Split single crochet stitch tutorial (great for fair isle crochet projects)
In this post you will learn to crochet the ‘split single crochet’ stitch.
This simple method is an easy way to create modern, knit-look fair isle type colourwork in your crochet projects.
Below you will find a written and step-by-step photo tutorial (using right handed images) for the split single crochet. This is followed by separate right and left handed video tutorials.
Note that this technique is different from the waistcoat stitch, which is also sometimes called the crochet knit stitch or the split single crochet. In this tutorial you work into the tops of the crochet stitches as normal!
Split single crochet (ssc) – photo tutorial
I have started this tutorial with a few rows of single crochet worked in the teal yarn.
In the picture below, you can see that I have hooked a strand of contrasting cream yarn behind the single crochet before the first split single crochet. This is so I can anchor the yarn to the back of the work.
The image below is shows the wrong side (WS) of the swatch.
To begin your split single crochet, with Right Side facing, insert your hook under to top two loops of the next stitch (as you would with a traditional single crochet stitch.0
You will then drop the main colour (MC) yarn – teal in this example – and yarn over with your contrast colour (CC) yarn – cream in this example.
For the next part of the stitch, you will pull a up a loop in your contrasting yarn.
Now you will switch back to your main colour yarn (teal).
Drop the contrast, cream, yarn behind the work as you yarn over with the main colour.
Pull the main colour loop through the two loops on the hook (one cream and one teal) to complete the split single crochet.
This last part is done in the same way you would complete a normal single crochet. You’ve essentially just switched colours for the middle part of a basic single crochet stitch.
I’ve then worked a single crochet in main colour in the next stitch, carrying the contrast yarn behind the work. This helps to hold the contrast yarn in place either side of the split single crochet.
It really is as simple as that!
Below I have repeated the process across the row with 3 standard single crochets in between each contrasting split single crochet.
You can see the little ‘v’s that the one ‘yarn over, pull through’ in a contrast yarn creates. Clever huh!!
How to carry your yarn in split sc colorwork
Yarn management is always a bit tricky with any colour work, so in the swatch you see, I have carried the yarn at the back of the sc stitch either side of the split sc and then floated freely it behind the work for the other stitches.
So for example, if you had 5 single crochet between each split sc, you would catch the cream yarn in the sc after the split stitch, then float it behind the next 3 basic single crochets, and catch it again in the stitch before the split sc.
This is what the back of the swatch I made looks like:
You can see the lower row looks like 2 dots and a dash, where I’ve caught then floated the cc. The cream dashes on the to line are where the split sc has been created.
There are of course other ways to handle your contrast yarn. This was the one I found easiest which allowed me to switch colours seamlessly.
The video tutorials demonstrate and discuss this in more detail.
Within projects worked flat, I generally fasten off the contrast yarn at the end of each row, though you could carry the same strand back across to the start. This will depend on the specific project you’re working.
Split single crochet video tutorial
Right handed split single crochet video tutorial
Left handed split single crochet video tutorial
Tips for split single crochet colourwork
This technique is a great way to create a crochet version of the Fair Isle colorwork technique used so often in knitting.
Before I sign off, I just wanted to share a couple of notes that will help you make a success of this great crochet colourwork technique.
First off, remember that the split stitches should always be worked on the right side – the side that’s facing you as you work (you can learn more about right and wrong sides of crochet in this fundamentals post).
In this example, I’ve crochet a row of single crochet in the main colour after the colourowork row. This kind of resets the colour so you can work a new colour work row on the next row.
In more complex project, you might introduce a 3rd colour and may work different crochet stitches between colourwork rows.
Generally speaking, the wrong side of the fabric in this technique should be hidden from view; in a sweater, table runner or cushion cover for example.
This means that the split single crochet isn’t too useful for crochet projects where you want both sides of the fabric on display.
I think that’s everything you need to be giving this a go!
I have loved experimenting with this technique and find it by far the most enjoyable kind of colourwork to crochet (only my personal opinion of course!). Expect a pattern using this technique coming very soon…
Happy Hooking
Dx
