Whenever I share photos of my colourwork projects, I get asked: how do you change colours on a graphgan? So, I’ve put together this tutorial detailing my colour change methods so you can have perfect colour changes too! I use these methods in all of my graphgan blanket patterns and all of my future published graphgan patterns will have this tutorial included in them. I’ve also created a video (have you checked out my new YouTube channel?) for you to follow along with.
New FREE Graphgan Pattern Collection
This tutorial comes just in time for the release of my latest blanket collection designed in collaboration with Hobbii. I had the pleasure to design three new landscape-themed blankets, all made with their Amigo Chunky yarn. The best thing about these blankets? THEY’RE FREE! Check out all three of the blankets: Sleepy Mountains, Desert Dunes, Beach Days.
How To Change Colours On A Graphgan
Note: For the purpose of this tutorial, I am using half double crochet but, these methods can be used with single and double crochet too.
In the first photo, I have made it to my final stitch using green yarn and I am ready to change colour. For the final green stitch, you DO NOT complete the stitch. Instead, yarn over, insert your hook and pull up a loop (you should have three loops on your hook). Now, bring your green working yarn to the front of your work and drop it. You will now complete your stitch by yarning over and pulling through all three loops with the yellow yarn. You can then continue crocheting with the yellow yarn. Make sure to leave the green yarn at the front where you dropped it.
On your return row, once you reach the green stitches, the yarn you dropped on the first row will now be at the back of your work for you to pick up and work with. To change colour, do the same thing as before – in your final yellow stitch yarn over, insert your hook and pull up a loop (you should have three loops on your hook). Bring your yellow yarn to the front, drop it and pick up the green yarn from the back of your work to complete your stitch.
Changing Colours After You Reach The Dropped Yarn
If you need to change colour after the point where you’ve dropped your working yarn, you will need to crochet over the loose stand, carrying it with you until you reach the point where you need to change colours. When you reach this point, gently pull on the strand to ensure no loops are visible on the back of your work – do not pull too tightly as this will cause the fabric to bunch up. You can then complete the colour change.
Changing Colours Before You Reach The Dropped Yarn
If you need to change colour before you reach the point where you have dropped your working yarn, you can still carry it over to change colour. When you yarn over with the new colour there will be a loose strand of yarn (shown in photos 2 & 3), make sure this is not too loose or too tight – it should sit close to your stitches. You will need to crochet over this strand as you continue crocheting to hide it.
Adding & Using Bobbins
If you need to use the same colour twice in a row, for example, if I was to change back to green at the point indicated by the red arrow, I would need to add a new green bobbin. This means that you don’t have to carry the green yarn under the yellow stitches as this would be visible and your blocks of colour would not be as neat.
Graphgan Patterns
Done with the tutorial? Try out your new skills on one of my graphgan blanket patterns!
