Overlay mosaic crochet is such a beautiful crochet technique, but it’s also one that not that many have tried. My guess it’s because it looks far more complex than it actually is.
By following the steps in this free crochet tutorial I will share 6 simple rules of overlay mosaic crochet with you & I promise you I’ll break it down to easy “rules” or techniques.
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6 Simple Rules of Overlay Mosaic Crochet
These 6 rules are the general rules you will find applying to most overlay mosaic crochet patterns. With these in your toolbox, you can crochet the most beautiful mosaic crochet projects.
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Ultimate Guide to Overlay Mosaic Crochet
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1. Only use 1 color per row/round
Even though overlay mosaic crochet can look really complex, the good news is that you will actually use only 1 color per row/round.
2. Alternate color A and color B every other row/round
The second of the simple rules of overlay mosaic crochet is using the two colors on every other row or round. This means you will never use the same color two rows/rounds after each other.
3. Always work on the right side
No matter if you are working in rows or rounds, you will always have the right side of the work facing you. Here’s how it applies to rows vs rounds:
Working in rows:
When working overlay mosaic crochet in rows, you will always cut the yarn at the end of the row. This is because you will always work from right to left, with the right side of the work facing you.
This leaves a good amount of yarn tails.
For this I recommend always working over your yarn tails at the beginning of the row/round or leave them to create fringe later.
If you’re working over your yarn tails, this tutorial will help you with that.
Working in rounds:
When working overlay mosaic crochet in rounds, you can let the yarn follow up to the next round using the same color without cutting the yarn.
This makes in many cases overlay mosaic crochet in rounds feel easier.
4. You will use 2 stitches
In overlay mosaic crochet you will only use 2 stitches:
- Back loop single crochet
- Long double crochet / double crochet worked in front loop 2 rows/rounds below
Every rule can be broken to create unique crochet projects and if you want to advance, you may want to dive into special stitches in overlay mosaic crochet.
5. All single crochet stitches are worked in the back loop
The back loop single crochet stitches are worked at all times unless otherwise specified.
On the next row, these can be covered by the other color to create the patterning.
6. All double crochet stitches are worked in the front loop 2 rows/rounds below
The double crochet stitches are often called Long Double Crochet because they are worked into the front loop 2 rows/rounds below.
Patterns Using The Overlay Mosaic Crochet Technique
After learning the 6 simple rules of overlay mosaic crochet in this free crochet tutorial it’s time to put that knowledge to use with some mosaic crochet patterns.
Your Weekday Cowl is a great place to start.
The Mosaic Crochet Stitch Tutorial that shows you how to crochet a beautiful stitch also may be interesting.
As well as the Mosaic Crochet Pillow Pattern, Mosaic Crochet Cardigan & Mosaic Crochet Hot Pad.
Hope you enjoyed this free crochet tutorial teaching you the basics of overlay mosaic crochet!
If you love crochet colorwork, this tutorial on Tapestry Crochet might interest you as well.
