Colorwork: Free Crochet Yarn Game You Can Play Online

Colorwork is a free crochet game where you bust your stash one throw at a time. A whole stash of yarn hangs at the top of the board, and you throw balls of yarn up into it. Land one against two or more of the same shade and the whole group comes down. Cut a bundle loose and everything hanging from it falls too. You can play it free right here on the blog, with no download and no sign-up.

Colorwork, a free crochet game, shown on a phone with a stash of yarn balls

I made my crochet games for those times you need a break from yarn but don’t really want a break from yarn. Maybe you’re sitting in a doctor’s office and your project’s at home, or your hands just need a rest. Colorwork is the closest you’ll get to busting your stash without buying more yarn.

Before You Play: Show Some Love

Save for Later • Pick Up Where You Left Off

Games here are free, always. If you want to say thanks, hit the button below to add us as a trusted Google source. Takes two seconds, and it genuinely helps us keep making these.

Add us as a trusted Google source

Play Colorwork free right here

Colorwork is free to play right here on the blog, with no account and no sign-up. Scroll down a little and it’s ready to go.

How to play Colorwork

Step 1: Check what you’re holding

The ball of yarn at the bottom of the board is the one you’re about to throw. Up next shows the ball after that, so you can plan a move ahead. The number next to your ball counts down the throws until the stash creeps down another row.

Colorwork at the start with a stash of teal, blue, gold, and red yarn hanging at the top, Honeycomb up next

Step 2: Aim and throw

On a computer, point where you want the ball to go and click. The dotted line shows you exactly where it’ll land. On a phone, drag anywhere on the board to aim and lift your finger to throw. Prefer arrow keys? Left and right aim, and up or the space bar throws.

Aiming a gold ball of yarn at a group of gold yarn with the dotted aim line showing

Step 3: Match three of a shade

Land your ball against two or more of the same shade and the whole group comes off the hook. Every ball you clear adds to Yards busted.

A gold group cleared from the bottom of the stash, with Yards busted at 70

Step 4: Go for the big drops

Here’s the fun part. Anything left hanging by nothing falls with the group you clear. So the biggest scores come from cutting a whole bundle loose, not from matching three at a time. Look for the spots where one small match holds up a big chunk of the stash.

Watch out for knots

Knots are the tangled grey balls. No shade matches a knot, so you can’t clear one by throwing at it. The only way to get rid of a knot is to drop whatever it’s hanging from.

Save a ball in your project bag

Not the shade you need right now? Send it to your project bag. You get the next ball instead, and you can reach back in whenever that shade is the one you want. On a keyboard, C sends a ball to the bag.

Rather tap than drag? Turn on Show buttons under the game for Left, Throw, Right, and Project bag buttons.

A Honeycomb ball saved in the project bag, with the Left, Throw, Right, and Project bag buttons turned on

Relaxed or Classic

Every few throws, the stash creeps down a row. Tap the gear to open Settings and pick how that plays out.

Relaxed never ends. When the stash reaches the bottom, it frogs back and you keep going.
Classic ends when the stash reaches the bottom, like the real thing.

Settings also shows the shades you’ll be working with: Mulberry, Deep Pond, Denim, Honeycomb, Fern, Rosewood, Oatmeal, and the dreaded Knot.

Colorwork settings with Relaxed mode picked and the list of yarn shades

The other buttons at the top pause the game, start over, and fill the window so the board’s bigger. On a keyboard, P pauses.

Need a refresher?

Tap How to play under the game any time to see the rules.

Tips for busting more yarn

Aim for the matches that hold up big chunks of the stash. That’s where the yards add up fast.
Use the dotted aim line to bounce shots exactly where you want them.
Save shades you’ll need later in your project bag.
Clear around knots so they fall with everything else.
Keep an eye on the countdown next to your ball so the stash doesn’t sneak up on you.

Play Colorwork in the Briana K Stitch app

Colorwork is also free in the Briana K Stitch app, along with a whole shelf of other crochet games. You’ll find it at the top of Match & Sort in the Games tab.

Colorwork featured in the Match and Sort games in the Briana K Stitch app

Play more free crochet games in the Briana K Stitch app →

Colorwork, a free crochet yarn game in the Briana K app

Free to play

Stuck on a row? Play a round.

My crochet games live inside the Briana K app, including Yarn Shuffle, Tangled, Word Stash, Shop Hop, and Colorwork. All free, all ad-free, and no app store needed.

Free games. No download.

Open the app and play

Free account. Takes about ten seconds.