Mosaic Overlay Tutorial – Heart Coaster

In our Tapestry Crochet article, we explored some of the different stitches you can use to make pictures with yarn and a hook. Overlay Mosaic produced the best heart by a mile.

Now, let me preface this by saying that Overlay Mosaic isn’t a stitch – it’s a technique. Standard OM patterns use only two basic stitches: single crochet and double crochet (and chains, if you count them as a stitch).

In this tutorial, we’ll teach you the basics by using our Mosaic Heart Coaster pattern (available for free on Ravelry, so head on over and download your copy now if you want a handy, printable version).

Overlay Mosaic is a surprisingly simple technique for creating crisp images in crochet.

Basically, double crochet stitches are laid over single crochets to cover or reveal the image. Typically, you won’t be changing colours in the middle of a row for Overlay Mosaic (I say typically because some patterns do). Instead, each row is a different colour, and you’ll fasten off and reattach the yarn at the end of the row.  

As with other tapestry techniques, OM patterns are often just a chart (some will include a written pattern as well or a Stitch Fiddle link). We’ll explain how to read the chart in the next section.

For the Heart Mosaic Coaster, we are going to be using single crochets (in both loops of the stitch and the back loop only) and double crochets (in the leftover front loop 2 rows down).

Abbreviations:

• sc BLO – single crochet back loop only
• dc FLO – double crochet in leftover front loop 2 rows down
• bs – border stitch (sc in both loops)
• fasten off – chain 1, cut the yarn and pull through
• ns – negative stitch (optional – we have a short tutorial on Instagram)
• ch – chain

Tip: Did you know that there are different crochet terms for US and UK stitches? We have seen this confuse many new crafters! The basic rule to tell one from the other is this: if there is a Single Crochet (sc), then the pattern is written in US terminology. A Single Crochet in UK terms is a Double Crochet. All our patterns (including this one) are written in US terms.

 To read an Overlay Mosaic chart, you need to be familiar with what each little symbol means. Keep in mind that different creators may modify the symbols to suit their designs, so always check the pattern abbreviations. Click here for the Stitch Fiddle chart.

/ Single crochet in BOTH loops 

X  Double crochet in the leftover front loop 2 rows down

Empty Square Single crochet in the back loop only

BS Border Stitch (single crochet in both loops)

.  Negative Stitch (optional): substitutes for a single crochet in the back loop only on double crochet stitches in the previous row (insert the hook into the back loop of the double crochet and into the back loop of the stitch 2 rows below on the back, yarn over, pull through 1 loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through 2 loops)

The coloured squares to the right and left are Border Stitches (sometimes BS in patterns and charts). They indicate the colour of the yarn you’ll be using for each row. 

Read the chart right to left if you’re right-handed and left to right if you’re left-handed (the Heart Mosaic chart is symmetrical, so it won’t matter in this instance). 

If you intend to use the Heart Mosaic as a coaster, I highly recommend using 100% cotton yarn, but I’m not your crochet mother! Do what you want. 

Keep in mind that you’ll need to match the hook size to the yarn and your tension. You want the stitches to be tight enough so that the double crochets over the stitches behind them without big gaps.

Our finished coaster (unblocked) is approx. 13cm x 11cm

Each row will have 30 stitches (including the border stitches). Leave a long tail on each side for the fringe. 

With Main Colour (White),

Foundation single crochet 30

OR 

Chain 31, starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, single crochet in the back bump of the next 30 chains

Ensure that your starting chain is not too tight or it will distort the shape of the coaster (keep your tension loose or go up a hook size for the chain)

At the end of each row, chain 1 and cut yarn, leaving a tail

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

Attach yarn to the first single crochet (Border Stitch),

Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch,

single crochet in the Back Loop Only of the next 28 stitches,

single crochet in the final stitch

With Main Colour (White),

Attach yarn to the first single crochet (Border Stitch),

Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch,

double crochet into the left-over Front Loop of the stitches directly below and 2 rows down (i.e. into the Front Loops of the stitches of the same colour),

single crochet in the final stitch

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

Attach yarn to the first single crochet (Border Stitch),

Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch,

single crochet in the Back Loop Only of the next 28 stitches OR use the Negative Stitch to make the back flat (as per the picture),

single crochet in the last stitch

With Main Colour (White),

Attach yarn to the first single crochet (Border Stitch),

Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch,

double crochet into the left-over Front Loop of the stitches directly below and 2 rows down,

single crochet in the final stitch

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

Attach yarn to the first single crochet (Border Stitch),

Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch,

single crochet in the Back Loop Only of the next 28 stitches (or use Negative Stitch),

single crochet in the final stitch

Continue starting and ending each row in the same way as the previous rows.

The Heart pattern starts in Row 7. Refer to the abbreviations above for the rest of the pattern. 

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 13, sc BLO 2, dc FLO 13, BS

Row 7 left a little red indent for the bottom of the Heart. We will now start to overlay double crochets to fill in the pattern. 

If you’re using the Negative Stitch, don’t forget to substitute for the sc BLO stitches when there is a dc in the previous row. 

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 13, dc FLO 2, sc BLO 13, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 11, sc BLO 6, dc FLO 11, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 11, dc FLO 6, sc BLO 11, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 9, sc BLO 10, dc FLO 9, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 9, dc FLO 10, sc BLO 9, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 7, sc BLO 14, dc FLO 7, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 7, dc FLO 14, sc BLO 7, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 5, sc BLO 18, dc FLO 5, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 5, dc FLO 18, sc BLO 5, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 5, sc BLO 18, dc FLO 5, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 5, dc FLO 18, sc BLO 5, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 5, sc BLO 18, dc FLO 5, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 5, dc FLO 8, sc BLO 2, dc FLO 8, sc BLO 5, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 5, sc BLO 8, dc FLO 2, sc BLO 8, dc FLO 5, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 7, dc FLO 4, sc BLO 6, dc FLO 4, sc BLO 7, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 7, sc BLO 4, dc FLO 6, sc BLO 4, dc FLO 7, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 28, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 28, BS

With Contrasting Colour (Red),

BS, sc BLO 28, BS

With Main Colour (White),

BS, dc FLO 28, BS

With Main Colour (White),

Single crochet in both loops of each stitch across (we have used the Negative Stitch and worked through both loops at the top of the stitch, catching the back loops of the stitches at the back of the piece)

Trim the fringes to approx. 4cm long and use your new coaster!

The Heart Mosaic chart can also be used in other projects – get creative.

You can also add a single crochet border around the outside, working 1 stitch per row on the sides and 2 in each corner.

If you want to try crochet tapestry, we have a tutorial on different stitches, which includes a little heart graph. 

Once you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try a bigger project like our Magic Mosaic Cube!