carry yarn?

[snpndragon]

Hello fellow crocheters! I have been crocheting for about 7 years and have yet to tackle a pattern where you have to "carry yarn and work over color". To be honest, it totally intimidates me. Well, I am making an afghan for a co-worker's daughter for graduation. I think I understand what this means but please correct me if I am wrong..."Block is worked using 2 strands of yarn, forming stitches with first color and working over one strand of second color, carrying yarn with normal tension across top of previous row".....does this really mean I am not to cut the second color and keep crocheting over the "tail"? The first color is white and the second color is verigated, won't you see the verigated thru the white? I am so confused.....please help!

[magiccrochetfan]

In my experience, the answer to both your questions would be yes. How much you can see the carried yarn depends on how close the stitches are over it and on the contrast between the yarns. It should blend in okay in the overall piece.

[darski]

I have found that I can just tuck the yarn just slightly to the back lip/side when I do this and it is less visible.

[mudpie]

I'm crocheting the "Guatemalan Tapestry" right now and the whole thing is done with each of the yarns being carried at different times. You can see the carried yarn just a tiny bit, but I think it adds to the design. And it does add bulk.

[lynned1952]

"carrying the yarn"...doesn't that waste a lot of yarn?

[darski]

"carrying the yarn"...doesn't that waste a lot of yarn?

 

if you consider that you should leave a 6" tail for adding in and taking out a colour, that means you are "NOT" using a foot of yarn for every colour change... so carrying yarn across even 4 inches is not a waste.

 

It is also a technique and serves other purposes than just saving the yarn.

[snpndragon]

Thank you so much.....I did a practice run and I think it will turn out beautiful.

[LovelyLovely]

[Granny Square]

I hadn't thought of it that way, Darski, but even if it wasted a little yarn it's worth it not to cut & weave in those ends!!