10 simple ways to stop curling in Tunisian Crochet

Have you ever shied away from Tunisian crochet because it curls too much? Curling happens in Tunisian Crochet because of the way the stitches are constructed and there are multiple ways to reduce the curl!

In this blog post, I will go over 10 effective ways to defeat curling in Tunisian crochet!

Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links – please see my affiliate disclosure for details.

Why do Tunisian Crochet Projects curl?

Tunisian crochet is worked on the right side only (you do not turn the project at the end of every row). This is because every row in Tunisian crochet is made with two passes – the Forward Pass and the Return Pass.

During the Return Pass, we make a chain which adds yarn towards the back of the fabric which eventually leads to curling since the yarn at the back pushes the fabric forward.

We cannot eliminate the Return Pass in Tunisian Crochet but we can do several things to make your project lay flat.

Please note that there isn’t a single technique to stop all curling. I recommend that you go over all the techniques mentioned below and pick the one(s) that works best for your project.

10 Simple ways to stop curling in Tunisian Crochet

#1 Increase the size of your hook
#2 Loosen your tension
#3 Make the Foundation Row in the back bumps of the Foundation Chain
#4 Pick the right stitch for your project
#5 Use a combination of curling and non-curling stitches
#6 Add a border
#7 Block your project
#8 Join your edges to make infinity scarves, cowls or headbands 
#9 Make small squares and join them
#10 Add pom poms, beads, tassels or a fringe

Note: All the swatches in this post are made with Brava worsted weight yarn by WeCrochet and hooks from my Denise Interchangeable hook set. All swatches except for the one mentioned in #7 are unblocked.

#1 Increase the size of your hook

In Tunisian Crochet, we always work with a hook that is at least 2 sizes larger than the hook recommended on the yarn label. If your project curls too much, try going up a hook size. This will reduce curling but it also makes the fabric more drapey and less dense.

In the image below you can see two swatches of Tunisian Simple Stitches with the same number of rows and stitches. The top swatch is made with a smaller hook than the bottom swatch and, evidently, curling in the bottom swatch is significantly less than the one on the top.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: Make a swatch with at least 2 hook sizes to see the kind of fabric being built by both. Once you have picked the fabric you like, and if it is still curling, you can use one or more of the techniques mentioned below to reduce the curl further.

#2 Loosen your tension

When I started learning Tunisian Crochet, my tension used to be very tight. I could not make anything well since my projects would end up curling too much and it was very hard on my hands.

In the image below you can see two swatches of Tunisian Simple Stitches with the same number of rows and stitches. Both swatches are made with the same hook and yarn combination but I made the one on the top with very tight tension as compared to the one at the bottom. The top swatch is comparable to one made with a smaller hook as seen in #1 above.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: Tunisian crochet should not be hard on your hands so, if your hands are hurting or if your fabric feels very dense, your tension might be the reason for it. If you are a tight crocheter, try to loosen your tension while working on Tunisian Crochet projects. That will definitely be easier on your hands and it will help with the curl too!

#3 Make the Foundation Row in the back bumps

When you make your Foundation Row, there are multiple ways to pick up the loops on the foundation chain. I am going to share the one that is the best for helping with curling here but you can check out my detailed post about the different ways to make a Foundation Row.

The images below show how to spot the back bumps of the foundation chain and how the Foundation Row looks. Making your Foundation Row this way doesn’t help with the curl a LOT but it does help.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: Whenever possible, make your Foundation Row in the back bump of the foundation chain. If it seems too hard or if you don’t enjoy it, then you can make your Foundation Row with the method you prefer and pick one (or more) of the other options in this post to help with curling.

#4 Pick the right stitch for your project

Different Tunisian crochet stitches work up differently and some stitches curl more than others. Knowing which stitches curl and which ones don’t will help in picking the right stitches for your project.

4.1 Non-Curling Stitches

The image below shows swatches made with the same yarn and hook but each one is made with a different stitch:

• Top left: Tunisian Knit Stitch
• Top right: Tunisian Simple Stitch
• Bottom left: Tunisian Reverse Stitch
• Bottom right: Tunisian Purl Stitch

Of the four stitches used, Tunisian Knit Stitch curls the most and Tunisian Purl Stitch curls the least.

If you are wondering which Tunisian Crochet stitches do not curl, here is a list:

• Tunisian Purl Stitch
• Tunisian Reverse Stitch
• Tunisian Double Crochet Stitch
• Tunisian Top Stitch

4.2 Lace Stitches

Stitches that are more drapey and have a lot of holes don’t curl as much. This is because the fabric is less dense and the yarn has space to expand without pushing the fabric forward.

The image below shows a swatch made with the Arrowhead stitch. Another lace stitch that’s doesn’t curl much is the Tunisian Moss stitch.

4.3 Extended Stitches

Tunisian Extended stitches are a collection of stitches that are made by extending regular Tunisian crochet stitches using one chain.

The image below shows a swatch made with the Extended Tunisian Knit Stitch. Even though the Tunisian Knit Stitch curls a LOT (see image in section 4.1), adding a chain to every stitch extends the height of the stitch and makes a less dense fabric that does not curl. You can extend any stitch and that should reduce the curl in your projects significantly.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: If your project allows for it, use one or more of the non-curling stitch options mentioned here. Keep in mind that the gauge for all stitches is different so you would have to account for that if you are switching out an existing stitch.

Here is a comparison of all the swatches mentioned in this section:

• Top left: Tunisian Knit Stitch
• Top center: Tunisian Simple Stitch
• Top right: Tunisian Reverse Stitch
• Bottom left: Arrowhead Stitch
• Bottom right: Extended Tunisian Knit Stitch

#5 Use a combination of curling and non-curling stitches

There are 2 main ways to combine different stitches that can help reduce curling. You can alternate stitches in a single row or make alternate rows of different stitches.

5.1 Alternating curling with non-curling stitches

When we combine curling stitches with non-curling stitches in a single row, it usually creates a fabric that does not curl.

Here are two examples that both combine Tunisian Simple stitches with Tunisian Purl stitches.

Both swatches are made with alternating Simple and Purl stitches. The swatch at the top is the Tunisian Honeycomb stitch where the stitches are offset while the one at the bottom is Tunisian ribbing where the stitches are stacked on top of each other.

5.2 Alternating rows of curling and non-curling stitches

Curling can also be significantly reduced by alternating rows of curling and non-curling stitches.

The swatch below is made with alternating rows of Tunisian Knit stitches and Tunisian Reverse stitches. Tunisian Knit stitches curl a lot by themselves but when combined with Tunisian Reverse stitches, the fabric does not curl as much.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: If possible, combine non-curling stitches with curling stitches as explained above and that will help with the curl significantly. If you are modifying and existing pattern, please make sure to account for any difference in gauge.

#6 Add a border

Adding a border to a Tunisian crochet project can stop curling. Here are two ways you can add a border to tame the curl.

6.1 Make a border with Tunisian non-curling stitches

Adding a border with non-curling stitches or a stitch combination that does not curl can help you keep your Tunisian crochet project from curling.

In the image below, a Honeycomb stitch border is added to a Knit Stitch swatch and that eliminated the curl in the Knit Stitch section completely.

6.2 Make a traditional crochet border

Adding a traditional crochet border also helps with eliminating the curl in a Tunisian crochet project.

In the image below, a single crochet border is added to a Knit Stitch swatch and that has straightened the swatch completely.

If your project is still curling after adding a few rounds of the border, you can always add more to eliminate the curl completely.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: If you have a project that is made up of a lot of curling stitches, plan to add a non-curling border to it. You can add a non-curling Tunisian crochet border while making the project. Or, if you have a completed project that you didn’t anticipate would curl, add a traditional crochet border to it – keep adding rounds until curling is eliminated completely.

Here are some really cool border options that you could use if you’d like to make your border interesting!

#7 Block your project

After you have completed your project, blocking can help with any remaining curling.

Pick a blocking method depending on the fiber content of your yarn. You can find all about blocking on this post.

In the image below, I am steam blocking my swatch which is made with acrylic yarn.

The following image shows the comparison of how my Tunisian Simple Stitch swatch was before and after blocking.

In this case, blocking eliminated the curl in my swatch completely!

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: Blocking should be the last step of all your projects. It evens out the fabric, reduces curling, and gives your project a nice finishing touch. If your swatch is curling even after blocking, pick one (or more) of the other options in this post to help with curling.

#8 Join your edges to make infinity scarves, cowls or headbands

When you work on a project, it is possible to eliminate the curl by joining the top and bottom edges. For instance, a rectangular project can be converted into an infinity scarf or a cowl by joining the edges and that will eliminate the curl completely.

The image below shows how a Tunisian Knit stitch swatch looks before and after the edges are joined.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: If you are planning a new project or if you are working on a scarf that is curling and you don’t want to frog it, joining the edges to make an infinity scarf / cowl can be a great option!

#9 Make small squares and join them

When you have small squares that are individually curling, joining them will significantly reduce the curl. You may need to add a border and block the final project but you won’t have to worry about curling in the individual squares.

Here is an example of a Tunisian Mosaic crochet blanket that is made up of 25 individual squares where this technique could apply.

KnitterKnotter recommendation: It is always best to block individual squares as it’s easier to store and then join them. But, if you would rather not block individually, you can join the squares and then add a border to eliminate any remaining curling.

#10 Add pom poms, beads, tassels or a fringe

When we have a project that is curling, adding weight to the edges or corners helps pull the fabric down and that reduces curling. It is possible to achieve this by adding a border (discussed above) or by adding pom poms, beads, tassels or a fringe that would add enough weight to the fabric to eliminate the curl.

KnitterKnotter recommendation: If you are looking to add a little something to your project without having to worry about modifying anything in the pattern, adding pom poms, beads and tassels can work great! Please keep in mind that any projects intended for babies would not be a good candidate for this technique.

Conclusion

There is not one solution to fix curling in Tunisian crochet. You can pick one or more of the techniques discussed in this post depending on your yarn, stitches, and kind of project.

KnitterKnotter Recommendation: When you start a new project, make a swatch with the yarn and hook of your choice. Then, start with above suggestions: #1 and #2, and adjust your hook size to get the desired fabric result. Once you have that done, block the swatch and see if that eliminates the curl. If it does, then you don’t have to do anything else! But, if your swatch is still curling, you should evaluate what other techniques could be applied to your project and try the ones that you have picked, on your swatch. Once you are satisfied with how your swatch is looking, move on to your final project and apply the same techniques to it!