It is almost unavoidable for your yarn to tangle during tapestry crocheting, except if you are very careful. The last thing you want is for your thread to tangle when working on your project.
Moving the balls around all the time will lessen the pace at which your work can be frustrating. There are simple ways to avoid tangling your yarn, whether working with two or more threads. Keep reading to find out;
How To Keep Yarn From Tangling In A Tapestry Crochet?
Tangling yarn can be very annoying, mainly because you must spend a little more time untangling the thread. This time no matter how little would have been utilised to increase the number of stitches done and for your final product to finally come to life. Tangling is available. There are a few measures you need to put in place never to have an issue of tangling.
First, moving balls of yarn around is one major cause of tangling. A more straightforward way to avoid tangling is by keeping the yarns in the same position concerning how you use them. If you use two yarn, the first yarn should be placed in front of the yarn you’ll need much later.
If you’re using three yarns, place the first yarn in front, the second yarn in the middle, and the last at the back. Place the different yarns at a distance of 5 to 10 cm apart to give them more space to move around. This technique enables you to have a happy crocheting experience without the need to untangle any thread.
You may also use crocheting cups to hold each thread after use in their cups. When you need any line, you grab, use and put it back into the cup. You can find these cups in the knitting or crocheting section at your shopping mall or online at Amazon or IKEA.
What Are The Types of Tapestry Crochets?
Tapestry crochet is a technique where you use two different (contrasting) colors together. One of the colors has to be a vibrant color, while the other color is inactive. The vibrant color is crocheted over the fixed color.
The two colors must have a good contrast to enhance the design. Four types of tapestry crochet can be worked on using either round or flat rows. These four types of tapestry crochet are;
Round Tapestry Crochet
A round tapestry crochet is done in a continuous spiral or round movement. It begins mainly from the right side, and you won’t have to worry about which side is right and wrong.
Flat Tapestry Crochet
Flat tapestry crochet is of two types. One is going in a single direction, and the other is going back and forth in rows.
– One-directional Flat Tapestry Crochet
Just as the name implies, it is similar to a mosaic crochet working in a single direction on the right side without turning at the end of every row.
This method results in many stops you have to deal with because the yarns are fastened and cut out. The ends are weaved or hidden. Sometimes you can leave them in a different style, like fringes.
– Two-directional Flat Tapestry Crochet
This is a method if you don’t want to deal with the ends of the crochet. This method requires you to turn your work after every row, carrying the inactive color. Keeping the static color on the wrong side will ensure you have a neat edge after you are done.
What Are The Type Of Stitches In Tapestry Crochets?
Tapestry crochet can be done with any stitch so long it is enclosed. However, the majority of tapestry crochet uses a single crochet pattern. It is the smallest stitch available and gives more room for detailed design and space to hide the inactive color.
There are three different variations of the single crochet stitches in the tapestry. They are Regular single crochet, single crochet back loop, and modified single crochet. Let me explain each type of stitch in detail.
Regular single crochet
This is the stitch we learned at the early stage of crocheting. Insert the hook through both loops, yarn over, and pull continuously.
Single Crochet Back Loop
In this variation, the hook is inserted into the back loop of the stitch. It’ll produce stitches that are longer than the regular single crochet. When you are under the curve in the back, you yarn over, pull up, and continue. It is mainly done when using the round and one-directional flat tapestry crochet.
Modified Single Crochet
This is a single crochet with just a single back loop. The yarn is done under the stitch instead of yarning over it to close it. It is smaller and tighter, which makes the visual difference more pronounced when compared with a single crochet back loop. This design is mainly used by designers, especially when working with two or more colors.
How Can You Change Colour In A Tapestry Crochet?
There are different methods of changing colors depending on what works for you. I’ve found a way that works for me, and I believe it may work for you too.
After putting the vibrant color forward, yarn the 7th stitch under the inactive color and pull through the two loops. At the last yarn, close the stitch by yarning under the static color. The fixed color now becomes the active color.
Use the same step when you want to change the inactive color. When using a modified gel crochet stitch, there is no need for all of these because it already has yarn under instead of inside.
Helpful Tips To A Successful Tapestry Crochet
The beautiful color work and eye-catching tapestry crochet’s design may seem challenging. Here are some valuable tips to make your tapestry crochet a success with ease.
- If you’re still learning, start simple with just two colors. The more you get better, you can decide to explore using more colors.
- Work over the second strand of yarn across the row. Some techniques carry the double strand of yarn before changing the color. But it sometimes causes uneven tension throughout the yarn. When you work over with the second strand, your work is reversible, looks nice, and hides the floats.
- Change the color in the middle of the stitch. It’s not compulsory to finish a stitch before adding another color
- Every row will differ slightly depending on whether you’re on the right or the wrong side. Ensure you begin every row on the right side to look uniform for your final product.
- Keep your stitches tight by pulling the background yarn gently occasionally. Avoid drawing too close because it causes your thread to scrunch.
- Try to be creative with your project. Try a new crochet pattern, and invent a new way if possible. Flex those your pattern design skills to make a unique work of art.
- Keep all your yarns separate to avoid tangling. You may waste some yarn if you’re able to untangle them. No one wants to lose their thread, especially if it’s an expensive yarn.
How To Maintain An Even Tension In Your Tapestry Crochet
A common question and struggle with knitting are how to maintain an even tension throughout the project. Some of the ways to achieve consistent pressure in your tapestry crochet are;
Practice
Practice makes perfect. Start small and learn on the job. The more method, the better you get. You’ll naturally learn to maintain an even tension throughout your work.
Avoid Pulling The Yarn Too Tight
Pulling your inactive color too tight will result in bulging. Most mistakes of drawing too close happen when turning after you’ve gotten to the end of a row. Extra caution should be taken not to overpull at the end of any row
Use Two Strange All The Time
Although the second color comes in after knitting a few rows, carrying the inactive color from the start gives your work a beautiful, neat, uniform, and tension-free look/feel.
Conclusion
You don’t have to struggle to untangle your yarns all the time. Aside from discouraging you, the time used to separate could have been used to make more progress with your piece. You can prevent your thread from tangling by placing them in order that you’re using to stitch.
If you’re using two colors, put one in front and the other at the back. If you use three threads, place one in front, the other in the middle, and the last at the back. Giving a 5 to 10-cm gap will allow room for the yarn to roll without tangling each other for successful and happy crocheting work.