pointing at the next vertical bar to be worked. Photos 39 - 42 show me repeating these steps.

You just keep repeating this sequence of steps all the way to the end of the row. Photo 43 showsmy work so far, although I have stopped short of crocheting the last stitch. I'll show you that part

on the next page.

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Afghan Stitch Crochet Tutorial


If you look carefully at the end of the row, you'll see that there is a vertical bar there too. (Photo 44.) My crochet hook is

pointing at it in photo 45. In photo 46, I've inserted my hook into it to work it, same as I did with all the other stitches in the

row. Photos 47 - 49 show me completing the stitch. From here, I'm betting you can guess what to do next. You'll repeat the

same return pass demonstrated earlier in photos 22-32 on pages 6 and 7. First you chain 1 (photos 50a and 50b,) then you

consolidate groups of two loops (photos 51, 52, and 53) until you only have one loop remaining on your crochet hook. Some

crocheters refer to this as "working the loops off by twos," or simply "working the loops off."


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Photos 54 - 56 show the return pass in progress. Photo 57 shows how it looks when it is completed.

Completed Afghan Stitch

Crochet Afghan Stitch

Photo Michael Solovay

Here's a final photo showing the swatch after a few more rows have been completed. Notice how the fabric is curling up a bit.

This curling is perfectly normal with afghan stitch; that's just one of the characteristics of this type of fabric.

When I use afghan stitch in my crochet projects, I try to find clever ways of counteracting the curl. In some cases, joining two

pieces together back-to-back will do the trick; seethese potholdersandthis pursefor examples. In other cases, adding a

substantialedgingis enough to counteract the curl. The edging doesn't have to be fancy; it can even be a wide band of

plainsingle crochet.Seethis dishclothfor an example.
http://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/clothingandaccessories/p/Striped_Bag.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/clothingandaccessories/p/Striped_Bag.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/clothingandaccessories/p/Striped_Bag.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/edgings/tp/crochet-edging-patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/edgings/tp/crochet-edging-patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/edgings/tp/crochet-edging-patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Camel-and-Blue-Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Camel-and-Blue-Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Camel-and-Blue-Dishcloth.htmhttp://0.tqn.com/d/crochet/1/0/2/H/-/-/crochet-afghan-stitch-instructions-10.jpghttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Camel-and-Blue-Dishcloth.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Single_Crochet.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/edgings/tp/crochet-edging-patterns.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/clothingandaccessories/p/Striped_Bag.htmhttp://crochet.about.com/od/freecrochetpatterns/ig/Variegated-Crochet-Projects/Earthtone-Ombre-Potholders.htm

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Crochet Afghan Stitch Examples