Technique · Surface and colourwork

Intarsia Crochet

Blocks of colour worked from separate yarn bobbins with no carried strands, giving a single-thickness fabric with clean picture areas.

Difficulty: Advanced
Category: Techniques
Common fibres: Acrylic, Wool, Cotton

Definition

Intarsia crochet uses one length of yarn per colour block, twisting yarns at each change so the fabric stays a single layer.

Overview

Unlike tapestry crochet, nothing is carried behind the work, so the fabric remains soft and drapes normally. That makes intarsia the better choice for garments and blankets with large picture areas.

The trade-off is management: a picture with many colour areas needs many bobbins, and the reverse carries ends that must be secured neatly.

Characteristics

Separate yarn source per colour block
Single-thickness, soft, drapey fabric
Best for large, simple colour areas

Typical uses

Picture blankets
Graphic garments
Cushion fronts
Wall pieces

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Related entries

Follow the thread

Technique

Tapestry CrochetColourwork made by carrying unused yarns inside the stitches and switching colour stitch by stitch, producing a dense woven-looking fabric.

Technique

Mosaic CrochetGeometric two-colour patterns made by working one colour at a time and dropping stitches down into the row below, with no yarn carried across.

Style category

Colorwork CrochetAny design where two or more colours form the pattern, whether by carried strands, dropped stitches or separate bobbins.

Style

Two-colour CrochetDesigns limited to a pair of colours, where the restriction sharpens the geometry.

In the atelier

Pieces that use this

Blankets Cushion Covers

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