How To Change Colors In Crochet (Or Start a New Piece of Yarn)

Curious how to change colors in crochet projects? Or need start a new piece of yarn mid-row? I actually use the same technique. It’s easy, the join is seamless, and the color is right every time! Not only that but it also works on any stitch type.

This is technically a left handed walk through because I am a lefty, but just pretend the hook is on the other side of the work and you’ve got it for a right handed crocheter too!

This is an easy picture walk through of how to change color, and I’ll explain for each stitch in case it’s not super clear! Starting with single crochet, then half double crochet, and double crochet, and ending with a chain. If you’re doing a triple crochet or something else, it’ll follow the same pattern as double crochet.

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Because US and UK have different crochet terms, I’ll write both in each title so you can see which to work on. Example: “Change in SC US (UK DC) means the stitch is the single crochet in US terminology and double crochet in UK terminology.

dragon belly color change — Changing colors for a dragon’s belly

Try changing colors in the Color Changing Moss Stitch Crochet Beanie! Or learn more tips with how to fasten off crochet

Key Points For How To Change Colors In Crochet

There are a few key points with changing co or starting a new ball of yarn that’s the same for all of these stitches. These include:

Make sure you are leaving a long enough tail on both ends of yarn to tie them off and weave in the ends. When tying these off, don’t pull too tightly. Try to keep the loops about the same as all of the other stitches around it. If not, you might get a weird pinched together look (if too tight) or it will be too open (if too loose)

Except for changing color in a chain, change the color the stitch RIGHT BEFORE the color change occurs. This way the bar of the stitch will be right for the next stich.

Example: If the pattern wants the 12th single crochet to be a different color than the 11th, do this method of changing color at the end of the 11th stitch, so the 12th stitch is the right color! Otherwise you’ll be off by one every time, and can mess up the pattern.

If this is just one color change, cut off the first color with a decent length tail. If continuing to change the color, don’t cut the yarn.

When weaving in the ends, weave in each color with it’s respective color in your crocheted piece!

Change in SC (UK DC)

single crochet color change 4 — Change from pink to red in a single crochet stitch

single crochet color 0 — 1. Crochet until the stitch before you need to change the color.

single crochet color 1 — 2. Pull the original color through the sc on the row below, like normal. So you have 2 loops on the hook.

single crochet color change 2 — 3. Make a loop with the second color, with a decent tail. Put that onto the hook.

single crochet color 3 — 4. Pull the new color through the two loops on the crochet hook, and have all of the ends on the back of your work. Continue to work with your new color!

Change in HDC (UK HTR)

half double crochet color change 4 — Change from pink to red in a half double crochet stitch.

This method is almost the exact same as changing colors in a single crochet stitch, except you have another loop on the hook!

half double crochet color change 0 — 1. Crochet until the stitch before you need to change the color.

half double crochet color change 1 — 2. Yarn over, pull the original color through the hdc on the row below, like normal. So you have 3 loops on the hook.

half double crochet color change 2 — 3. Make a loop with the second color, with a decent tail. Put that onto the hook.

half double crochet color change 3 — 4. Pull the new color through the three loops on the crochet hook, and have all of the yarn ends on the back of your work. Continue to work with your new color!

Change in DC (UK TR)

double crochet color change 5 — Change color from red to pink with a double crochet stitch

double crochet color change 0 — 1. Crochet until the stitch before you need to change the color.

double crochet color change 1 — 2. Yarn over, pull the original color through the double crochet on the row below, like normal. So you have 3 loops on the hook.

double crochet color change 2 — 3. Yarn over with the original color, pull through the first 2 loops on the hook like you would with a regular double crochet.

If doing a triple crochet or something where you have more than one pass through of yarn, repeat this step until you have 2 loops remaining on the crochet hook.

double crochet color change 3 — 4. Make a loop with the second color, with a decent tail. Put that onto the hook.

double crochet color change 4 — 5. Pull the new color through the remaining 2 loops on the crochet hook, and make sure to have all of the yarn ends on the back of your work. Continue to work with your new color!

How To Change Colors In Crochet With a Chain

This is good if you’re changing colors between rows or happen to be doing moss stitch, or if you just need to change color on a chain for any reason!

When you’re changing colors in a chain, this is about the only time you will want to pull the original color tight.

chain color change 0 — 1. Chain (or stitch) until you need to change the color.

chain color change 1 — 2. Make a loop with the second color, with a decent tail. Put that onto the hook.

chain color change 2 — 5. Pull the new color through the loop on the crochet hook, and make sure to have all of the yarn ends on the back of your work. Continue to work with your new color!

chain color change 3 — If you’re changing colors at the end of the row, start the color change before you chain up to the next row. This way the color will be right for the entire new row.

At the end of all of these, pull the yarn semi-tight to match the tightness of the stitches around it. If you’re just changing the color once or a new ball of yarn, tie the two ends together and leave some length for weaving it in.

If you’re going to keep using the yarn the next row or near where you just changed the color (ex: moss stitch beanie), just leave it for now on the back side of the project and use it in the next row. The key point is to make sure it can’t unravel; whether you tie it in a knot or use it in the next row; either will be fine!

I hope this helps you figure out how to change colors in crochet! Keep in mind you can also do this to start a new ball of yarn mid-row.