Crochet Tutorials

How to crochet: the basics 3

Hooray, you learned to crochet with my previous tutorials (part 1 and part 2)! And now you’re working on a scarf to keep yourself warm this winter, but – oh no! You’re out of yarn and don’t know how to start working with a new ball. Or you have two amazing colors of yarn and you want to use them both, but how do you switch colors?

Don’t worry. In this third part of the tutorial we will focus completely on how to change colors (or switch to a new ball of yarn) – at the end of a row, but also somewhere in a row.

At the end of a row

With color changes, the most common place to switch is at the end of a row. You will start the new row in the new color, making stripes or clean color breaks.

The general rule for changing colors or threads is that the last stitch BEFORE the new color ends with the new color. Confusing? It means that when starting a row with a new color, the last stitch of the previous row makes the switch. This goes for any stitch: single crochet, double crochet, and so on. When you pull through the final loop of the stitch, that should be in the new color.

 

 

 

 

 

Here we have the last stitch of the row. Crochet like normal, so insert your hook and pull up a loop.

 

 

 

 

Then take out the new color and make a loop on your hook.

 

 

 

 

 

Pull that loop through the loops on your hook and chain 1 to end the row.

 

 

 

Continue to crochet with the new color.

In the middle of a row

Sometimes a pattern wants you to change in the middle of a row. Or when working on a blanket, halfway through a row you run out of yarn. This happens and is nothing to be afraid of.

Changing colors or threads in the middle of the row is just as easy as at the end of the row. You will have to sew in a bit more loose threads at the end, but you can secure the new thread to make that easier. Remember to make the change before the actual different-colored stitch!

 

 

 

 

 

Crochet the final stitch in color A. Use color B to finish the stitch: pulling the last loop through the loops on your hook.

 

 

 

 

Continue in the new color. To hide the two loose ends, crochet around them for a few stitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a few stitches, both threads are secured. Let them hang at the back of the row, so you can sew them in later. Continue to crochet in the new color.

 

 

 

 

So now changing colors or starting new skeins is no issue for you! If you still have difficulty, feel free to contact me on Instagram (@nerdwithyarn) or with the contact form on this website. In the next tutorial we’ll focus on amigurumi (stuffed animals) and crocheting in the round!

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