This post contains affiliate links.
If you’ve recently learnt to crochet and want to develop your skills and learnt how to crochet in more
than one color, then look no further! How many one-color crochet products do you ever see? Crochet
was made to be colorful, exciting and adventurous.
The thought of learning how to change colors in crochet may seem daunting, but in fact it’s exciting, especially if you work with beautiful quality yarn for crochet. Once you have learnt a few new skills, you will be able to change colors in crochet during the beginning, middle and end of rows, rounds and projects.
Unlike in knitting there is no need to worry about managing multiple yarns whilst you work. When
completing colored crochet, you can choose between carrying your yarn up the side of your work or
cutting the yarn between colors and weaving in the ends later. Just remember to leave a long tail of yarn
if you are cutting between color changes.
Now let’s find out how to change colors when crocheting. First, we will cover basic information you need
to know and then we will discuss how to change colors when working flat, in the round and when
creating amigurumi toys.
Find the best selection of quality yarns for crochet in Katia’s online store.
How to change color when crocheting
It may come as surprise but the technique for changing color when crocheting is the same so whichever
stitch you are working with, including single, double, treble and half-treble crochet.
The most basic method of changing color
To change the yarn color when crocheting, choose where you want to insert your new yarn color. Stop
crocheting when you have the last two loops of your old yarn color on your hook.
photo from easycrochet.com
Let go of the old yarn color and pick up the new colored yarn. Place this on the hook, do this by laying
the yarn over the hook and securing the loose tail with your finger against the hook.
photo from easycrochet.com
Continue to finish the stitch you were creating by pulling the new yarn color through the last two loops
on your hook. Now continue to crochet as normal.
photo from easycrochet.com
Crochet patterns will usually label different colors using letters e.g. A, B, C to distinguish which color to
use when.
Should I worry about the yarn tails?
When changing color in crochet there will be yarn tails, make sure to leave a few inches so that you can
weave in the ends at a later time to secure your work in place. You can choose to do this are you go but
most people prefer to leave weaving in the ends until they have finished their project. Whenever you
decide to weave in your ends it is definitely one of the less fun parts of crocheting.
Creating color changes when working flat
Changing color at the end of a row
photo from fiberfluxblog.com
We are going use single crochet in this example and work with color A and color B.
First crochet a few rows with color A, when you are working the row where you want to change color,
complete the row up until the last stitch. There should be 2 loops left on your hook.
Before completing the last stitch drop color A and pick up color B with your crochet hook. Now pull color
B through the last two loops. Hold the yarn tails of both color A and B to keep your tension. This can be
a bit tricky at first but with practice you will be able to handle the yarns with ease.
Now you have joined color B to your work, crochet your turning stitch and continue you crochet.
Changing Colors in Double Crochet and other stitches.
photo from youtube.com
Essentially changing colors in double crochet is the same as when using single crochet except you will
have 3 loops on your hook when you stop crocheting at the end of your row.
With 3 loops on your hook use color A to pull up a loop and then change to color B to pull through the
last 2 loops on your crochet hook
This technique works for taller stitches as well, just follow the same technique, using color A until you
have only 2 loops on your crochet hook and then change to color B to finish the stitch.
When using half-double crochet things are slightly different as you will use color B to pull through the
last 3 loops on your crochet hook instead of 2, everything else in the technique remains the same.
Changing colors in the middle of a row
Changing color in the middle of a row is the same as changing colors at the end of a row.
Depending in how tight your crochet is and the pattern you are using you can sometimes work your yarn
tails into your work when changing color in the middle of a row. This method is not as secure as weaving
in your ends and you risk your work unraveling if not stitched in tight enough. I learnt the hard way
when I was a beginner when my first blanket started to fall apart.
Changing colors when creating Granny Squares
Granny squares are really popular with crocheters. With the best creations usually full of color and
personality, so it is essential you know how to change colors when creating them.
Each round of a granny square is usually worked in a different color with patterns instructing you to
change color in a corner space.
To change color when creating a granny square first complete your first round. Cut the yarn leaving a
yarn tail of a few inches to weave in later. With your new color create a slip knot and place it on your
hook.
Now insert your hook into one of the corner spaces, and create a slip stitch but creating a yarn over and
then pulling it through the slip stitch. Now you can continue crocheting your granny square.
photo from cosyrosieuk.co.uk
Changing color when crocheting in the round
There are a couple of ways to change colors when crocheting in the round. This will depend on if you are
working in joined rounds or spiral rounds. We will outline both methods below.
Joined rounds
When you come to the end of a round and need to change color, first finish off your last round in your
first color. To join your new color, use a slip stitch into the first stitch of the last row. Pull the yarn of the
first color until the loop disappears, this will create a seamless join of the two colors.
Make a turning chain in your new color and continue your crocheting.
photo from crochetdreamz.com
photo from crochetdreamz.com
Spiral rounds
When crocheting spiral round there is no ‘end’ to your row, simply join your new color using techniques
described above.
How to change color when creating amigurumi
Most amigurumi patterns use single crochet and work in spiral rounds. You can use the technique above
to change colors when creating cute crochet toys.
There is a way to create a smoother transition between colors and is looks quite seamless and clean.
Add the new color before you pull the last two loops through the last stitch. Make your next stitch a slip
stitch instead of a single crochet.
Continue crocheting your pattern, when you return to the slip stitch you just created treat it as a regular
stitch and crochet it as normal.
photo from planetjune.com
After discovering how easy it is to change color in a range of different crochet stitches and types of
crochet, we hope you will see the new potential your crochet and that your creativity explodes. By
learning the skill of correctly changing color in crochet you have opened the door to a world of color
your crochet projects lacked previously.
We would love to see the wonderful items you make with your new skills, so share your work in our Facebook group!
For more free designs every day follow us on Facebook.
