• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Logo Image for Mezzacraft.com

Free Crochet Patterns, Crochet Classes & Techniques

  • Home
  • About
  • Crochet Classes
  • Contact
  • Patterns
    • Free Crochet Patterns
    • All Patterns
  • Tips & Tutorials
  • Home
  • About
  • Crochet Classes
  • Contact
  • Patterns
    • Free Crochet Patterns
    • All Patterns
  • Tips & Tutorials

Student Resource

Sewing In Ends Of Crochet Projects

January 12, 2019 //  by mezza//  Leave a Comment

I often get asked how I weave in my ends and what is the best way to sew in ends of crocheted projects so that they don’t come undone or look messy. I’ve put together this post to show you how I’m weaving in the ends of a project. The project features solid granny motifs and the traditional granny stitch. It also deals in particular with very short ends which can be difficult to handle. It’s not a definitive guide – I’m just sharing with you how I do it.

Projects using multiple motifs are a great favourite of mine. I know other crocheters also love making motifs but are put off by all the ends that need sewing in. This is a time consuming task which is made all the more daunting when you are not really sure how to do it.

How do you make sure it’s secure?

In my experience, the key to a securely hidden end is to sew in one direction, then back on itself in the opposite direction, whilst making sure a stitch is caught or sewn over so that you’re not just undoing the stitch you’ve just made. I use a standard wool needle for knitters. It has a large eye and relatively blunt tip. Specifically, I use Pony Gold Eye Sewing Needles.

To start with, I always make the first step of securing the ends while crocheting. I.e. when I actually join the new yarn colour to the project. I do this by crocheting over the tail end for 3 or 4 stitches. Initially this doesn’t seem a very secure start. Worry not, as the final sewn step keeps everything in place. This works well with solid stitch patterns and clusters but is often not possible when you’re making a lacy or very open pattern. In these instances, you’ll need to employ other strategies.

If you’ve managed to catch the end in during crocheting, you only need to sew it back on itself again. Remember to catch in or skip over the first strand so that you’re not undoing the stitch.

How do you deal with very short ends?

When you have a short tail to sew in, start with the needle in the fabric/stitches where you want to sew and then thread the needle. I tend to use my thumb nail to push the yarn through the eye.

In most cases, sewing in one direction and then the other is enough to ensure the work doesn’t come undone. Don’t forget to skip a strand of yarn when you change direction (see second image above). However, if you’re making something for a baby, or a gift or a paid commission, you may want to add an extra step. I.e. change direction and sew back again before trimming the yarn. If you’ve got a very short tail, carefully pull the needle through, without un-threading it. Then use the eye of the needle to sew back on itself. This technique is not advisable if your needle is sharp!

How do you ensure it looks neat?

I always try to sew the ends into a congested area of stitches, such as a corner or cluster. I find this offers the most secure spot and the tail end finds it difficult to wriggle.

Sometimes, such as here, where the corners of the four motifs join, there is no congested area to conceal a tail end. Instead I make a running stitch into the post of an adjacent stitch – here it’s a double crochet, until I came to a denser area suitable for sewing into.

For both methods, I find it best to work from the back of the fabric. I check the front occasionally to make sure I haven’t left any visible stitches that might blemish my work on the right side. It is also important to ensure your sewing matches the gauge of your crochet pattern. After each sewn stitch, I gently pull the fabric to make sure my weaving in isn’t creating any pulls or puckering.

Lastly, I like to use a small pair of sewing scissors to CAREFULLY snip off the remaining tail end. Sadly, I have had disasters in the past. Once, coming to the last few threads, I managed to cut a hole in a project when I was rushing and excited to finish!

Project details:
  • This is a large wrap made using a modified version of the Blue Buoy Blanket pattern.
  • The pattern for the three row solid granny square can be found here.
  • The traditional granny stitch border an join can be found here.
  • KnitPro Zing Hook – size 3.25mm.
  • Yarn is sock weight/fingering yarn from Posh Yarn …25 different hand dyed shades in total!

And here’s a video.

Category: Crochet, Crochet Tips, Crochet Tutor, Student Resource, Tips and Tutorials, TutorialTag: crochet, crochet techniques, crochet tutorials

Simple Round Coasters – Free Crochet Pattern

November 21, 2015 //  by mezza//  Leave a Comment

This Simple Round Crochet Coaster Pattern is nice and easy for beginners’ and improvers’… which is why I use it when I’m teaching beginners. It helps you practise the double and single crochet stitch as well as chaining and slip stitching. I have provided it here, free of charge.
It’s also a perfect, quick little project to make as a gift. Why not make the matching place mats too?

Simple Round Coaster Crochet Pattern

PLEASE NOTE: This is the US crochet terminology version, if you’d like the British version, please click here.free crochet pattern round coaster

Materials:
Aran Weight Yarn* – colour A red; Colour B cream (or any combination you like)
Hook – 4.5mm / G
Tapestry or wool needle

Key:
beg- beginning
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
tr – treble
rnd(s) – round(s)
sp – space
st(s) – stitch(es)

 

Crochet Instructions 

With colour A make a magic ring/sliding loop. Alternatively, ch4 and join to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch3 (counts as a dc on this and following rnds), 11 dc in ring; join in 3rd ch of beg ch 3. 12 dc
Rnd 2: Ch3 , in same sp work 1dc; 2dc in each rem st; join in 3rd ch of beg ch 3. 24 dc
Rnd 3: Ch3 , in same sp work 1dc; 2dc in each rem st; join in 3rd ch of beg ch 3. 48 dc
Fasten off.
Rnd 4: Join colour B in any st; ch1, dc in same sp; sc in each rem st; join in first sc.
Finish off and sew in all ends.
Press with a damp cloth on a medium iron heat to make coaster nice and flat (this bit is really important for a neat, professional finish!)

* a note about the yarn – I would recommend natural fibres for these coasters such as wool or cotton. Here I’ve used Drops Alaska, 100% wool. Although you probably will never place a searing hot cup onto the coaster, materials such as acrylic can melt when subjected to extreme heat. Acrylic also doesn’t block too well either, plus synthetic yarns tend to be worse for the environment that natural yarns, especially acrylic as it is derived from the petro chemical industry.

Category: Crochet, Crochet Classes Surrey, Crochet Tutor, Free, Free Crochet Pattern, Pattern, Student ResourceTag: crochet, free crochet patterns

British & American Crochet Terms

May 13, 2014 //  by mezza//  Leave a Comment

The majority of patterns you will find in books, on-line and even some British magazines use US or International crochet terminology. It’s for this reason that despite being a British crochet teacher, I teach my classes using American crochet terms.
Here is a handy chart showing the different terminology used for British and American crochet stitches, as well as the symbols.
us_gb_crochet_terminology
 
 

Category: Crochet, Student ResourceTag: crochet

Footer

Copyright © 2021 Mezzacraft - Sharing the Art of Crochet · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme