The Tunisian Crochet Handbook: Soft, modern projects that teach Tunisian crochet while still feeling doable for true beginners

I have crocheted for 50+ years and I have tried to learn Tunisian from many other books. Many are not well written or well illustrated. This book is a game changer. It is well written and illustrated, including the patterns that are in the book. Toni also has step by step video tutorials on YouTube for all of the patterns in the book, plus many other projects. The book is very well constructed and will stay open to the page where you are working, without having to put weight on the pages to keep it open. The pages will not tear out easily either. All in all a great addition to my crochet library.

Toni is the GOAT of crocheting. Her YouTube channel is so helpful. And this book is a must for those getting into Tunisian crochet. The only drawback is for many of the patterns, the recommended yarns are soooooo expensive. If you’re ok with spending hundreds of dollars on the yarn for a blanket or a sweater, you’ll be fine. But if you can’t afford that, just know you will be looking for yarn substitutions for a lot of the things in this book.

If you are new to Tunisian Crochet you need this book. Great patterns and clear detailed instructions. Also check out the author's youtube channel. Cannot say how much she has helped me learn!

This is a very well written and informative book. It is also made with quality paper, has beautiful illustrations and many projects that are beginner friendly. It has reference charts to help with needle size selection and also includes some basic traditional crochet that is often mixed with Tunisian crochet.

WHY THE “4-STAR” REVIEW The minus one-star has absolutely nothing to do with the actual book. Unfortunately, I had to deduct one-star from this review for the KINDLE EBOOK version because unlike most eBooks I’ve purchased, I CANNOT highlight or leave quick notes/comments. That being said, since this book is more of a technical read for “learning”, the loss of these functions makes the KINDLE version obsolete for me. I wish I knew this, and of course I didn’t find this out until AFTER the return window closed. So, the loss of one-star is totally the fault of Amazon’s KINDLE division. *Side-note: Are gall eboog or digitle missing this functionality? Now, for the actual book review, but first a little bit about me. I’m sort of new to the actual “practice of” crocheting (for a little over 2 years). However, I’m a 4th generation crocheter, so while I haven’t been in practice, I’ve literally been around the art my entire life. So, I don’t classify myself as a “total” beginner as I was able to advance very quickly through the basics because of having been around the craft for a while. That being said, this book was helpful for me to learn and become proficient in Tunisian crochet. As a high school math teacher for 20 years and having seen many “textbooks”, I can say this book was written for a beginner TUNISIAN crocheter. That being said, it is definitely helpful if you have some knowledge of “traditional” crochet. I can see where there might be a little struggle if you didn’t know basic crochet stitches, BUT Toni does give tutorials on crochet basics such as “foundation chaining”. Even if you’ve never tried traditional crochet, there is enough information provided to get you started and moving with Tunisian crochet. There are tons of pictures and EVERY abbreviation is explained on page 16. However, if you plan on branching out and learning more crochet or other fiber arts such as knitting, visit the Craft Yarn Councils page to learn all about abbreviations. Also, be absolute in your journey, learning is easier (for some) by watching videos, but if you don’t learn and become proficient at reading patterns (which means mastering and be willing to research abbreviations) you are going to miss out on a lot from the world of fiber arts. The pictures are very helpful and provide much of the “step-by-step” necessary to begin. The projects are meant to be beginner friendly. They are not complicated and most don’t require “firm” gauge requirements like garments. This is helpful because many beginner Tunisian crocheters have to adjust (or re-adjust; like in my case) their “tension”, which can have an effect on gauge. OVERALL This book is an excellent reference or starting point. It serves as a great starting point for beginner Tunisian crocheters. I suggest you read the book, and then watch Toni’s videos (or vice verse). Each medium (book and videos) should be used together to get comprehensive and complete tutorials for Tunisian crochet.

Love Toni! Fantastic book for beginners and those who need a refresher!

This is a very useful book for anyone new to Tunisian Crochet! It is full of pictures that are very helpful in understanding placement and methods for getting good results! I stumbled upon TL Yarn Craft on YouTube and have watched hours of videos by Toni Lipsey! She is a true teacher and her videos have helped me level up my skills. If you're interested in picking up Tunisian Crochet, I highly recommend this book, her website and her YouTube channel! I’m glad I found her!

Love the book I'm truly addicted worth WORTH the money

As a total newbie, this helped me a lot! Made two potholders in no- time.

This had been on my wishlist for a while and I finally bought it. It has not disappointed! Like her YouTube and website, Toni has delivered something of quality that inspires me to step outside of my crafty comfort-zone. First thing's first, this book is beautiful. Having this on my coffee table is visually stunning and you can't say that about all crafty books. And then when you open it, it is filled to the brim with easy-to-understand and encouraging instruction. It wasn't long before I was diving into the projects in the second half of the book. Reading patterns can be a challenge for me, but Toni not only provides instruction on how to read patterns, she also has YouTube videos for those of us who like to hear and see those instructions come to life. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning this interesting yarn craft.

Love this book, the atep by step instructions are clear and easy to follow and great fun to make. Beautifully illustrated and well written, brilliant new hobby 😀

Perfekt

Es un excelente libro para personas que apenas van a aprender esta técnica. Si ya sabes las puntadas básicas y las dominas, este libro ya no te servirá. Lo recomiendo para principiantes, van a aprender muy bien y se van a enamorar de esta técnica. Muy buena autora, excelentes explicaciones, muy bonitas fotografías y buenas ideas para aprender. Lo recomiendo ampliamente.