PlanetJune by June Gilbank
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PlanetJune Craft Blog
Latest news and updates from JuneColour Changes in Amigurumi
The basic explanation
To make a neat colour change, keep an eye out in your crochet pattern or instructions for the approaching change. As you make the last stitch in the old colour, pause before the last step of that stitch. For the final ‘yarn over and draw through all loops on hook’, substitute the new yarn, so you draw the new yarn through your loops. This gives a cleaner edge to the colour change.
Left: last loop of previous stitch uses new colour; Right: first complete stitch in new colour
Full Tutorials
Need more details? For full illustrated step-by-step instructions, jump to:
- Changing Colour video tutorial (right- and left-handed versions)
- Changing Colour for right-handers (photo tutorial)
- Changing Colour for left-handers (photo tutorial)
- What to do with the other yarn colour
What to do with the yarn
You have several options for what to do with the yarn colour you aren’t currently using:
Carry the yarn along the top of the row you’re working into. This is known as tapestry crochet, and is an excellent technique to use if your pattern continually switches between two or more colours of yarn. However, it adds bulk to your stitches, so if you only use colour changes for a few rounds, and don’t carry the second yarn the rest of the time, the piece may end up looking bulkier around the area with the colour changes. Also, if you aren’t careful, the carried colour can show through between your stitches, particularly if you stuff your work firmly, which can stretch the stitches open slightly.
Left: The grey yarn is carried along the top of the row; Right: The row of shadowy areas (marked with arrow) are actually the grey yarn peeking through – notice that the ‘shadows’ only appear in that top row where I carried the grey yarn
Drop the yarn to the back (inside) of the work and pick it up again when it’s needed. This is a quick and easy method if you’re changing back again after one or two stitches, but leaves a long annoying span of yarn inside your work for any more than that. Note: it’s important to leave the right amount of yarn so the float (the loose length) will lie smoothly against the inner surface of the piece when it’s been stuffed (judging this becomes easier with practice!). If you pull the float too tightly, it’ll buckle your work, but if you leave it too loose, the stitches either side of the float can work loose and look untidy.
A view of the inside after several colour changes of several stitches each time (note that this is a demo piece only!). I don’t recommend leaving connected strands of yarn this long inside the piece; they can cause difficulties when you try to stuff your work.
Combination: drop the yarn and hold it with an occasional stitch. You can minimise the difficulties from the float by catching it on the back of the work (by crocheting over it) every few stitches, to keep it in place and reduce the length of the float. This is less visible than tapestry crochet and safer than leaving floats of 3 or more stitches.
Drop the yarn to the back (inside) of the work and cut it. Knot this end together with the loose end of the new yarn. This can be a bit time-consuming, but if you tie each pair together after you’ve crocheted a couple of stitches past the colour change, it’s not too much trouble. A tip: the knot is simply to prevent your stitches from working loose, so don’t pull the ends too tightly when knotting them together; the goal is to maintain the tension in the yarn so the stitches stay even.
The two ends knotted together inside the piece. Tie the knots as you go – it can be difficult to reach them once you’ve crocheted a few more rounds!
My preference is to use a combination of all these methods, depending on the pattern. I generally cut the yarn and tie the ends together to give a smooth neat finish, but if I’m just making one or two stitches in the second colour, I usually drop the yarn to the inside, or crochet over it, so I can resume using it a couple of stitches later. I also (almost) never carry a dark colour behind white, as the dark colour is very likely to show through the gaps between the white stitches.
My best advice is that, if in doubt, check your work as you go: push some stuffing against the stitches and see if the result looks satisfactory from the outside, and try a different method if you don’t like what you see! With practice, you’ll get a feel for where you can get away with using a faster method, and where only cutting and tying will do.
33 Comments »
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Wen Rou said
Thanks, that was very useful
Joy Abara said
A crochet beginner dreading a color-change, so far I’ve been sticking to the ‘monochrome’ amigurumi. But this tutorial is so encouraging, I’m excited to try a 2-toned amigurumi!
Heather Sayyah said
I would look into tapestry crochet for a neater version color changing techniques. With tapestry crochet, there are no loose ends inside the amigurumi piece. It makes a much neater piece. Plus, you don’t have to go back and tie knots.
mocaloca said
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for putting the time!
Joel said
I’m working on a little ‘rumi dog in blue and white, and have been adding little spots on the body. This gives me more options — thanks!
Melisa Sriwulandari said
Hi, if you don’t mind, I’m placing a link to your tutorials in my blog.
ami-quelle.blogspot.com
Thank you very much!
Regards,
Melisa
Rebekah said
Your amazing! Thankyou!
ana said
gracias x la info es exactamente lo que andaba buscando.
Thanks
Holly said
I still cant get this very well. all the threads end up on the outside and it looks really stupid. I have tried many times but it still wont work for me.
Thnakyou anyway. I will try some more.
June said
Holly, when you make your amigurumi, it forms a sort of ‘bowl’ shape as you crochet. I’m wondering if you are crocheting ‘inside out’ – that would explain why the threads end up on the outside…
When you insert your hook into a stitch, does your hook go from the outside edge of the ‘bowl’ to the inside, or from the inside edge of the bowl to the outside? If your hook goes from the inside to the outside, you’re working inside out. All you need to do is flip the ‘bowl’ shape the other way out, and then when you insert your hook into the next stitch, it will go from the outside of the bowl to the inside, and all your thread ends will be on the inside.
Tilia Linden said
Your tutorials are very helpful to newbies such as me. Thank you for placing them online.
DLY said
This is just what I needed! Very helpful.
Tracy said
I just started working on your Lemur pattern. I got frustrated with the head because of the color changes, but after reading this, I started over and got it! Thank you!
cheryl said
OMG THANKYOU! I have been stressing about this so much and if I’d only had the sense to consult June sooner! You’re fab!