How to Change Colors when Crocheting
Choose your colors., Create your chains and rows., Take your new yarn and pull it through your hook., Cut and pull color one., Create the first chain with your new color., Single crochet over loose strands of yarn., Crochet the strands until they...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your colors.
Before you begin crocheting, choose the colors that you would like for your pattern and decide where you want these colors to start.
Some patterns may tell you specifically where to change colors, but if you are crocheting without a pattern, simply decide how much of each color you want in your work.
It's best if you decide how many rows and chains you want in your pattern before you start working.
For example, if you are making a dish cloth you may want 28 rows with 28 stitches going across.
Then, you would need to decide how many rows of each color you want. -
Step 2: Create your chains and rows.
Take your first color and create your first chain and then your rows of single crochets until you have your desired size of that one color.
Follow the steps for basic crocheting to create your pattern.
Or, if you are following a specific pattern, create that pattern until you have reached the point where you want to change colors.
On the very last stitch, don't complete your single crochet.
Stick your hook through your chain, yarn over, and then pull it through to create two loops.
At this point you should have two loops around your hook.
Leave these loops on your hook as you switch colors.
These specific instructions are for a single crochet stitch, which is the most basic, common stitch for crocheting.
However, the technique used for this stitch can also be used for all types of stitches, so you can follow the instructions and gear them towards the type of stitch you are using. , Place the yarn you are working with down, with the crochet hook still inside it.
Then, take your next color and fold it in half at the end, with five or so inches at the end of the yarn on one side of the fold.
Then place your hook through the loop you just created and pull the second yarn color through the two loops on the hook.
Make sure you don't tie a loop in color two.
You just want it folded in half so that it can slide through your loops in color one.
As you are pulling color two through color one, you might need to hold onto the loose end of it to make sure you don't lose the yarn. , Now that you have color two attached, cut color one's attached strand of yarn.
Leave about four inches, cutting the yarn attached to the skein.
Then, pull the strand of yarn left that you just cut to tighten color two in place.
You might need to adjust color two into place by pulling on the end of the yarn with the end of color one.
Take the color one yarn still connected to your work.
Then, grab hold of the end of color two yarn and pull both strands together.
This well help you adjust the yarn so the ends are about the same length. , Place the yarn under then over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook.
At this point you will start to crochet as usual, single crocheting over loose strands and then continuing to form rows and chains until you have your desired size. , Taking the color one and color two yarn you just pulled to adjust and tighten your crochet, hold them in the back of your work, near the top of your highest row.
Now, turn your work and single crochet over both of those colors.
Place your hook through the second chain.
Then, grab your working yarn (color two attached to the bulk of the yarn) and place it over the hook.
Then, pull color two through the loop. , As you create your stitches, the single strands of yarn will be crocheted into your work.
Continue to create crochet stitches until the yarn feels secure, doing at least six to eight single crochets over the strands.
Then, cut the ends of the yarn close to your last single crochet. , Now you should be solely working with color two.
Continue to crochet color two into your work until you have your desired amount.
At this point you can switch back to color one, add another color, or continue to crochet with color two.
If you are going to switch colors again, just repeat the steps you used to switch from color one to color two.
It's that easy! , After you have your desired size, you'll need to do something with your loose yarn ends.
Finish off your last single crochet, pushing the hook through your last stitch, yarning over, and then pulling through the two loops.
Then cut your working yarn, leaving four or five inches.
Yarn over and pull the yarn with your hook through your last loop.
Pull it tight and weave your loose ends through your work.
To weave your loose ends through your work, place your hook through your last stitch, yarn over with your loose yarn, and then pull it through the stitch.
Continue to do this through each loop until you have weaved in about half of your yarn.
Then, turn and go back the same direction you came, putting your hook through the stitch you just used and weaving your yarn towards the start. -
Step 3: Take your new yarn and pull it through your hook.
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Step 4: Cut and pull color one.
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Step 5: Create the first chain with your new color.
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Step 6: Single crochet over loose strands of yarn.
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Step 7: Crochet the strands until they are secure.
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Step 8: Continue to crochet.
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Step 9: Finish your project.
Detailed Guide
Before you begin crocheting, choose the colors that you would like for your pattern and decide where you want these colors to start.
Some patterns may tell you specifically where to change colors, but if you are crocheting without a pattern, simply decide how much of each color you want in your work.
It's best if you decide how many rows and chains you want in your pattern before you start working.
For example, if you are making a dish cloth you may want 28 rows with 28 stitches going across.
Then, you would need to decide how many rows of each color you want.
Take your first color and create your first chain and then your rows of single crochets until you have your desired size of that one color.
Follow the steps for basic crocheting to create your pattern.
Or, if you are following a specific pattern, create that pattern until you have reached the point where you want to change colors.
On the very last stitch, don't complete your single crochet.
Stick your hook through your chain, yarn over, and then pull it through to create two loops.
At this point you should have two loops around your hook.
Leave these loops on your hook as you switch colors.
These specific instructions are for a single crochet stitch, which is the most basic, common stitch for crocheting.
However, the technique used for this stitch can also be used for all types of stitches, so you can follow the instructions and gear them towards the type of stitch you are using. , Place the yarn you are working with down, with the crochet hook still inside it.
Then, take your next color and fold it in half at the end, with five or so inches at the end of the yarn on one side of the fold.
Then place your hook through the loop you just created and pull the second yarn color through the two loops on the hook.
Make sure you don't tie a loop in color two.
You just want it folded in half so that it can slide through your loops in color one.
As you are pulling color two through color one, you might need to hold onto the loose end of it to make sure you don't lose the yarn. , Now that you have color two attached, cut color one's attached strand of yarn.
Leave about four inches, cutting the yarn attached to the skein.
Then, pull the strand of yarn left that you just cut to tighten color two in place.
You might need to adjust color two into place by pulling on the end of the yarn with the end of color one.
Take the color one yarn still connected to your work.
Then, grab hold of the end of color two yarn and pull both strands together.
This well help you adjust the yarn so the ends are about the same length. , Place the yarn under then over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook.
At this point you will start to crochet as usual, single crocheting over loose strands and then continuing to form rows and chains until you have your desired size. , Taking the color one and color two yarn you just pulled to adjust and tighten your crochet, hold them in the back of your work, near the top of your highest row.
Now, turn your work and single crochet over both of those colors.
Place your hook through the second chain.
Then, grab your working yarn (color two attached to the bulk of the yarn) and place it over the hook.
Then, pull color two through the loop. , As you create your stitches, the single strands of yarn will be crocheted into your work.
Continue to create crochet stitches until the yarn feels secure, doing at least six to eight single crochets over the strands.
Then, cut the ends of the yarn close to your last single crochet. , Now you should be solely working with color two.
Continue to crochet color two into your work until you have your desired amount.
At this point you can switch back to color one, add another color, or continue to crochet with color two.
If you are going to switch colors again, just repeat the steps you used to switch from color one to color two.
It's that easy! , After you have your desired size, you'll need to do something with your loose yarn ends.
Finish off your last single crochet, pushing the hook through your last stitch, yarning over, and then pulling through the two loops.
Then cut your working yarn, leaving four or five inches.
Yarn over and pull the yarn with your hook through your last loop.
Pull it tight and weave your loose ends through your work.
To weave your loose ends through your work, place your hook through your last stitch, yarn over with your loose yarn, and then pull it through the stitch.
Continue to do this through each loop until you have weaved in about half of your yarn.
Then, turn and go back the same direction you came, putting your hook through the stitch you just used and weaving your yarn towards the start.
About the Author
Carolyn Graham
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
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