September 2008: A change of colour
Handling colours in crochet has many aspects of course, but one of the most important ones is the technique used to change from one colour to another. In order to make a neat transition, all you need to know is a simple little trick.
Some of you already know this, I’m sure. For you, it’s a refresher course. For those of you who haven’t come across this technique yet, I strongly suggest you give it a try. It’s so simple, and it makes all the difference in crochet colourwork.
In this swatch, worked in single crochet in the front loop only, I first changed colours simply by working one stitch in colour A and then the next one in colour B.
As you can see, this colour transition isn’t very neat. The first colour « spills over » into the first stitch of the second colour.
It is all the more obvious when you continue working. Not neat at all.
Here’s how to do it neatly: Work the last stitch of colour A until the last step remains. The last step in working a crochet stitch is always « yarn over and pull through loop(s) on hook ». This is true for good old single crochet, as shown in the picture, but also for double crochet, for trebles, for bobbles and for all the stitches you can think of. This last « yarn over and pull through » is the last step that completes the intricate knot we call a crochet stitch.
When changing colours, work this last step of the stitch in the new colour. Use colour B for the last yarn over, and pull it through the loop(s) on your hook.
Continue in colour B. See? The transition between the colours is neat, and colour A doesn’t « spill over » into the first stitch of colour B. However, the last stitch in colour A is entirely worked in colour A. Nice and clean!
Now that you know this, your colourwork in crochet will be brilliant!
See you soon!
