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5 Tips for Changing Colors in Corner to Corner Crochet (C2C)

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April 21, 2017 Ashlea 35 Comments

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Are you ready to branch out and start changing colors in corner to corner crochet? Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be changing graphghan colors like a pro. Let me teach you how!

How to Change Colors in Corner to Corner (c2c) Crochet

5 Tips for Changing Colors in Corner to Corner Crochet

We’ve got changing colors in regular crochet conquered; changing colors in corner to corner crochet, however, is handled slightly differently. C2C graphghans can either use written patterns or chart patterns, or sometimes even both! As a visual person, I find it easiest to cross the blocks off using a chart as I go.  Totally a personal preference thing; neither way is right or wrong.

I do have 5 rules I follow for changing colors in corner to corner crochet graphghans. I will go into details of each below, and be sure to catch the video at the bottom of this post to see them all in action…

  1. Use the 5:2 chain method for Corner to Corner (instead of the 6:3)
  2. Change colors with the slip stitch instead of traditional color change method
  3. Don’t “carry” the yarn too far
  4. Bobbins are your best friend
  5. Do not weave in ends until at least three rows past that point

Use the 5:2 chain ratio for Corner to Corner (c2c)

When crocheting a corner to corner afghan, you can either chain 5 to start a new row OR you can chain 6.  Depending on which method you choose, you’ll then either chain 2 to start each new block in that row or chain 3. I always use the chain 5 and 2 respectively, it helps to keep the holes in between blocks smaller which in turn helps to keep the color changes less conspicuous.  To see a more detailed explanation of the 5:2 vs 6:3 you’ll want to read this post, and watch this video.

Change colors with the slip stitches 

I know I am going against my own cardinal rule of changing colors here, but when crocheting a corner to corner I change colors with the slip stitch instead of in the last pull-through as normal. Does it really matter? Probably not. See exactly what I mean in the video below.

Don’t carry the yarn too far

Don’t shoot the messenger here but I have found that if I “carry” my yarn too many blocks away, it creates a sloppier/more puckered look than when I clip and reattach my yarn. YES, it creates more ends to weave in, but it also creates a more seamless color change and a prettier overall finished effect. I personally carry my yarn no more than one block’s width away (either direction). Unless you have A TON of color changes, this doesn’t really add that much more work and it is worth it to me.

I have also found that if I reattach the yarn instead of carrying, I am able to go back and tighten those ends after a few rows which helps to not only keep everything uniform but to clean up the color changes as well. You can not do that if you carry the yarn more than one block’s width away; it is simply woven in and at that point and it is what it is.

Bobbins are your best friend

When creating a corner to corner graphghan, you absolutely need to have some sort of system to keep your yarn clean while turning your work. Ain’t nobody got time for yarn barf!

To combat the ever-present threat of yarn-rat-nest, I use Industrial Clips like these as bobbins.  When finished with a particular color, and before clipping your yarn, look ahead on your chart. See how many blocks you will need of that color when you come back up the next row. For example, if, by reading my chart, I know that I will need enough yarn for 6 blocks when coming back, I can wind enough yarn around that bobbin to get me those six blocks. Then I simply clip the bobbin onto my work and keep on keepin’ on.  Watch the video below to see how I use them.

Tip: Do a test block and see approximately how many inches you’ll need to wind around your bobbin per block.  Simply crochet one block and then rip it out and measure how much yarn you used. This will give you a better guess when winding those bobbins!

Weave in ends as you go (but not too soon)

When crocheting a corner to corner graphghan with many color changes, yarn ends get in the way. I find it is less cumbersome to turn my work if I go back and weave in ends as I go. That being said, I have also found that if I weave in too close to my working yarn (where I currently am working on the graph/chart) it may cause my blocks to become too tight, warping the overall effect.

My general rule of thumb is to not weave in any ends that are within two – three rows of the row I am currently working. When weaving in those ends, I like to go back and forth with my yarn needle at least twice, and go through the fibers of the yarn as well.  I use the same method as when I weave in regular yarn ends, keeping like colors with like colors. More on How to Weave in Yarn Ends.

You can find countless corner to corner crochet graphghan patterns on Pinterest, or you could use a free website like Stitch Fiddle to either create your own graph freestyle or upload an image and they will help you plot that graph. Cool huh?

Do you have a rule/method for changing colors in corner to corner that I may not be aware of or did not list here? Be sure to drop me a comment so I can test it out too!

5 Tips for Changing Colors in Corner to Corner Crochet

More crochet tips and tutorials:

How to Change Colors in Crochet
3 Ways to Add a Border in Crochet
How to Crochet a Corner to Corner (C2C) Throw + Video Tutorial
Crochet WIP Bag (Work In Progress) Using Corner to Corner
How to Crochet the Invisible Decrease for Amigurimi Crochet
Create Planned Yarn Color Transitions in Crochet

Crochet Tips & Tutorials, Hook, Tutorials how to change colors, how to change colors in a graphghan, how to changed colors in a crochet afghan

Comments

  1. Stacey says

    April 3, 2020 at 2:46 am

    When following c2c pattern, do you flip the pattern for each new row? I'm getting in a muddle thank you
    Reply
  2. Sara says

    July 23, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    Hi, I do the slip stitch method too along with the 5:2! I stop every so often to untwist the yarn! That's fine with me lol.
    Reply
  3. Bronwen says

    February 15, 2019 at 7:32 am

    I don't understand how to use the bobbins for colour changes. Why would I only want a small amount of yarn on the bobbin (say if there are 6 blocks in a row) instead of enough yarn for 50 blocks that continue in the next few rows? I've done C2C before but snipped and joined the yarn at each colour change point, but its just too time consuming. I have a commissioned blanket and I need to do it much faster.
    Reply
  4. Angela Trupiano says

    February 5, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    Do you have a pattern for the stripe blanket that is shown in the picture? I love the way the rows are different numbers for different colors.
    Reply
  5. Linda Toney says

    December 17, 2018 at 6:58 pm

    What is C2C ???
    Reply
    • Heart Hook Home says

      December 22, 2018 at 10:53 am

      Hi Linda! C2C stands for corner to corner.
      Reply
  6. Timbra says

    December 8, 2018 at 7:32 am

    THANK YOU! I have been having such a problem with the space left between the colors, and the 5-2 stitch absolutely resolved the look I didn't care for. Lol. Too bad I'm going to have to redo some 55-60 rows lol. But it's ok!!!!
    Reply
  7. Holly says

    December 7, 2018 at 8:01 am

    Love your tutorial! So helpful! My only question is, after you did the second set of white after the blue, how do you go back? Do you just do a second set of white in the same yarn, then do your blue again, and then use the white that was on the clip for the next set like it is brand new yarn?
    Reply
  8. Jen says

    November 15, 2018 at 12:33 am

    If you are just doing c2c color changes at the ends of rows this probably is not an issue, but if you are doing a graphghan with color changes in the middle of the rows it makes a neater look to always bring your new color in from the Right side of your project. By doing this that little 1/4"tail of the old color will always be on the wrong side of your work making for a neater front side of your project. It really does make a big difference.
    Reply
  9. Peggy Snyder says

    August 12, 2018 at 7:59 pm

    Hi...I. check just wanted to say thank you very much for the amazing video and instructions. I do have 2 ?'s for you. How do you change colors at the end of a row so the first block is of a different color and how do you keep all the tails pretty much on one side. Thanks so much,Peggy
    Reply
    • Heart Hook Home says

      August 12, 2018 at 9:11 pm

      Hi Peggy! To change colors at the very end of a row, I would change yarn when making the last stitch when pulling through the last 2 sts on your hook. I have a tutorial here: https://hearthookhome.com/how-to-change-colors-in-crochet/ As for the tails all being on one side, if you do an even number of rows for each color change, then your tails will all be on one side. Hope that helps!
      Reply
  10. Ruth Larsen says

    August 9, 2018 at 9:04 am

    This is so wonderful. I am going to do a graphaghan sometime and now I feel better prepared.
    Reply
    • Heart Hook Home says

      August 10, 2018 at 10:23 pm

      Hi Ruth! I am so glad you found this post helpful!
      Reply
  11. Gramma Gribble says

    February 7, 2018 at 11:36 am

    I was wondering how you made the single, smaller sections of white in your c2c that is in the picrure at the top of this page. It looks smaller than the typical ch 2 and then 3 dc. Is it a ch 2 and 2 dc? Thanks for any info.
    Reply
  12. Janice says

    January 17, 2018 at 3:47 am

    Hi, Thanks a mil for your tips and help with the C2C. I only have one problem. The end results tends to be scew. It's not a perfect rectangle. What did I do wrong?
    Reply
    • Frances says

      April 6, 2018 at 11:38 pm

      Same thing happened to me, the corners weren't matching up, so I just went back to the old way...
      Reply
  13. Stephanie says

    January 16, 2018 at 9:00 am

    Is there a rule of thumb as to how many rows to do with each color? I’m doing 6 rows of one color and then 3 rows of the next color but the zig zag between the colors is alternating on each side. Is it because I am doing an even number of one color and an odd number of the other? Thank you!
    Reply
  14. Ashlee says

    November 24, 2017 at 2:00 am

    Thanks so much for this post! I've been crocheting c2c blankets for a whole now & these are great tips
    Reply
  15. Ivy Lang says

    October 23, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    On you tube a girl showed how to weave in the starting end as you crocheted by weaving the tail around the working yarn as you went I have been using these method with a little success and not having the tails having to be to long
    Reply
  16. Lori J Tyree says

    September 21, 2017 at 8:22 am

    I am working on my 1st C2C graphgan and couldn't find the clips that you all use for your bobbins so I used the claw type hairclips. I really think they work better than the bobbins like your because I can use different sizes for however much yarn I might need to complete my color.
    Reply
    • Lanette says

      September 7, 2019 at 11:07 pm

      I found my extra large clothspins At the dollar tree, 4 for one dollar
      Reply
  17. Margret says

    August 5, 2017 at 7:27 pm

    I both knit and crochet, and have taught a few of my knitting friends to crochet. One of them taught me the "Russian join", and this was the best thing ever! No ends to weave in, which I love because that was the worst part of creating anything with yarn for me. Try it and let me know if you like it.
    Reply
    • Ruth says

      February 10, 2019 at 10:26 am

      I would like to see how to do the Russian join.
      Reply
  18. Arti Yashodhar Desai says

    August 2, 2017 at 5:00 am

    This will be very usefull to me , thanks a lot for sharing .
    Reply
  19. Laura9 says

    July 24, 2017 at 9:51 am

    I've been crocheting C2C blankets for over ten years, and this post gave me wonderful new information. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      July 25, 2017 at 8:18 am

      Hi Laura! I'm glad, thanks for stopping by! :)
      Reply
  20. Tiffanie says

    June 17, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    Hi Ashlea, How do you pick back up with the wound yarn on the bobbin? On the other side of the blue on the next row? How much of that color are you planning for? I just cut all my color changes and bury ends later, so I'm interested in the idea of the bobbin. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Sue says

      July 30, 2017 at 3:16 am

      Don't cut the yarn when you change colors. Instead keep it on a bobbin and pick it up on the next row. This works only if the color is not separated by another color for more than two rows. Never drag the yarn its best to cut it.
      Reply
  21. Rebecca says

    June 12, 2017 at 1:05 pm

    Thank you for this tutorial. I found it through Pinterest. It is very good! Easy to understand, to the point, and not too long (the video), which is hard to find. Keep up the good work!
    Reply
  22. Patty Herzog says

    May 29, 2017 at 8:29 am

    I love crochet and want to try new patterns.
    Reply
    • Dorothy says

      April 16, 2018 at 6:52 am

      I have been making these for a long time now,,girls prefer plain colours but I make a lot for charity with all the left overs I only do two chain on mine cos three makes it loopy and baby fingered could get stuck ,,,,love the tutorial very good ,,,dont ,we all hate finishing the ends ,,,,yuck ,,I do my groups on twos so it is easier to do the edges ,,,
      Reply

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Welcome!

beard

Hi! I’m Ashlea, the Kansas mom, and wife, that runs this crochet, food, and heart (CHD) blog.  I am a frugal, yarn loving crochet addict that enjoys good food and fine wine – or an occasional whiskey. 😉 Read more about me here and see my favorite Amazon products here.

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