How To Do Tapestry Crochet

Good Morning Crochet Lovers! Today we are covering how to do Tapestry Crochet technique. Which is not as intimidating as it sounds.

Tapestry crochet color work can be a very gratifying technique, but is often intimidating working with any where from two to many strands of yarn colors at once. Therefore you need to read on for some tips and tricks on how to get through your project with some ease.

Tips & Tricks

To keep yarns untangled when working in color work projects I suggest separating the skeins from the beginning ie, I place one skein by my hip and the other skein by my knee that way the strands stay separated with hardly no effort from myself. If you are lucky to have a daughter like mine who gifted me a knitting/crochet organizer bag with pockets that keeps your yarn colors separated with holes that you can feed your tails through while crocheting. In addition you could use a handy recyclable plastic storage tote like this one below to feed your yarn ends through for your tapestry crochet projects as well too. I have used all three methods and find them all equally easy to incorporate.
It is best to crochet tightly to avoid the unused colors to prevent them from being seen through the stitches of the working yarn. However, do not crochet so tight that you cause your project too curl up or the sides to taper in.
Periodically tug gently the unused yarn to firm up the stitches and ensure that yarn is kept snuggly in place.
Use a highlighter to keep track of what row you are on while using the chart.
When reading the pattern chart, note that the odd numbered rows are the right side of the pattern and the even numbered rows are the wrong side of the pattern.
Right side rows (odd numbered) are read right to left <<<.
Wrong side rows (even numbered) are read left to right >>>.
Each cell on chart equals one single crochet stitch and each line on chart equals one row of single crochet.
Written instructions read as MC x 20 or CC x 20. This means with main color yarn single crochet in next 20 stitches or with contrast color yarn single crochet in next 20 stitches.

Introduction

My favorite crochet hook is the ever popular FURL’S CROCHET HOOKS

Tapestry crochet is worked in the single crochet stitch. Which makes it very easy as all you have to remember is one stitch after your initial beginning chain.

Now onto how to read a crochet chart. Lets look at this simple chart image below.

In looking at chart from bottom right hand corner across to left hand corner you see 20 numbered cells. Each of these cells stand for 1 single crochet. Now look from bottom of the chart to the top of the chart you see 20 numbered lines. Each of these lines stand for 1 row of single crochet. Your pattern chart you may be following could have any where from 2 up to many colors depending on the design you will be creating. Some designers use names to call out colors while others use letters to call out colors. Therefore you will have a legend/instruction to follow. As far as my charts go for the two color combos I stick with MC which stands for Main Color and CC which stand for Contrast Color to keep it simple and consistent. Changing of colors are completed on the last pull through of last single crochet of old color sequence. So onto how to do a color change. and a little practice of chart reading.

Notes:

MC-Cream

CC-Orange

All stitches in single crochet

All rows start with ch 1

Row 1: MC ch 21, {20 plus 1 for turning chain} see image A-1, Make first sc in 2nd ch from hook{start crocheting over CC on first sc to ensure consistent thickness of project}A-2, MC x 19

A-1

A-2

Row 2: MC x 20 ensuring that you are crocheting tightly over the unused yarn so you can not see it through your stitches easily. However, not so tight that your work curls or tapers in on the side edges. see image A-3

A-3

Row 3: MC x 5 (color change of last pull through of last stitch of old color sequence) see image A-4, A-5 & A-6,

A-4

insert hook into last st of sequence, pull up loop of old color

A-5

yo with new color, pull through both loops on hook

A-6

color change complete

continue on with row 3, CC x 10 (color change of last pull through of last stitch of old color sequence), MC x 5 (color change of last pull through of last stitch of old color sequence) see image A-7 for completed row 3

Now you have been through one row of color changes.

Continue on with chart through row 7 for more practice with color changes.

This color change technique works when changing colors on other stitches too ie. hdc, double crochet, treble crochet. All you need to do is the same thing you did with the single crochet color change.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial today.