Example: how to choose the colours for your first mosaic crochet

Choosing colours is the most fun part of mosaic crochet… and also the one that raises the most questions. This is a sample article to show how the blog looks: when Ceci publishes her own, they will appear here with this same design.

Start with contrast, not colour

In mosaic crochet each round is worked in a single colour, but the pattern appears through the alternation of two tones. That is why how much contrast there is between them matters more than exactly which colours they are. A quick trick: take a photo of your yarn balls and turn it black and white. If both tones look almost the same, the pattern will get lost.

Colour rules the piece, but contrast rules the pattern.

Three combinations that almost always work

• Light + dark: the safest option for seeing the geometric motif clearly.
• Tone on tone: two shades of the same colour for an elegant, soft result.
• A neutral + a bright colour: the neutral rests the eye and the colour becomes the star.

Before you start, make a swatch

Spend a few minutes making a small swatch with your colours. It will help you check the contrast, the tension and how the fabric drapes, and it will save you from unravelling a whole garment.

What next?

If you want to see these ideas applied to a full design, explore the knitting and crochet patterns or learn the technique step by step in the online courses.