When making a solid-colored hat, you can crochet in a continuous round and not worry about seams. But when you need to add stripes to your hat, using the continuous round method results in jagged color changes, which is why most pattern designers instruct you to work in joined rounds.
But even then, depending on how and when you change colors, you can end up with an unsightly seam area and bits of colors “bleeding” into other rows. This method will help you learn how to avoid that common mistake!
This is the third tutorial in a blog series I’m calling “Animal Hat Basics.” You can also download my FREE e-book by the same name, which includes the following tutorials, all in one handy PDF:
- How to Make Tassels (view blog post)
- How to Make Pom Poms (view blog post)
- How to Attach Facial Features (view blog post)
- How to Change Colors In the Round (view blog post)
Click here to request the FREE e-book!
Ready? Let’s do it!
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1. When you are ready to add a new color to your hat, complete the round you are on, but do not join it to the first stitch with a slip stitch as you normally would. Keep your hook in place.
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2. Wrap the new color of yarn around the hook and pull it through the loop from the first color to form a new loop.
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3. Pull the tail of the first color taut behind the circle, so that the new color looks as though it is emerging from the old color.
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4. Now working with the new color, complete the round as you normally would by joining with a slip stitch to wherever your pattern indicates (usually the top of the first stitch of the round).
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5. Create your starting chain for the new round and complete the first stitch of the new round using the directions in your pattern.
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6. Continue the round, joining as instructed, UNLESS you plan to change to a new color again; in which case, you would stop short of the join, and repeat these directions.
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Tip: If you are going to repeat two colors back and forth, you can avoid weaving in all those ends by simply not cutting the yarn when you finish a row, and picking it back up with your hook when you’re ready for it again.
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Pattern Permissions
This is a FREE pattern, and by using it, you're agreeing to the following legally-protected conditions. You're welcome to sell what you make with it; for online listings, please link back to my blog using something like this:
- Do not resell the pattern, altered or in its original form.
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Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome 🙂
Thanks for sharing this crochet tip! It was very helpful. Changing colors in the round is tricky for me:) Thanks again!
Hey Rebecca I am trying to sign up for emails and the free book but every time I try it says I have too many attempts to subscribe. If I have ever subscribed I don’t remember and I don’t have your book and I don’t get your emails. Could you please check on this for me as I would love to have both. My email is clscrumbs7@yahoo.com and my name is Emily Lynch. Thank you.
Thank you for this tip on joining a new color in the round. I crochet hats for the homeless and I like to make stripes so the hats have some style.
I can’t wait to try this tip on the hat I’ve started.
Again, thank you