How to Change Colors in Crochet

Learn how to change yarn colors in crochet with this simple step-by-step crochet tutorial! The next time that you need to change yarn colors in a crochet pattern, it will be easy! Promise.

Scroll on down to learn the easy way to go about changing yarn colors in crochet. Enjoy.

Read on down to find the full tutorial on how to change yarn colors in crochet patterns!

The method for changing colors is the same, regardless of what stitch you’re using; single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet or the triple crochet stitch! I am going to use the single crochet stitch below to demonstrate how to use this easy technique.

Follow the simple step by step color-changing tutorial below and will have you no trouble changing any color in crochet in the future. I promise, learning how to go from one yarn color to the next in crochet is super easy.

I used Red Heart Soft in this tutorial

Read down the best way to change colors while crocheting! Includes a crochet tutorial, YouTube video link and details about the yarn I used for this project.

How Do I Change Colors in Crochet?

I decided to write this tutorial because I realized when I am writing my patterns, I am always telling everyone to change colors during crochet patterns, but I’ve never shown you how!

I was originally afraid of adding stripes to my crochet projects because it seemed daunting and not too much fun to learn. However, once I learned how to do it correctly, it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined!

So, I decided to put together this step-by-step picture tutorial on the best way to learn how to switch colors in crochet. It is straightforward, and you’ll be left wondering why you never tried this before!

In this tutorial, I will be using the following colors of Red Heart Soft yarn:

How to Change Colors in Crochet – Video Tutorial

If you are more of a visual learner, I recreated this tutorial on my YouTube channel as well. The written step-by-step tutorial is below.

Change Colors in the Middle of The Row Too! 

Did you know that you can change colors in the middle of a row, too? Well, you can! It actually works the same way! Give it a shot when learning – it really is no different.

How to Change Colors When Crocheting

Skill Level: Basic

Materials

Notes

  • Written in standard US terms

The Tutorial

This tutorial uses single crochet stitch, but it will work the same way with any other of the basic stitches as well.

Step 1: When you are working a crochet project and are ready to change colors, simply continue the last stitch, but before you yarn over for the last time, stop using the current color you are working with and drop it. It was orange for me (see picture)

Learn How to Change Colors in Crochet From Rescued Paw
Step 1

Step 2: Grab your new color (blue for me) you are changing to and lay it on top of your crochet hook. Leave the previous color alone! 🙂

Step 2

Step 3: Pull the blue through the two orange loops, turn your project, chain 1 (since I am using single crochets) you would chain two if working with double crochets or 3 if working with triple crochets

Learn How to Change Colors in Crochet From Rescued Paw
Step 3

Step 4: Continue working your pattern as stated.

Learn How to Change Colors in Crochet From Rescued Paw
Step 4

Final Project: You have officially learned how to change colors in crochet! This is what the final project looks like with yet another row of a new color added.

Final Project

Now you are ready to start the Easy Color Blocked Blanket with your new color changing skills!

Share this on Pinterest

If you enjoyed learning how to change colors in crochet, consider sharing this post on Pinterest with one of the images below. You can always follow along with us on there as well – we always share tips, tricks, and exclusive crochet patterns.

50 Comments

  1. Love this . I do the exact same way as you! It’s great!
    I’ve been working on my sixth full by size ripple blanket!

  2. Can you add to the tutorial how to weave in the ends. That is the part that always confuses me. What do you do with all the loose ends? Thank you!

  3. Thank you for an excellent, fool-proof way to change colors! My only question is what do you do with the “tails”? Do you tie them off, cut them, weave them back into the garment?

  4. Hi!! I have a question that has been driving me nuts lol.

    Is there another way to switch colours back and forth instead of using the end tie method and cutting and retying? I hope that makes sense.

    Thanks,
    Masyn

    1. Hi Robyn,
      You could but you would need to carry the yarn with you throughout the entire project. So working over the yarn color you aren’t using throughout. Happy Crocheting!

  5. When you pick up your old color does this not make a long yarn line on the back of your proiect. I am fairly new to crocheting and can’t figure what this would look like. Do you have a picture or video that would show what this should look like.

  6. Do you cut the old color when you start the new color? How do you continue a previous color used 3 rows ago (like orange you started with) just connect as you directed?

  7. How do you make your rows so clean? By that I mean how the rows themselves have none of the other color in them. I don’t mean at the end of the row where you change colors? I read a trick somewhere, what is it?

  8. What do you do to change colors in a middle of a row and need to pick it up in the next row or further down the same row? I’m making a pattern of a hand in my project.

    1. Hi Joan,
      You will need to drop the old color right before you are about to finish a stitch, then pick up the new color to finish the stitch. Hope I explained that right 🙂

      Krista

  9. Hello! Thanks for the tutorial. I’m making a striped DC blanket, but the pattern says to chain 3 after you switch colors. Yours says to chain 2 with a double crochet. Just wondering what I should do? Thanks! -fellow Krista 😉

    1. Hi Krista!

      I like to chain 2 after DCing but some designers like to chain 3. I would just follow the pattern if it was me. 🙂 Have a great day!

      – Krista 🙂

  10. Hi Krista. When you go back and weave in the loose ends of the yarn, do you ever notice them coming loose eventually? Or do you tie the ends in a knot and then weave them in?

  11. I found this very helpful but was wondering if you could show how to pick up one of the colors that you already used to do another row?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *