Mosaic crochet in the round allows you to create anything from bags, to hats, sweaters, and even pillows, without using border stitches. You're working continuously around and never have to cut your yarn, which means no tail ends! With this newly updated tutorial I'll show you how to join your rounds and switch colors from the back, so the seam is practically invisible!
Getting Started
To begin, we will start with a foundation chain, and a SC foundation row. Follow the instructions in your pattern to find the appropriate number of chains to start your foundation chain.
1. After you finish your foundation chain, chain 1 and SC into the second chain from the hook. Add all SC stitches to the end.
2. Straighten your SC row so there are no twists, and position the beginning of the row around to the front to create a circle. To keep the circle from twisting and separating, you can use a stitch marker or a pin to connect the bottom of the circle temporarily.
3. Pull up a wide loop and remove your hook. To join the round, instead of inserting your hook from the front, insert your hook from the back under both loops of the first stitch. It's a lot easier to get your hook in from the back, so let's turn it around so we're looking at the back of the circle.
4. Insert your hook and place the loop around the hook. Pull the yarn to tighten it around the hook.
5. Slip stitch. Turn the circle around so you're looking at the front again.
6. Cast on with your next color and slip stitch.
7. Pull the yarn from the previous color to tighten. Be sure the loop is between the hook and the knot.
8. Chain 1. Your first stitch to begin round 2 will be directly below your hook. This round is all SC stitches in the top back loops to the end.
9. At the end of round 2, join and switch colors just as we did for round 1: Pull up a loop, insert your hook under both loops of the first stitch from the back, tighten the loop on the hook, and slip stitch. Slip stitch with your new color, tighten both strands and chain 1.
10. Now we're ready to begin round 3. For this round we will begin following our mosaic crochet chart. Your first stitch will be directly below your hook, or 1 row below in the same color.
Closing the Bottom Gap
At the bottom of your crochet round you'll notice there's a little gap at the bottom. This is because we never joined the foundation chain at the beginning. It's much easier to make sure a SC row isn't twisted as opposed to a single chain, so this is why I like to leave that chain disconnected until we have a SC row finished. At any point in your project you can stop and close this up.
Using the tail end from the very beginning of the chain, we will weave the tail across the other side and back in order to pull that bottom chain together. To begin, turn your crochet round upside down so the bottom of your project is facing up.
1. Insert your hook from the front, through the first stitch on the opposite side of the tail end.
2. Hook the tail and pull it all the way through the stitch. Then insert your hook from the back through the first stitch on the other side.
3. Hook the tail and pull it all the way through the stitch. Turn your crochet round so you're looking at the inside where you pulled the tail end through.
4. To secure the tail, tie it to the other tail end on the inside with a square knot. Weave in the ends to the inside to finish.
Finishing
To fasten off after joining your last round, chain 1, tighten, cut a tail end (about 4") and pull through. Cut the other color as well, leaving a 4" tail end. Turn your project so you're looking at the tail ends on the inside. Tie both tails together with a square knot, and weave in the ends to the inside. If your tail ends are separated by a few rows and not next to each other, weave the last tail along the seam closer to the other so they can be tied together.
Here's a sample of a completed project crocheted in the round, looking directly at the seam. Can you see it??
You can see a little bit of the seam here, where a round begins and ends with DC stitches. You'll also see this slight separation if you're folding the tube flat to make a bag or pouch.
Here's what the inside seam looks like. Some twists may look a little cleaner than others, and I find if you're using a dense yarn like cotton, these twists will puff out more than a wool or acrylic. All of this is hiding on the inside though... so who cares!
Here's what the inside looks like with the seam at the top. So although there are a lot of twists on the inside, it's still fairly flat on the inside.
Hope you enjoyed this updated tutorial!
Thanks for reading and happy crocheting!
-Sixel
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