Head to head
Tunisian vs Regular Crochet Hooks
One holds a loop. The other holds the whole row. Everything else follows from that.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 27, 2026
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The short answer
A Tunisian hook is a regular hook made long, with a stop at the far end, because Tunisian crochet keeps every stitch of the row on the hook instead of one loop at a time. For a narrow swatch a regular hook will do. For anything wider than the hook is long you need a proper Tunisian hook, and for a blanket you need a cabled one - the cable holds the stitches the way a circular knitting needle does.
The one difference that creates all the others
In regular crochet you have exactly one live loop at any moment. Each stitch is completed before the next one starts, so the hook never needs to hold more than that.
In Tunisian crochet you work a forward pass that picks up every stitch across the row and keeps them all on the hook, then a return pass that works them back off. At the midpoint, the whole row is sitting on the shaft - which is why the shaft has to be long enough to hold it, and why it needs a stop at the end so the stitches cannot slide off.
| Regular hook | Tunisian hook | |
|---|---|---|
| Live loops | One | The whole row |
| Typical length | 5.5in to 6in | 10in to 14in, or a cable |
| Far end | Thumb rest or handle | A stop, cap or cable |
| Row width limit | None | Whatever the shaft or cable holds |
| Fabric produced | Classic crochet | Denser, knit-like, curls hard |
| Hook size for the yarn | Ball band figure | Usually one or two sizes up |
Can you do Tunisian with a regular hook?
For a narrow piece, yes, and it is the sensible way to find out whether you like the technique before buying anything.
- Work a swatch narrow enough to fit on the shaft - a regular hook holds perhaps 15 to 20 worsted stitches before they start falling off the thumb rest.
- Keep the stitches loose so they sit on the shaft rather than gripping it.
- Stop when it stops being fun. Fighting stitches off the end teaches you nothing about the technique.
- If you like it, buy a proper hook. The technique is genuinely pleasant on the right tool and miserable on the wrong one.
Straight, cabled or interchangeable
- Straight Tunisian hooks are a single long shaft with a stop. Simple and cheap, and limited to whatever width the shaft holds.
- Cabled Tunisian hooks put a flexible cable behind the hook, exactly as a circular knitting needle does, so the row can be any width.
- Interchangeable Tunisian sets combine tips and cables, which is the same trade as fixed vs interchangeable circular needles - more capable, more joins.
- Double-ended Tunisian hooks have a hook at both ends for two-color work, which is a separate technique again.
The curl, and what to do about it
Tunisian simple stitch curls at the edges, hard, and no amount of tension fixes it. It is a property of the fabric rather than a mistake.
- Blocking helps a great deal - see how to block crochet.
- A larger hook helps, because a looser fabric curls less.
- Alternating stitch patterns help, because the curl comes from all the stitches leaning the same way.
- A border helps, and is what most patterns use.
- Expecting it not to curl does not help. Plan for it.
Who needs a Tunisian hook
Anyone who wants the fabric. Tunisian produces something between knitting and crochet - denser than crochet, more textured than stockinette - and it is the reason people take up the technique rather than a way of doing ordinary crochet faster.
Best Tunisian crochet hooks covers the options in detail.
Both kinds of hook
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet Hook Set
Interchangeable Tunisian: 6in laminated birch tips on cables of 24in, 32in and 40in, with end caps, keys and a case.
$118.21 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of September 27, 2026
Clover Amour Crochet Hook Set
The regular comparison: ten gripped aluminum hooks, B/2.25mm to J/6.0mm, one loop at a time.
$48.66 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of September 27, 2026
Susan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet Hooks
A bare regular hook for a first Tunisian swatch, if the row is short enough to fit: B-1/2.25mm to N-15/10mm.
$8.75 - View on Amazon$9.286% off · #ad disclosure - price as of September 27, 2026
Red Heart Super Saver
A forgiving yarn to learn the technique on: 100% acrylic, 364yd per 198g, no dye lot on the solids.
$4.29 - View on Amazon#ad disclosure - price as of September 27, 2026
Questions people actually ask
Do I need a special hook for Tunisian crochet?
For anything wider than a swatch, yes. Tunisian keeps the whole row on the hook, so the shaft has to be long enough to hold it and needs a stop at the far end. A regular hook manages perhaps 15 to 20 worsted stitches.
What size hook for Tunisian crochet?
Usually one or two sizes above the ball band figure. Tunisian fabric comes out much denser than regular crochet at the same hook, and the larger hook is what keeps it from feeling like board.
Why does my Tunisian crochet curl?
Because all the stitches lean the same way - it is a property of the fabric, not a tension mistake. Blocking, a larger hook, alternating stitch patterns and a border all reduce it.
What is a cabled Tunisian hook for?
Width. A cable behind the hook holds the row the way a circular knitting needle does, so a blanket-width piece is possible. A straight Tunisian hook is limited to whatever its shaft holds.
Is Tunisian crochet knitting or crochet?
Crochet, worked with a hook, though the fabric looks closer to knitting than ordinary crochet does. That knit-like fabric is usually the reason people take up the technique.