Mosaic crochet is currently a very popular technique widely used in home decoration. This technique is often used for blankets, cushions, and wall hangings. But how does mosaic crochet actually work? In this blog, I’ll explain the basics of how to crochet in mosaic style and how to read these patterns.

The Mosaic Technique

There’s a lot of information available about the mosaic technique. If you’re proficient in English, you’ll find plenty of resources. However, if English isn’t your strong suit, you might get stuck on the technical terms when reading patterns. The truth is, the mosaic technique is quite simple; it mainly involves single crochets and double crochets, always working from right to left. Sounds easy, right?

Two Types of Techniques

When it comes to mosaic crochet, there are two techniques to choose from. The most well-known at the moment is the Overlay Technique. The other method is the traditional mosaic technique, where you turn your work. This differs from the overlay method, which always works from right to left, cutting the yarn at the end of each row.

Overlay Technique

The name “overlay mosaic” gives a hint about how it works—it creates a layer over the crochet. With overlay mosaic crochet, you make rows of single crochets that are interrupted by double crochets worked into the row below. You change colors with each row, working only from right to left in a single color. You also work only in the back loops, leaving the front loops open. Later, you fill these open loops with double crochets from two rows above, creating an “overlay” effect.

Advantages of the overlay technique:

• You can work quickly, row by row, focusing on the front of your project.
• You only use the back and front loops, making it easier to fix mistakes by undoing part of a row.

Disadvantages:

• Since you cut the yarn at the end of each row, there are loose ends on both sides of your project. However, these are easily hidden by using double borders. You create an envelope border, tucking the loose ends inside before closing the border. This way, you don’t need to weave in the ends—they’re simply hidden within the closed edge. Problem solved!

Traditional Mosaic Technique

The traditional mosaic technique is different from the overlay method. Here, you turn your work after each row and switch colors in the last stitch of the row. You crochet into both loops of your stitches and use a relief technique for the double crochets, placing them into the row below. This also creates an “overlay” effect.

Advantages of the traditional technique:

• You don’t need to cut or weave in any yarn ends. You switch colors at the edges, leaving the current color behind and picking up the new one as you go.

Disadvantages:

• The project can become bumpy due to the relief stitches.

Reading Mosaic Patterns

Reading mosaic patterns is quite simple once you understand them. At first glance, a mosaic chart can seem confusing. If you’re using the overlay technique, the chart works from right to left. Each row alternates between color A and color B. If you’re using more colors, color B is often swapped for a different shade, while color A remains the base color.

A mosaic chart is made up of squares:

• An empty square represents a single crochet (SC).
• A double crochet (DC) is marked with a symbol, often an “X” or a dot. This indicates where to place a double crochet down into the front loop of the stitch two rows below. The color typically matches, making it easier to locate the correct stitch.

What Else Can You Do with Mosaic Crochet?

There’s so much you can create with the mosaic crochet technique! You can even switch colors mid-project.