What’s the Best Way to Change Colours in Crochet?

Changing colours in crochet is one of those skills that opens up a lot of creative possibilities.

If you’ve ever wondered what the best way to change colours in crochet is, the answer depends a little on your project and how precise you need the colour placement to be. Whether you’re making a striped blanket, working a colourwork design, or simply moving from one ball of yarn to the next, how you handle your colour changes has a real impact on the finished look.

Over the years, I’ve used a few different methods across blankets, accessories, and especially tapestry crochet projects. Each one works well in the right situation, but they do give slightly different results. In this post, I’ll walk you through the main options, when to use them, and a few practical tips to help your colour changes look neat and intentional.

I’ll also touch on a few common issues, such as colours showing through, and how to avoid them.

What is the best way to change colours in crochet?

The most widely used method is to change colour in the final yarn over of the previous stitch. This creates a smooth, seamless transition and works well in most projects, especially blankets and colourwork.

However, fastening off or using a magic knot can be better suited to specific situations, depending on how often colours change and how precise the placement needs to be.

The Three Main Ways to Change Colours in Crochet

1. Changing Colour in the Final Yarn Over

This is the method I use most often, particularly in blankets and any kind of colourwork.

Instead of finishing a stitch with your current yarn, you complete the final yarn over using the new colour. That means the new colour is already on your hook, ready for the next stitch.

I tend to use this method in projects like my tapestry crochet blankets, where colours change frequently and need to sit neatly alongside each other.

Why this works well:

• The transition is smooth and sits neatly within the stitch
• There’s no interruption to the stitch pattern
• It works mid-row, in the round, or at row ends

A small practical note from experience:
If your tension changes slightly when switching yarns, you can get a slightly looser stitch at the colour change. I find it helps to gently tighten the new yarn after the pull-through, just enough to match the surrounding stitches.

How This Looks in Different Stitches

The principle is the same, but the final step differs slightly depending on the stitch.

Single crochet (sc)
Work the stitch as normal until two loops remain, then pull through with the new colour.

Half double crochet (hdc)
Work until you have three loops on the hook, then pull through all loops with the new colour.

Double crochet (dc)
Work until two loops remain, then complete the final yarn over with the new colour.

What to Do with the Old Yarn

Once you’ve changed colour, you have a few options:

• Carry or float the yarn – ideal for tapestry crochet
• Crochet over it – helpful for reducing ends
• Cut and weave in later – best when the colour won’t be reused soon

In my own blankets, I’ll often carry the yarn if the next use is only a few rows away, but cut it if the gap is larger to avoid bulk.

This is the method I use in most of my crochet blanket designs, particularly when working with colourwork where a neat finish really matters.

2. Fastening Off and Joining a New Colour

This is one of the simplest ways to change colours and works particularly well when you’re moving between clear sections of colour, such as stripes or colour blocking.

You finish your row or round, fasten off the current yarn, and then join the new colour to begin the next section.

When this works well:

• Stripes worked in rows
• Colour blocking
• Projects where the colour won’t be used again for some time

How to Join the New Colour

There are two main ways to join your new yarn, and both work well depending on what you prefer.

1. Pulling through a loop (quick method)
You can simply insert your hook into the top of the stitch, pull a loop of the new colour through, and begin crocheting.

This is quick and works well in many situations, particularly if you’re happy to secure the ends later when weaving in.

2. Slip knot and slip stitch (more secure method)
Alternatively, you can make a slip knot with the new yarn, place it on your hook, and then join it to your work with a slip stitch.

This creates a slightly more secure starting point and can feel a bit more controlled, especially if you’re working at the start of a row or round.want a clear separation between colours, or when I know I won’t be returning to that colour for quite a while.

A Small Practical Note

Whichever method you choose, it’s worth keeping an eye on your tension for the first stitch or two, as this is where joins can sometimes look slightly loose or tight.

Things to Be Aware Of

• You’ll have more ends to weave in
• The join can be slightly visible if not placed carefully

I tend to use this method when I want a clear break between colours, or when I know I won’t be returning to the previous colour for a while.

3. Tying in a New Color with a Magic Knot

The magic knot is a method of tying two yarns together so you can continue crocheting without leaving long tails to weave in.

I use this method quite a lot in scrappy or stash-busting projects, where I’m not too concerned about the exact point at which the colour change happens. It’s a really convenient way to keep the project moving without building up lots of ends.

Why this works well:

• No ends to weave in
• Quick and efficient
• Ideal for relaxed, scrappy projects

A small consideration:
If the exact placement of your colour change matters, this method can be a little trickier to use. You need to position the knot very precisely so that it sits in the right place within your stitch, which isn’t always easy.

Because of that, I tend not to use the magic knot for more structured colourwork or designs where the colour placement needs to be exact. In those cases, I find the final yarn over method gives much more control.

Follow these steps to join two yarns with a magic knot:

1. Align your yarns as shown:

2. Loop the end of the first (red) yarn under the second (blue) yarn and back over the first yarn as shown here:

3. Pass the end of the first yarn through the loop you have just made:

4. Pull on the first yarn on either side of the loop to tighten the knot around the second yarn:

5. Now loop the end of the second (blue) yarn under the first (red) yarn and back over the blue yarn in the same way as before:

6. Pass the end of the second yarn through the loop you have just made:

7. Pull on the second yarn on either side of the loop to tighten the knot around the first yarn:

8. Pull on the working ends of the first and second yarns (not the tail ends) to pull the two knots towards each other until they are touching:

9. Pull tightly on both knots again to make sure they are secure and then cut the tail ends:

Comparing the Methods

Each of these methods has its place, and I tend to choose depending on how precise I need the colour changes to be.

Method	Best For	Advantages	Considerations
Final yarn over	Most projects, especially colourwork and blankets	Smooth, neat transitions, works anywhere in the row or round	Requires managing yarn tails
Fasten off	Stripes, colour blocks, simple projects	Straightforward, secure, easy to control placement	More ends to weave in, slight interruption at joins
Magic knot	Scrappy or stash-busting projects	No ends to weave in, quick to use	Harder to control exact placement of colour changes, less suited to structured colourwork

Common Problems When Changing Colours in Crochet (and How to Avoid Them)

Uneven or Loose Stitches

This often happens at the point where the new yarn is introduced.

Tip: After completing the colour change, gently adjust the tension of the new yarn before continuing. This small step makes a noticeable difference.

Colours Showing Through

This can sometimes happen when working with lighter yarns, higher contrast colours, or slightly looser stitches. You might notice the carried yarn peeking through your stitches, particularly in tapestry crochet.

A few things that can help:

• Use a slightly tighter tension when working colourwork
• Choose yarns with good coverage (less halo or transparency)
• Be mindful of how you carry the unused yarn within your stitches

If you’d like a more detailed look at this, I’ve written a full guide on how to manage and hide carried yarn in tapestry crochet.

It walks through a few practical techniques that can make a noticeable difference to the finished look.

Yarn Tangles (Especially in Tapestry Crochet)

If you’ve ever had your yarn twist into a tangle while working with multiple colours, you’re certainly not alone. This is something I’ve come across many times when working on tapestry crochet blankets in particular.

A simple system that works well is to keep your yarns in a consistent order:

• Keep your balls of yarn in fixed positions (for example, front, middle, and back)
• Always pick up each yarn from the same position relative to the others
• When you finish using a yarn, drop it back into the same position (e.g. front, middle, back)

So, if a yarn sits at the front, always bring it up in front of the others. If it sits at the back, always bring it up behind. This keeps the strands moving in a consistent direction and prevents them from twisting around each other.

If you’d like to see this in practice, I’ve put together a short video tutorial where I show exactly how I manage multiple yarns without tangling:
Watch the video tutorial here

It’s one of those small habits that makes a big difference, especially on longer projects with frequent colour changes.

Choosing the Right Method for Your Project

Rather than thinking in terms of a single “best” method, I’ve found it more helpful to choose based on the project:

• Frequent colour changes (e.g. tapestry crochet): final yarn over method
• Clean stripes or sections: fastening off
• Scrap or relaxed projects: magic knot (with care)

If you’re making a crochet blanket, especially one with colourwork, the final yarn over method is usually the most consistent and reliable option.

Related Techniques You Might Find Helpful

If you’re interested in working more with colour, you might also enjoy exploring:

• Tapestry Crochet – a method for creating detailed colourwork patterns by carrying yarn within your stitches
• Mosaic Crochet – a simple way to achieve striking geometric colourwork using basic stitches and slipped stitches
• Brioche Crochet – a textured technique that creates soft, ribbed fabric with beautiful colour contrast

Each of these links through to a dedicated post where I go into more detail, with examples and tutorials to help you get started.

Final Thoughts

Colour changes don’t need to feel complicated. Once you’ve tried a couple of methods and seen how they behave in your own crocheting, it becomes much more intuitive.

If you’re unsure, I’d suggest starting with the final yarn over method. It’s versatile, reliable, and works well across most projects.

From there, you can adapt depending on what you’re making and how you’d like it to look.

Explore More Crochet Patterns and Tutorials

If you’d like to try these techniques in a project, you can explore my crochet patterns here.

Many of my blanket patterns include colourwork and step-by-step guidance, so you can practise these skills in a calm, structured way.

You might also find the Crochet Blanket Resource Hub helpful if you’re planning a new blanket project, as it brings together tutorials, stitch ideas, and practical advice in one place.

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f you’d like more tips like this, along with pattern updates and new tutorials, you’re very welcome to join my email list.

I send a newsletter with crochet ideas, gentle guidance, and occasional pattern offers, and you’ll also receive two free patterns when you sign up.

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About the Author

Catherine is a crochet designer based in Surrey, UK, specialising in crochet blanket patterns and colourwork techniques, particularly tapestry crochet.

She shares patterns, tutorials, and practical crochet advice through her website, helping crocheters create thoughtful, beautiful projects at their own pace.

You can explore her patterns here.