Free Crochet: Crochet with Color by Violet Henderson Page B

color until you have two loops on the hook.

    Pull the new color through the last two loops.

    Secure the old color under the first stitch of the new color on the wrong side of the fabric and continue with the new color letting the old color rest there.
    Changing Colors with a Slip Knot
    There are times when you won’t be able to, or you don’t want to, change colors by pulling the new color through the last two loops of the last stitch. For example, when you begin a new round of color on a Granny Square you won’t be pulling the new color through the last stitch. Instead make a slip knot and place it on your hook. Insert the hook into the stitch where you want the new color to begin, yarn over and pull the yarn through the slip knot. This attaches or “joins” the new color. Now you can proceed with the pattern as usual.

    You can also pull the new color through the very last round. Work the last stitch and insert the hook into the last stitch and pull the new color through the slip stitch to end the row. Carry the colors up the inside of the round by catching the old color under the first chain stitch of the new round.

Chapter Three – Intarsia Color Technique
     
    The Intarsia color technique is used to create pictures in crochet. It is a fun technique and opens up all sorts of project possibilities. As you work across the row you change colors and leave the old color rest in the row until you work back to it on the next row. This means that for each color change you will need a separate bobbin of yarn.
    You can purchase plastic bobbins, or use small pieces of cardboard or heavy paper to wind up the yarn you need. Look at your pattern and see which row has the most color changes. Count up the colors and the times you need to change them and wind up your bobbins accordingly. For example, if you need to change a color three times, then you will need three bobbins of that one color.
    Before we begin to actually crochet an example let’s look at an Intarsia chart.
    Charts are read from the bottom up starting in the right hand bottom corners. They are read exactly as you crochet them with odd rows read from right to left, and even rows read from left to right.
    Each square on a chart represents a stitch. You can use single, half double, and double crochet stitches for an Intarsia project. You will use the same stitches throughout the project so keep that in mind when choosing which stitch you want to use. Also the stitches you choose will affect the finished size of the project, so you may want to work up a quick gauge swatch in each stitch to see how it affect the size.
    The foundation chain is not usually represented in a chart. Count up the stitches across the row and then add the appropriate number for the first stitch. For example, in the following chart for a simple diamond shape there are 9 stitches across the row. If you’re using double crochet, then you would chain 9 plus 3 for the first stitch.

 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
 
     
    In this chart you can see there are only 3 color changes on all rows except for the first and last row. This means you need to wind up 2 bobbins of white, and 1 bobbin of blue. Begin by reading Row 1 from right to left and work 9 white double crochet stitches (the plus 3 counts as the first stitch).
    Row 2 is read from left to right. Work 4 white stitches, 1 blue stitch, and 4 white stitches dropping the old color and picking up the new colors as you work across the row.
    Row 3 is read from right to left. Work 3 white, 3 blue, 3 white.
    Row 4 is read from left to right. Work 2 white, 5 blue, 2 white.
    Row 5 is read from right to left. Work 1 white, 7 blue, 1 white.
    Row 6 is read from left to right. Work 2 white, 5 blue, 2