Notes On Color Changing

I'm really excited about some pretty fun patterns that all include the ability to change colors while crocheting to make geometrical shapes or otherwise cool designs. This process is NOT as hard as it looks, but it does require some practice. If you want to make sure you have color changing DOWN before you buy any pattern that involves it... this is your chance. Read on, and practice away!

When working with color changing patterns, you will trail both (or all) colors you are working with along the rows as pictured.

Whichever color you are not working with will be trailed along the back, inside the work. You will stitch around the trailed color so it is inside your single crochet stitch.

When it comes time to switch colors, you will finish the last “pull through 2 loops” with the color you are changing to. For example, if the pattern says “1 sc in each of the next 7 sc of previous row in black. In white, 1 sc in next sc,” you will make 6 regular sc in black with white trailing along the inside of the stitch. When you go to do the 7th sc, insert hook into the next st, pull through with black, leaving 2 loops left on hook. To finish the stitch, pull WHITE through. Now, insert hook into the next st, pull through with white (stitching around the black tail), leaving 2 loops left on hook. To finish the stitch pull BLACK through.

If the color change is done correctly, there will be a straight line of color change.

If it is done INCORRECTLY, there will be an awkward tail hanging over into the next stitch.

Working in the Round vs. Working Back and Forth

Working in the round is far easier when working with color changes, because you can keep the extra color consistently tucked along the back of the work so there is no chance of it peaking out between stitches.

When working back and forth, it is important to remember there is a “right side” and a “wrong side.”

When working with the right side facing front, you will keep the extra tails for your color changes running along the BACK and in between the stitches so they are as invisible as possible. It should look a bit like this…

When working with the wrong side facing front, you will keep the extra tails for your color changes running along the FRONT and in between the stitches so if they peak out from between the stitch it is visible on this “wrong side” and not on the right side. It should look a bit like this…

And there are all the secrets I know on color changing! It can be really frustrating at first (I quit probably the first 5 times I tried), but it comes more easily with practice! Email SansLimitesCrochet@gmail.com with additional questions and GOOD LUCK!