Two Simple Ways to Add or Change Yarn in Crochet
Whether you’re switching colors or just joining a new skein, a smooth yarn change can make all the difference in how polished your work looks.
You don’t need complicated techniques to get beautiful results. Here are two simple, reliable ways to change yarn.
Method 1 — Fisherman’s (Magic) Knot
This method is simple, quick, and very secure—great when you want to join yarn and keep crocheting without interruption.
How it works:
You tie the new yarn directly to the old yarn, then continue stitching as usual.
1 . Lay the end of your current yarn parallel to the end of the new yarn.
2. Take the top yarn end, cross it over the bottom yarn, loop it underneath, and tie a knot.
3. Next, take the bottom yarn end, cross it over the top yarn, loop it underneath, and tie a knot.
4. Pull each knot tight to secure it
5. Gently pull the long yarn strands away from each other until the two knots slide together and meet in the middle. Pull firmly to lock them in place.
6. Trim the ends and continue crocheting.
Note:
This method is very convenient, but the knot can sometimes be visible or slightly bulky. It works best for projects where that won’t matter. Also, since you’re joining yarn directly, you won’t have control over exactly where a color change lands in your work.
Method 2 — The Basic Yarn Change (Finish the Stitch with New Yarn)
This is the most common method.
How it works:
Instead of finishing your stitch with the old yarn, you replace the last yarn-over with the new color.
1. Work your stitch until the last step (you’ll have 2 loops on your hook for single crochet).
2. Drop the old yarn. Make a loop with the new yarn end. Insert the hook in the new yarn loop
3. Pull through to finish the stitch.
4. Drop the old yarn and continue crocheting with the new yarn.
That’s it!
Note:
The color change happens inside the stitch, so it looks clean and intentional.
(Optional) Weave in ends as you go. Hold the tails of the yarn parallel along the row you are working on. Insert the hook into the stitch (as usual) and under the two strands of yarn. Yarn over and pull through as normal. Continue for the next several stitches.
