Weave in Ends as You Go
When you're working on a striped project or, say, a ripple afghan like the one pictured, change colour by completing the last step of the last stitch of a row with the working colour and the new colour held together (leave a long tail of the new colour). Drop the old colour and cut the yarn leaving a long tail. Work your turning chain in the new colour, turn, and work the stitches of the new row over both tails to hide and secure them. This works best with animal fibers, as the fibers will grip each other more securely. For more slippery yarns, you can work only a few stitches over the tails to secure them while you work on the project, then weave in the rest of the tails using a yarn needle as you would on any project.
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About Kim Werker
About Me:
I'm the founder of CrochetMe.com, the editor of Interweave Crochet, co-host of Knitting Daily TV and the author of Crochet Me. I love sushi, thunderstorms, good books, the smell of clean laundry, and I also blog at kimwerker.com. You can follow my daily moves on Twitter and Tumblr.
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Great idea. I'm alwayas left with what seems like hundreds of yarn ends to weave in when I finish a project. Thanks for the tip.
Bonnie W.
don't worry
don't hurry and...
don't forget to smell the flowers
Thank you so much. I working on the plaid scarf from the Crochet Me book (it seemed the easiest to start with) and was wondering how to handle the ends as it changes colors every 2 to 4 rows. You're brilliant.
dianclare
I am working on an afghan that changes colors every two rows. I am having trouble hiding the ends. Thanks for this tip. I will sure try it.
MyraJ
Thanks for the tip! I hope this isn't bad form...but is this pattern in a book? I think it's gorgeous! Where can I find it?
It's not at all bad form. I think I found the pattern in the Harmony Guides. It's also similar to or the same as the Soft Waves pattern in Jan Eaton's book on ripple patterns.
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Yes I will be buying the Crochet Me Book as well as Jan Eaton's book! Thank you!
Did you just use random colours or do you have a pattern going there? I'm not that creative so if you have a colour pattern I'd love to know which colours you used. I'm trying to tell from the picture but it's hard to see exactly what the colours are - especially the lighter ones that look white / lavendar / blue. haha thanks!!
I'm using odd balls of yarn I've collected over the years, so the colours are pretty much just everything I've had laying around. I tossed them all into a bag and forced myself to use whichever yarn my hand touches first. :)
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Thanks for the tip! This certainly works well for a well established pattern that your confident won't need to be "recrocheted" as I like to say (translate: ripped out and done over!). But if you're trying something new with a new yarn or pattern, it's good NOT to weave in end as you go. It's a nightmare trying to rip out well woven in ends.
Kim,
What is that contraption on your crochet hook? Does it help with your hands?
CeliaBedelia
Check out my website and blog,thepurldistrict.com
Relax and Unwind!
It's a pencil grip. I started using them on my hooks a few years ago, when I was recovering from tendinitis. They're terrific!
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Any idea on how to do this when using shell stitches? When I crochet over the tail of the previous colour, it shows up in the gaps between shells. Would really like a solution since I'm changing colour every row and its going to be a baby blanket with a lot of loose ends!
It's more tedious, but you could crochet over the end only in one shell, then draw the yarn up through one of the shell stitches so it's ready to be crocheted over in the next row. I often do that when I crochet multicoloured granny squares.
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Thanks - I'll give that a go. Can't be more tedious than working them all in at the end!
Shizaf!Shazaam......
I don't know I do it the way Kim Werker does it. Relax? They just show some. You can try and wiggle the color that is new to the front so it won't show as much. Then the old color will be behind the new one. Got it or clear as mud?
CeliaBedelia
Check out my website and blog,thepurldistrict.com
Relax and Unwind!
I'm brand new at crochet and have a question about changing colors....when you change colors do you actually do a loop on the hook as you have when you start the project. I know that sounds crazy....help!
Generally speaking, there are two ways to change colour.
If you have fastened off the first colour, then yes, you can start with the yarn in a slip knot in your hook, and join it to your work with a slip stitch.
If you have not fastened off the first colour, make the final stitch of the first colour only until two loops remain on your hook (so, one step before finishing the stitch), then drop the first colour and draw the new colour through those two loops (so you're completing the stitch with the new colour). Then continue crocheting with the new colour. You can cut the first colour (leave about a 6" tail) and weave in the tail later.
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Thank you.
Love the idea of using my scrap yarn to make a ripple afghan. But all my yarn seems to be of different weights and fiber content!
Imprice,
Combine the yarns and use as a single unit to equal the thickest yarn you will be using or eliminate the thickest and combine to equal the size of worsted wt. yarn.
Then just pretend you are using a single strand and hold all the yarns together and crochet as one. I rarely use a single yarn . I like to combine colors and textures to build my own fiber/yarn. It helps if you put the different balls or hanks in a basket so they don't get away from you while you are working. The absolutely easiest way would be to eliminate all the hairy textured yarns and only use the smooth ones. What fun would that be tho' so get crazy girlfriend and get your Crochet on!
Check out my website and blog,thepurldistrict.com
Relax and Unwind!