Weaving In Your Ends
I have some good news. And, I have some bad news. Good news first: there is no one right way to weave in your ends. So, chances are, you haven’t been weaving in your ends wrong! Now, the bad news: there are so many different ways to weave in your ends, you might not be doing it the best way either.
Having options, it’s a blessing and a curse. While options allow us a certain freedom, they also give us cause for doubt and uncertainty! Sure, as knitters we do live by a few hard and fast rules (such as: no knots!), but for the most part, there is always another way to do it, no matter what it happens to be. This truth became abundantly clear during my days working at the Purl Soho shop.
Some of our most seasoned customers would come in to find a knitting newbie at the communal table, finishing up a project in some newfangled kind of way. The old pro would sheepishly ask about it in an apologetic tone, pre-emptively saying “I know, I know I should know this.” It turns out the most basic questions are the most common. And, so as simple as this tutorial may sound, it’s not just for beginners! It’s for everyone who has a creeping feeling of doubt whenever she or he tucks away those last stray tails, “Is this really how you do it?”.
The perhaps unsettling truth is that there is probably another way to do whatever it is you are doing. It might not be a better way, just different. We all have our favorites. To help you pick yours, I’ve gathered together some of my favorite techniques for hiding ends. Some I picked up from the humbling-ly talented Joelle Hoverson, some from the witty Whitney of Whit’s Knits, a lot from customers and of course a few from dear Mom. The techniques below are by no means a conclusive list. We’d all love to hear if you have another favorite method!
Stockinette
Weaving in Ends with Duplicate Stitch (on the ‘Right Side’)
Weaving your ends using the duplicate stitch method means you will sew along your fabric, following the path of the stitched yarn.
With your tapestry needle threaded, bring your needle from the back or ‘wrong side’ of the fabric to the front or ‘right side’ of your fabric at the base of the nearest ‘V’ created by the knit stitches. Orienting the needle parallel to your rows of knitting, bring your needle behind the ‘V’ of the row above.
Next, insert the needle back into the bottom of the ‘V’, the same place where you began. You have now duplicated one stitch.
To make your next stitch, bring your needle to the front again, at the base of the adjacent ‘V’. Run your needle behind the ‘V’ of the row above. Pull your end though. Then bring the needle back through the hole at the base of the ‘V’ below, where you began your second duplicate stitch.
Continue in this fashion for a few more stitches or until your feel your end is secure.
Weaving in Ends on the Vertical
Hold your fabric with the ‘right side’ facing you. Bring your threaded needle from the ‘wrong side’ to the ‘right side’. Point the needle vertically away from you. Weave the needle under every other horizontal strand that stretches between the ‘V’s created by the knit stitches. To see these horizontal strands more clearly, hold your fabric on the right and left sides and gently tug, stretching the fabric slightly.
Hold the needle perpendicular to the stitches you just made. Run your needle under the adjacent ‘V’.
Point the needle vertically toward you. Run it under every other horizontal strand found between the ‘V’s made by the knit stiches.
Weaving your end into the fabric in two directions should secure your tail. If you want to be extra sure your end is tucked, rotate your needle and weave it vertically away from you once more.
Weaving in Ends with Duplicate Stitch (on the ‘Wrong Side’)
Orient your fabric with the ‘wrong side’ facing you. With your needle threaded, bring it from the ‘right side’ to the ‘wrong side’ of your work, the side you are looking at. Point the needle away from you. Go up through the nearest purl bump.
Closely following the path of the yarn in the stitched fabric, rotate your needle and bring it towards you. First go under the purl bump adjacent to the original purl you went under. Then take your needle under the purl bump in the row below, slightly to the right.
Once again, rotate your needle. Point it away from you, and slightly to the left. Draw the needle under the purl bump adjacent to the one you recently went under, and then under the purl bump from the row above that you previously came down through.
Continue in this fashion, following the path of the knit yarn, for a few more stitches or until your feel your end is secure.
Weaving in Ends on the Diagonal
Hold your fabric with the ‘wrong side’ facing you. With your needle threaded, bring it from the ‘right side’ of the fabric through to the ‘wrong side’, the side you are looking at. Point your needle at roughly a 45 degree angle. Weave it at a diagonal, under the purl bumps of each of the above rows.
After taking 4 to 6 stitches, rotate your needle 180 degrees. Take another 4 to 6 stitches, parallel to your original stitches. For extra security, you can rotate your needle once again and take a few more stitches.
Garter
Weaving in Ends with Duplicate Stitch
Duplicate stitch for garter is a combination of duplicate stitch for stockinette and reverse stockinette. By that I mean, you will follow the path of the knit yarn, grabbing a purl stitch at the top of the row and then a ‘V’ of the row below.
With your needle threaded, point the needle away from you. Run the needle under the closest purl bump.
Rotate the needle. Pointing the needle towards you, pull your loose end under the adjacent purl bump. Next, orient your needle parallel to the rows of ridges created by the garter stitch. Slide the needle under the base of the ‘V’ in the row below.
Following the path of the knit yarn, point the needle away from you. Run the needle under the purl bump you last came through.
Once again, point your needle towards you and bring it under the adjacent purl bump.
Continue in the fashion until you have duplicated 4 to 6 stitches total.
Garter can be tricky for weaving in ends, but I find this method nearly invisible and quite secure.
Weaving in Ends on the Horizontal
With your needle threaded and your loose end brought through the fabric to the side you are looking at. Garter stitch creates ridges of purl bumps. The ridges are created by pairs of slightly staggered purl bumps, one slightly above the other, one making a smiley face, one making a frowney face.
While pointing the needle away from you, run the needle under the nearest higher, frowney face purl bump.
Rotate your needle. Run the needle under the adjacent purl bump, it is slightly lower and making more of a smiley face.
Once again, rotate the needle. Run it under the adjacent purl bump. Continue in this fashion for several more stitches.
With this method, you are only weaving your tail in one general direction. Because of this, I tend to take a few extra stitches to make sure the end is secure.
Weaving in Ends on the Diagonal
This method is very similar to weaving in ends on the diagonal on a stockinette stitch fabric.
With your needle threaded, point your needle at roughly a 45 degree angle. Weave it at a diagonal, under the purl bumps of each of the above rows.
After taking 4 to 6 stitches, rotate your needle 180 degrees. Take another 4 to 6 stitches, parallel to your original stitches. For extra security, you can rotate your needle once again and take a few more stitches.
Rib
Weaving in Your Ends on the Vertical
Whitney tipped me off to this method and its usefulness especially with ribbed knits.
This method is similar to that of weaving in ends vertically on a stockinette stitch fabric.
Point the needle vertically away from you. Weave the needle under every other horizontal strand that stretches between the ‘V’s created by the knit stiches. To see these horizontal strands more clearly, hold your fabric on the right and left sides and gently tug, stretching the fabric slightly.
After taking 4 to 6 stitches, run the needle horizontally on the ‘wrong side’ of the fabric over to the adjacent rib column. Next, point the needle towards you. Take another 4 to 6 stitches, parallel to your original stitches.
For extra security, you can stitch away from you once more.
Above, our Knitter’s Brass Tool Kit includes a collection of carefully crafted instruments so gorgeous that every stitch you finish will be a pleasure!
What is your Favorite Technique?
As I said before, this is by no means a conclusive list of all the methods for weaving in ends. These are simply some of our favorites. What are yours?
–Laura
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!
Perfect Timing!!! I was just finishing up a pair of socks and tonight am sewing the tails in. You are right…. I did think I was doing it wrong, but I see the diagonal method I usually use is one of your choices. I think I might try something new this time. Thanks a bunch for the new options.
😀
This is more than 1000 times helpful. I never even dreamed that there were so many options for weaving in ends and I always wondered if I had it right — Thank you so much for this simple and most important tool!
This is one of those cases where a picture is worth a thousand words, and these pictures are so nice and clear. Thanks a million!
Thanks for sharing these. I have a favorite way to weave in my “beginnings.” When I'm done with a long tail cast-on, I simply carry what is left of the tail along with my working yarn. After 4 or 5 stitches, I let it go and keep knitting. When I'm done, I simply snip any remaining tail and the weaving is already done. Of course the pesky ends are still there, but this helps with half of the usual after-work anyhow.
I use a combo platter. I duplicate stitch in pattern for a few stitches, then vertical or diagonally weave a few rows or down, flip the piece toe to tail then duplicate stitch in pattern going the other way. May be over kill… I think I just like duplicate stitching a lot. 🙂
Thanks for showing me a couple of techniques I haven't seen before!
My favourite tip for weaving in ends – or, rather, avvoid weaving them in at all – is to simply knit with the last few inches of the old yarn and the first few inches of the new yarn together for a few stitches. It's only really usable when switching skeins, but saves me from weaving in two ends, which is great. 🙂 It has the same effect as weaving in by doing duplicate stitches as explained in the article, in any stitch pattern.
I am thrilled to see the tutorial. I have knitted FOREVER and have not see most of these. I love the duplicate stitches. It looks like they would really hold their position and make the tail the most secure. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi
This is a great tutorial. What about covering the same content for crochet? I am making a ripple blanket with 6 colours and half-way through have only just started weaving in the tails when changing colours. I have to go back and do the remainder at the end. I'm still not sure if I'm weaving in correctly.
thanks
Thanks for doing this post. I always wonder how to weave in the ends as no one ever taught me and I have never found it in any books. (I never even thought of looking on the internet). I usually do some version of one of these, but I think these are a bit more in depth than I do. I
I'd love to see this for crochet, too. I'm always trying to decide the best way to weave in the ends, and you've done such a beautiful job!
I LOVE this tutorial. The best and most clear one i have seen by far. I'm bookmarking for the future.
xxx
This is so helpful! Your photographs are great, very easy to follow. Thank you!
In stockinette and garter stitch, I'll almost always weave in ends on the diagonal because I've never been great at duplicate stitch. My biggest challenge when it comes to weaving in ends is with lace knitting. My solution? One-skein lace projects! (I know, not the best solution. Sigh.)
I make a lot of inatarsia hats, so for me it's often a combination of all of these (some I worked out on my own, but good to see they are “real” methods) depending on what the pattern and colours are doing. This is really useful. Any chance we could have one for crocheting ….I weave in my ends I go. Easy when you start a row/round, but I'm not quite sure I have the best method at the end….
Grest suggestions. But my problems seem to be with “slippery” yarn or with large needles and lacy patterns. How does one finish ends there? Thank you.
Whew! Thank you. When I am weaving in ends, I question myself.. hoping that if it doesn't show, it's smooth and holds, then it must be right?.. and I use several of your examples! A confidence builder! Thanks.
Oh my goodness, thank you. I have not been leaving my ends long enough! I will be referring to this post for years to come.
I second Georgia's question. My problem is more with lacy or stretchy pieces, when the weaved in pieces seem to come out over time. Any suggestions for those?
This is great!! Thanks for showing this, I've been knitting for 1.5 yrs and any help is appreciated.
Great post! For slippery yarns I like to leave a really long tail, split the yarn into 2 strands, and then weave them in opposite directions to improve the odds of anchoring it in.
Splitting the yarn into thinner strands also reduces bulk.
Thank you so much for posting these different techniques in one tutorial! It gets a bit confusing trying to remember where all the different ways of finishing are posted/listed. Super helpful!
I prefer to use the needle to **pierce through the strands of yarn** and weave in any pattern desired. I think piercing through the strands of yarn provides more “grip” than going through the holes in the knitting. Hope this helps!!!
Oh wow, what a helpful post. I've used most of these in my knitting depending on how energetic I feel, though I've never seen or used the diagonal weaving-in!
If I'm changing colors in the middle of my knitting, I'll frequently weave in my ends as I go, weaving the end in and out of the new active color in the same way I'd use for long floats in Fair Isle knitting. (Did that make sense?)
I'll be referring to this post frequently! Thanks!
I usually just use the diagonal method on the wrong side but it's nice to be reminded about more “finicky” options, like the duplicate stitch, for yarns where the faster way will show. My indispensable tool for weaving in ends is actually a sewing notion – a loop turner. It makes finishing so much easier – no yarn threading and I can leave shorter tails too.
I would definitely be interested in a tutorial for weaving in ends for crochet. I try to follow the stitch but some patterns have large spaces between stitches making it hard to hide the ends.
If my yarn is wool I will meticulously felt the end with a needle (on wrong side) with the yarn near on horizontal row. or, I will use GS hypo fabric cement, it has a needle like applicator and it dries clear and its washable.
Oh man! THANK YOU for this! Contrast yarn and closeups – I totally get it now!
oh my gawd thank you so much for this tutorial!! i have been knitting/crocheting for years and have never, ever felt like i had fully understood the best ways to weave in ends. i've never seen any publication that clearly explained it either. thank you thank you!!!
I weave in my ends as I go with both knit and crochet so that when my project is done, it is done.
peggy
Here I sit with a hat of many color stripes with ends ready to be woven in. How timely that I should see this tutorial! It was GREAT and I plan on sharing it with my knitter friends. All level knitters would benefit from this….I was intrigued about GS hypo fabric cement…I think I would like to try that. Not only was the tutorial helpful but the comments from other readers were interesting as well.
Hi Georgia and Ashley-
Very thing and very thick yarn make weaving in ends a bit harder. With lacy pieces, I tend to do somewhat of a duplicate stitch to weave in my ends. I take the end and follow a strand on the knitted yarn through the piece, changing directions occasionally. I weave it in much more than I would a worsted weight yarn, to ensure its stability. With bulky pieces, it totally depends on the stitch pattern, but I tend to weave in on the diagonal. It seems to be a bit less noticeable than having a handful vertical or horizontal stitches in a row that are extra thick looking.
Thanks for your question!
Hi bjb-
Slippery yarn is tricky. Wonderful to knit with, but a bit more difficult to finish. I tend to weave these types of ends in, following more stitches and using a longer tail, than a medium weight yarn. I use somewhat of a duplicate stitch technique. I take the end and follow a strand on the knitted yarn through the piece, changing directions occasionally, usually more than twice. I weave it in much more than I would a worsted weight yarn, to ensure its stability.
Thanks for your question!
Thanks so much for posting this!
I've been knitting for a while, but never knew all the possibilities of finishing a piece by weaving in the ends. I always feel like my ends look like a mess (but I'm a huge perfectionist about my work), & so I tried to take my sweet time on the projects to prolong the inevitable of weaving in those ends.
This will definitely help with my Christmas knitting this year!
Whenever I knit with wool or wool blends, I like to felt my ends together so that I don't have to weave anything in at all. It's a little gross, but well worth it. I take each end of yarn and suck on them a bit to get them wet. I lay them together as if to make one long strand, and roll them in my palms vigorously so that they felt together. The join is barely noticeable, and even less noticeable if each end is torn instead of cut. The less abrupt start and end of the yarn makes for a smoother join. I hope this helps!
Thanks also for the tutorial! It is so helpful to have such clear photos. Thank you!
I'm a pretty new knitter. I was wondering if someone could give me any tips on weaving in your ends on a lacy pattern where you have done a lot of yarn overs to make holes… Here's the stitch I was doing. I had a little trouble hiding my ends though.PATTERN STITCHEyelet Pattern (multiple of 4 + 3 sts)Row 1 (RS): Knit.Row 2 and all WS Rows: Knit.Row 3: K2, *k2tog, yo, k2; rep from * across to last st, k1.Row 5: K4, *k2tog, yo, k2; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3.Row 7: Rep Row 3.Row 8: Knit.Rep Rows 1-8 for Eyelet Pattern
so helpful, thank you!
I'm wondering if weaving in ends should always be done before blocking or washing the work? That's what I've done in the past but I'm just finishing a project using Rowan Denim cotton yarn, which I know is supposed to be “blocked” by machine washing and will shrink somewhat. Should I wait until after I've washed it to weave in the ends?
I started knitting this week, and made the mistake of just tying a double knot. I hope my scarf holds out, and I'll totes try these methods for my next projects.
Hi.
I am knitting with a very slippery linen and am making a lace project. How shall I weave in the ends here??
Hi Heather-
Please see the response to bjb (7 comments above this one) on the subject of slippery yarn. Thanks for your question!
On ribbing, I like to weave my ends in up and down the ribs on the wrong side, by sort of doing overhand stitches that follow the “direction” of the stitch curl on the ribbing. I'll frequently duplicate-stitch along to about a rib or two away, then just go up and down the lines of ribs until I run out of tail (I'm paranoid about loose ends: I weave in six to eight inches of tail, every time!)
Something about duplicate stitch you didn't mention: you can use it to “close the gap” on stripes knitted in the round, by doing the duplicate stitch as if you were following the round, one row down, and pulling a little. If you do this both directions (one row down and one row up) you end up with nice even stripes where you can barely see the join.
What a useful post! I'm a longtime knitter and I've used almost all of these in one form or another. But I still sometimes have the clipped end pop out on the right side of the work, like a little flag.
So the question I have is this: Once you have used one of these techniques, what do you do with the end of the yarn? How closely do you clip it to the fabric? How do you ensure it doesn't pop out?
Thanks much!
Hi dclulu,
Unfortunately, the occasional end will always present itself. It is simply part of hand knitting. When cutting the yarn after weaving it in, I usually pull the tail gently which causes the knit fabric to bunch some. I cut the tail then smooth out the bunched fabric. The tail should retreat nicely into your knit piece. But as I said before, especially with wash and wear, tails will pop out now and then.
Thanks for your question!
Great! Thank you for share!
OMG best tutorial ever. Thank you!!!!
Hello!
I am very new to crocheting and mistakenly l cut me ends very short! Like only left 1inch short! Is this something I can still do? Is there any tips any one has for very short ends?
Thanks in advance
Jai
How helpful this is! The comments are helpful, too; never thought of splitting a slippery yarn and weaving in in two directions.
This is the most complete tutorial on weaving in the ends ever! I knew a few of these things but there was much that was new to me! Thank you, thank you.
Thanks for this post! I also like to use the duplicate stitch to weave in the ends. I like it because it works for pretty much any stitch pattern.
wonderful information. I still am wary of the cut end creeping to the front of the item.
Thank you for this blog post – I am still struggling with weaving in my ends, despite the fact I have 3 FOs. I shall try some of your suggestions and with any luck they'll work.
Wonderful article. Thank you so much!
This post is so helpful! I sometimes use a sewing needle and thread of the same colour to stabilize that pesky end after weaving. For crochet ; wrap the tail on the top of the stitch before I crochet, with a tighter tension I continue and the yarn stays hidden.
I just finished knitting your gorgeous Worsted Seed Stitch Scarf. Do you have any suggestions for weaving in the many ends in seed stitch? Thanks!
Hi Catherine,
I would use either a duplicate stitch method I think. Or perhaps running the yarn vertically up and then down.
Glad you liked the Seed Stitch Scarf!
Thanks for writing in.
Laura
Hi,
What is the best way to weave in the ends for seed stitch?
Hi Clorinda,
Unless I'm working in a super chunky or bulky yarn, I use a duplicate stitch method to weave in my ends, no matter what stitch pattern the fabric is made up of.
If the garment has a front and back, you can weave in your ends on the wrong side, on the diagonal on a seed stitch stitch fabric.
Does this help?
Let us know if you have any questions!
Laura
Thank you very much, this is really helpful and calms my paranoia that there must be some better methods out there than the ones I am using.
I am finishing a ripple blanket with lots of stripes and have been looking for the ideal way to deal with the ends. Every time I changed colours, I knitted ten stitches with the old and new colour together, with two threads, so in theory I could just cut the yarn there and then, because the stitches are already secure, but I kind of felt there might be something more invisible I could try…
But this post has reassured me that there is only so much we can do, and after doing what we can we just have to accept that the ends WILL pop out now and again, and it is part of having a handmade item with a history and with a process.
I found everyone's comments very interesting, too. It hadn't occurred to me to darn the ends in by stitching into the actual yarn, to secure it, and not just into the gaps or holes. And the fabric cement sounds intriguing. Thank you, for the fantastic clear photos and explanation, and everyone for their comments.
Very interesting tutorial.Thank you!
Very helpful! Thanks so much.
Thank you for these excellent tips on weaving in ends. Personally I prefer the vertical approach, but haven’t been doing it correctly. My method was to weave in the whole length of the sock, whereas I see you suggest several shorter rows. Will try this.
Sadly, I still can’t get the end of the wool to not stick out a little bit. Where did your ends disappear to?
Many thanks. Shellely
Hi Shelley-
Unfortunately the ends will always find their way out with time and you’ll have to re-weave them of snip off the ends. It’s just part of hand knitting!
Thanks so much for getting in touch!
Molly
Hi,
I wonder if you have any tips on how to weave in ends in a light colored sweater with darker color work, for example Kate Davies Asta Sollilja from her book Yokes.
Thank you for all the other great tips!
Stephanie
Hey Stephanie,
Thank you for the comment! It is ideal to weave in an end on top of the same color stitches by working back from the final stitch before that color’s yarn tail. If it is not possible to work in this manner you can turn the piece inside out you can weave the end just into the purl bumps on the back of the fabric which should not be visible on the fabric face. Also if the yarn tail is at a seem you can weave it into the seem and that should be completely invisible.
I hope this helps and feel free to write back with anymore questions you may have!
Happy Knitting!
Jake
I have a question not a comment. I have made a blanket with super chunky yarn that is so thick it will not fit in any kind if needle that I know of. Is there a way to get the tails weaved?
Hi Bobbie,
Thank you for the comment! You can also use a crochet hook to weave the ends in. You will just be careful which loops you go into with the hook so I recommend taking your time to make sure you secure the ends in.
I hope this helps and feel free to write back if you need anymore tips!
Good Luck!
Jake
Use a pair of skinny-tipped needle nosed pliers. I push the plier tips backwards thru where you want the thread to go, grab the thread and pull it thru. You can also use them instead of a needle when sewing a seam.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been knitting most of my live, and sure enough, I have woven in ends using many of these techniques, but am never sure I’m doing it right! Thanks for compiling all these techniques and providing such clear photos.
I’ve just finished the chevron baby blanket and I’d like to know which of these techniques would be the best for it, especially in the section of the blanket where each row is an alternate color. Thank you!
Thank you for the great tutorial! Once I get the ends woven in do I just snip the yarn as close to the work as possible? Or leave a tiny tail on the wrong side of the work? Or tie a knot?
Hello Liz!
We normally recommend that you simply snip the tails close to the work after you’re sure that you’ve woven them in securely! Tying knots can be bulky and unreliable and leaving a tail can snag! Thanks for your question and best of luck! -Alyson
I’ve just finished all the knitting for a Dr. Who scarf that my daughter asked for. It is done in a garter stitch with many color changes to accomodatre the 7 different colors used in the stripes. I worked off of an online picture rather than from a pattern. In the”tips” section of the site they show the scarf with the ends woven in to make both sides of the scarf look the same. It basically makes the change in stripe colors flow the same on both sides. No directions were given for how to achieve this and I haven’t been able to do it without creating a very lumpy row….far from the “invisible” color change they achieved in the picture. Any advice?
Hello Barbara!
Are you referring to the row that has both colors intertwined? I would recommend changing colors on the same side of the scarf so that these rows are all on the same side. In regards to weaving in all of your ends, There are quite a few methods to do this. Some knitters prefer to knit both colors together for a while, but that does create an extra bit of bumpiness.
I prefer to weave in all the ends at the end, even though it takes much longer! Take a look at our tutorial here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/07/14/weaving-in-your-ends/
Please feel free to write in again if this didn’t answer your questions! Thanks for writing in! -Alyson
Hello: Like many others here, I am an experienced knitter, but these techniques are new to me. I return to this tutorial every time I have a FO. One question: do you have a recommendation for baby blankets and other projects where both sides are visible? I’ve made the Super Easy Baby Blanket a couple of times and am now two skeins into the Colorblock Bias Blanket. I can’t see a single woven-in end in any of your photos. Would love to know how you do it! Thanks.
Hello Andrea!
You’re totally right, that weaving in ends for blankets or projects where both sides of the work are visible can be quite difficult. We always make sure to weave in all the ends on the ‘wrong’ side, so that at least one side is without any inconsistencies. In order to weave things in especially snugly, usually I will weave each tail in two directions making sort of like a U-turn with the tail in the work so that its extra secure.
Hope this helps! Best of luck! -Alyson
Ok, I feel kinda stupid now…
But excited to find that there might actually be better ways than what I have been doing for years;)
This is great! Definitely some methods on here that I’m eager to try in my next project.
One thing I *always* have trouble with is securing the top of mittens or hats! Especially with mittens, I feel like the tops always end up loosening over time and forming a wider opening. I’ve tried various methods of knotting and weaving in, but would love to hear how others deal with this issue!
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks for writing in! Although everyone has their own preferred method, I will share with you mine. For hats and other cinched closures I like to strand my tail through the live stitches twice and then pull tightly. Then I thread my yarn to the wrong side and flip the piece inside out. From there I take my yarn and gently make a cross stitch “x” on the inside of the hat at the cinched area. Finally, you will weave around the cinch twice to three times and cut. I think a knot is acceptable here, but it’s up to you. Be sure to splay your yarn fibers and felt them with a dab of water after you cut. I know this seems like a lot, but your cinch will be very secure. Hope this helps!
Best,
Adam
I’m a “seasoned” knitter, but still I’m printing this right now! This *amazing* tutorial will now live in my knitting bag. Thank you so much.
I’m currently working on your Seafaring Scarf and I wondered which of these weaves you might suggest? I was thinking the vertical weave on the ‘right’ side, but I’m really just not sure. Any help would be appreciated!
Hello Claire,
Thank you for writing us. I suggest that you weave in your ends along the selvedge for this scarf. Since this yarn is already felted, the cut ends after weaving are quite noticeable. I suggest, after weaving, that you splay the yarn end and try “felting” it to a selvedge stitch with a bit of water and friction. This might hide the ends even better and keep them intact. Best of luck to you.
-Adam
Thank you so much. I have been so disappointed in the look of my weaving. I usually have what I think are obvious signs of the weaving (lumps and ends that come loose). This gives me hope and clear direction.
So glad this helps!
-Adam
I found this just in time. I’m making Christmas gifts – your soft cotton towels. This is the first time I’ve worked with cotton and I couldn’t figure out how to fasten the ends. And I’ve made knots where I joined the new colors. I didn’t leave the ends long enough to use the joins in the article. Any suggestions?
Hi Judi,
Thanks for writing in and glad you found the tutorial in time! Unfortunately you can’t do anything about the knotted ends that aren’t long enough to weave in, but you now know where to go next time for weaving tips! Best of luck on the Christmas gifts!
-Adam
I love all these ideas, thank you! My question is now, how to I keep the place where I finished my weaving from popping out later? Agh! Thank you!
Hi Angelina,
Thanks for writing in! Ends may pop out from time to time and they can just be tucked back in. I have several sweaters that I knit 10 years ago that just recently had an end pop out for the first time. To help lessen this from happening, after I weave in my ends, I pull on the fabric in a variety of directions. I then clip the remaining tail to about an inch and block my piece. Once blocking is finished, I clip whatever tail remains. This process allows the yarn to settle and move and lets the end become more naturally part of the fabric. I find that when I do this, the ends tend not to pop out as often.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Amazing! Thank you this helps a ton! Now to give it a try!
Hi,
I am just finishing up the double seed stitch scarf (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2016/09/21/double-seed-stitch-scarf/). I have ends in the middle and I’m at a loss in terms of weaving them in. Can you help?
Thanks,
Teri
Hi Teri,
Thanks for writing us. You can either play with how to weave them by weaving and unweaving until you get it right or you can weave the ends up the selvedge and try to hide them as best as you can. Thanks!
-Adam
Sheesh. You are so right when you mentioned my questioning, “am I doing this right….is there a BETTER way?” I wished I would have known the duplicate stitch before I finished my bamboo sweater.
I have a comment to add. Use the same method throughout the garment if possible. I have had to correct other people’s knitting by first undoing much of their work only to find that they sewed in the ends every which way and even tied it in some spots. The only way I could undo some of these was to cut. This left several more ends to weave in. Just saying.
I’m working on a reversible baby blanket in aron weight yarn. I’m thinking of splitting the plies (4 plies into 2 each) to lessen the bulk of the weave-in. Would this be a good method?
Hi Julie,
This is actually the best method for a bulky yarn. Good thinking! Best of luck to you!
-Adam
Such a wonderful tutorial!! Thank you. My question: what might be the best way to weave in ends of a reversible shawl with a decorative garter stitch that has a relatively loose knit. The yarn is a mercerized medium (4) cotton and I used size 10.5 needles.
I fear that I won’t be able to weave in tight enough to keep the ends secure.
I appreciate all the feedback and all the questions here! So helpful!
Hi Caryn,
Thanks for the question! Unfortunately loosely knit cotton is a tough fabric regarding weaving in your ends. I suggest you weave in your ends along the selvage, cut the end short and adhere to the inside of the first stitch with clear nail polish. This is a sure-fire way to make sure your ends won’t come out and will be nearly invisible. Hope this helps!
Adam
I’m a pretty new knitter, but I am now making your Open Air Wrap in Habu’s SilkWrap Paper,
I am not sure how to weave in the ends in this project.
I have made sure to join the new balls of yarn at the ends of rows…
Advice is appreciated!
Thanks,
Lori Rapp
Hey Lori!
I would still use one of our methods for weaving in your ends. With a yarn like the Silk Wrap Paper it always looks strange until you block it and make sure the yarn you just wove in is perfectly lined up with the other stitches in that row.
I hope this helps!
Carly
What a nice, clear set of instructions. I especially appreciate the print-friendly options.
Fantastic! This is the best resource for weaving in ends! Thank you!
I’m a brand new knitter, on my second project — how would you recommend weaving in ends for a double moss stitch scarf in a DK lambswool/mohair blend? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for writing in and welcome to the world of knitting! With double moss stitch, I tend to weave in along the edges and then weave through the textured stitch similarly to weaving in in garter!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you so much ?
Why no knots? I weave in and then knot off the end, or now I use magic knot [fisherman knot} wherever possible. I hate doing the finishing in general lol
Hi Mary,
The reason we recommend not knotting when weaving in ends is because knots leave a noticeable bump on the wrong side of your fabric and can sometimes make the stitches pucker on the right side if it’s pulled too tight!
Best,
Carly
I just finished my very first sock. Your tutorials are top quality. Love the Kitchener stitch and how to finish ends. What a great service you provide
Thank you so much for such a great tutorial! Yup. I’ve been doing it “wrong” for a long time, and searching for a better way. I’ve always just looped the yarn (in the back) around some purl bumps – 6 stitches one way, and then 6 stiches back – completely horizontally. But, it’s very visible. These techniques will be invaluable!
My question: Do you weave in ends before or after you wash and block your project? Does it really matter?
Many thanks!
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for your kind words! When you weave in ends is really a preference! You can do it before or after blocking. Myself, I like to weave in my ends before, being sure to leave at least 1 inch of remaining tail hanging out. After I block and my item has dried, I click the remaining tail. I feel like this lets the woven in ends relax to where they will naturally pull in. That said, we have plenty of folks who prefer to weave in their ends after blocking as their knitted fabric has had time to relax in the blocking process. It is really up to you! Both ways should work equally well!
Best,
Cassy
This is so well done, verbally and artistically! I thank you for the excellent photos and the compassionate words. I’m an older knitter and I really appreciate your excellence!
Hi Joan,
Thank you so much for your very kind words! They made our day!
Best,
Cassy
Great post. I am blind & this is the best verbal explanation I’ve found. I feel like I almost have it, but I have a question. When you say…
“Weave the needle under every other horizontal strand that stretches between the ‘V’s created by the knit stitches.”
Do you mean between the Vs as in v-v, or do you mean the horizontal strandwhich is inside the V, the one that is the purl bump on the wrong side of the stockinet stitch?
Also, when you say …
“Orienting the needle parallel to your rows of knitting, bring your needle behind the ‘V’ of the row above”
I’m not sure I understand “behind the V.” Do you go to the wrong side by going through above the running thread to the right of the base of the V and then come forward above the running thread to the left of the V?
Hi Donna,
Thank you so much! We are so glad that this tutorial was helpful for you! I think that I can clear things up!
When we say, “Weave the needle under every other horizontal strand that stretches between the ‘V’s created by the knit stitches,” you will be moving your needle under the strand the is created inside the V that you would see on the back side of the work aka the purl bump.
When we say, “Orienting the needle parallel to your rows of knitting, bring your needle behind the ‘V’ of the row above”, you will be bringing your needle behind both legs of the knit stitch that create the V. In essence, you will be going under the whole of the knit stitch!
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
Fantastic piece, thank you. Question: before or after blocking, in your opinion?
Hi Emma,
Thanks for writing in, this is a great question and there isn’t really a right or wrong answer! I personally prefer to weave in my ends before blocking as the blocking process helps disguise and even out the area where the ends were woven in, but I leave my tails a little long and re-trim them after blocking if necessary. Some knitters swear by weaving in ends after blocking though, so you might want to experiment a bit to see which method you prefer!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I duplicate stitch on the back then work back into a few of my duplicate stitches with the sewing needle, splitting the plies to bury the tail end. I got the idea from the Russian join. You don’t have to weave very far and that nubby little end never pops out no matter how much tugging it endures. On lacy delicates, I skip the duplicate stitch and just ply my tail back through the actual stitches, maybe one or two rows below the bindoff, and running away from the cast on tail (if in the round) to avoid bulk. Match the tension and it almost disappears.
Thank you very much for those methods of weaving in ends. You shared several methods which gave me options in which I can use on my project. Thank you very very much…I did love it! 🙂
I would love to be able to get a tutorial of every letter via video or as you’ve shown with the J for each letter. The stencils are a little complicated for me to understand
Hello Karen,
Thank you for reaching out! Is this comment meant for the Duplicate Stitch Tutorial ? Unfortunately we do not currently have the resources to do every letter, but I will certainly pass along your request for the future.
Thank you for the suggestion and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Awesome video, I have knitted for years and never looked forward to picking up stitches, your video has me looking forward know. Thank you
Thank you for this. I’m about to finish two infinity scarf projects and for the first time need to weave in the middle of the work. These pictures and narratives are awesome.
I can’t seem to get around the ”no knots” technique. Doesn’t your work come apart if the ends loosen over time after a few washes… even though I wash by hand I seem to feel insecure about this technique… Any advice?
Hello Jose,
Thank you for reaching out! As long as you weave in you ends with a long enough tail (about 8″) your knitted garment will be fine.
I know it feels counter intuitive, but it really works!
Happy knitting,
-Marilla
Are these compatible w/ crochet as well?
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately these techniques are specific to weaving into knitting, which is constructed quite differently from crochet, but luckily, weaving ends into crochet is much more forgiving than knitting, so you don’t need as specific a technique. Since crochet creates a much denser and textured fabric, you don’t have to be too concerned with your ends showing on the right side and they are also much less likely to show on the wrong side. To weave in your ends in crochet, on the wrong of side of the work, you can either work them through the row they are on, or in a more open fabric, work diagonally, going around any lacy areas or holes, for 2 to 3 inches.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This is a question: how would you deal with weaving in for a double knit piece? I am knitting the Double Knit Blanket and haven’t yet come to a place to end one ball and start another, but the time is coming soon. With the double knitting, I don’t have access to the “back” of the piece.
Hello Kim,
This is a great question. I would reccomend using the duplicate stitch from the outside of the project for an inch or two, and then bury your ends by inserting your tapestry needle into the open space inside of the blanket, bringing it up a few inches away, and then trimming your yarn close to the surface so the end will pop back into the blanket and disappear. I would also suggest making sure your yarn tails are on the outside or right side of the blanket so they are easier to find when you are done.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I finished your mistake rib scarf pattern using 2 colors of yarn intertwined, which I loved! Any suggestions on which method I should use to weave in ends? I happened to use multiple skeins of yarn, joining in the middle of the scarf, and pattern is visible from both sides.
Hello Kathleen,
This sounds like a beautiful scarf! I would weave in your stitches as you would with any mistake rib, just making sure that the colors you are weaving in follow along with the color you knit. You could also split the two colors and weave them in separately to make them less noticeable.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
What an amazing resource!! I’m a self-taught knitter and have been knitting for almost a decade, but honestly when it came to weaving in my ends I always just kind of made it up to what seemed the least noticable. Will definitely be trying out some of these techniques on my next project!!
An additional set of suggestions for seed stitch would be amazing.
Thank you for all this great information and excellent photos.
Hello Deirdre,
Thank you for reaching out! I like using the duplicate stitch method to weave in my ends, no matter what stitch pattern the fabric is made up of.
If the garment has a front and back, you can weave in your ends on the wrong side, on the diagonal on a seed stitch stitch fabric.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I cannot thank-you enough for this comprehensive tutorial. I wonder if you have a recommendation for a loose garter stitch tunic, knit sideways. Thanks for any advice you can provide.
With appreciation.
Hello Dorie,
Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words! With loosely knit things I will often weave in a longer tail for the extra security. It is also helpful to weave in your ends on a diagonal to maintain the stretchy nature of your knit fabric.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thanks for this tool! I’m still not sure if I should weave the ends in before or after blocking. Any thoughts?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! You could really go either way with this, but for me personally, I prefer to weave in my ends before blocking. Soaking and blocking a piece after the ends have been woven helps the ends grip and stick to the yarn around them so they become more secure, and if there is any extra bulk in the spot where the end was woven in, it will be much less noticeable after blocking. Some people find that if they have woven in their end too tightly and either the knitted fabric relaxes quite a bit or they block very aggressively they may end up with a tight or puckered area, but I haven’t experienced this myself. I would suggest trying both ways to see which you prefer!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
One thing I always wonder about the first technique “Weaving in Ends with Duplicate Stitch”. In what way is this different from knitting with both strands for a reasonable number of stitches then snipping the ends off neatly?
Hello Petera,
Thank you for reaching out- great question! The duplicate stitch is mimicking a stitch rather than being an actual stitch. This means that it is less bulky than knitting two strands at once.
I hope this makes sense and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thank you SOO much for this splendidly clear and understandable overview! It is most helpful!
I am still having difficulties in finding a good way for weaving in my ends in a piece of reversible linen-stitch knitting though. Is there a reasonably invisible way of dealing with that?
I’d be most greatful for your help.
Kind regards,
– Maria
Hi Maria,
Thanks for writing in! Sometimes in special stitches, like linen stitch, there is a bit of trial and error involved in finding a way to weave in your ends. If it is a regular linen stitch that looks like seed stitch on the wrong side, I would try using the diagonal method through the seed stitch bumps on the back of the work. If it is a variation that doesn’t have clear purl bumps on the back, I would try weaving horizontally across the surface of the work, through one of the rows of “V’s” created by the slipped stitches.
Best of luck, and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, I am wondering why there is no mention of what to do with the tail that inevitably results, how long to have it and where to put it. Thanks for your help.
Hi Jean,
Thanks for reaching out! After weaving in your ends as described above to secure them, you can then trim off what is left about a quarter inch away from the surface of your knitting. This tiny remaining end should work its way into the fabric over time as the piece is washed and used, but if you find its too noticeable after the first few wears or uses of the knitted piece, you can always trim it a bit shorter!
Best,
Julianna
These are a big help but how do you weave in ends on a seamed block in crochet. (Granny Squares)
Hi Mary,
Thanks for writing in! There isn’t a specific method or technique for weaving in ends in crocheted pieces – due to the textured nature of crochet, it’s much more forgiving in hiding your ends than knitting! If you are weaving in near a seam, I would suggest hiding your ends in the seam itself. Otherwise, you can weave your ends under the loops of your stitches, and as long as you make sure not to go across the middle of any open spaces, they should be quite easy to disguise!
Best,
Julianna
Thankyou for your tutorial.. please advise how to weave tails on the edge of a striped ( 9 colours)baby blanket.
The blanket is a metre by a metre. And a 4 row stripe !
Thankyou
Prudence hassan australia
Hi Prudence,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend using the Duplicate Stitch method that is shown above – although it is the most time consuming way to weave in ends, it is also nearly invisible from both sides of the work, so it’s great for blankets!
Best,
Julianna
How do you weave the ends when hand knitting a chunky blanket?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! Whenever possible, we recommend using a wet splice to join chunky wool yarns as it can be a bit tricky to weave in the ends invisibly! If your yarn is plied, you can separate the plies and weave them in separately to reduce bulk. You may have to experiment a bit to see what method looks the best on your blanket. I personally am a fan of the diagonal method above, but instead of weaving in right next to the first path, I’ll go in another direction, almost like I’m stitching a big “V” with my end, to spread the bulk out as much as possible.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
How do you handle weaving in ends when you’ve added yarn (new ball )? I always get a hole.
Hi Mary,
Great question! If you join a new yarn by simply starting to knit with the new ball, as we show in our Adding A Ball Of Yarn tutorial, you will end up with a hole. To close it up, you simply have to cross the two yarn tails over each other, giving them a little tug if necessary to tighten up the surrounding stitches, before weaving the two ends in using one of the methods above.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Mary, I knit one stitch using both the new and the old yarn. Later I weave in the ends. I think I learned this from a Suzanne Bryan video.
Wow! I had no idea possible. I’m doing an afghan with lace yarn and doing it in the Old Shale stitch. What method do you think would be best to weave in the ends? Also since I’m going to try and block it once I’m done do you suggest I leave the ends till after I block it or do them as I go?
Hi Susan,
Great questions! Weaving in ends in lace can be tricky! I would recommend using a combination of duplicate stitch and the diagonal method, being careful never to go directly across a yarn over hole, to keep everything as invisible as possible. When it comes to blocking, you could really go either way with this, but for me personally, I prefer to weave in my ends before blocking. Soaking and blocking a piece after the ends have been woven helps the ends grip and stick to the yarn around them so they become more secure, and if there is any extra bulk in the spot where the end was woven in, it will be much less noticeable after blocking. Some people find that if they have woven in their end too tightly and either the knitted fabric relaxes quite a bit or they block very aggressively they may end up with a tight or puckered area, but I haven’t experienced this myself. I would suggest trying both ways to see which you prefer!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for the details in weaving in ends. I am curious to know what you suggest for weaving in end when the yarn is not necessarily wool ( over time wool will almost fuse together which helps weaved ends). I have knit pieces with ‘slippery’ yarns that seem to be able to work their way out of the weaving. Which method is best for this situation? Thank you!
Hi Helen,
Great question! With a plant fiber, I would still recommend using the methods above, but weaving in a longer portion of your ends. With a wool or grippy yarn, I will usually only weave for about two inches before going back in the opposite direction, but in a cotton piece, I may weave in three or more inches of the tail before switching directions. I would also recommend snipping the tail at least a 1/4 inch away from the surface of the fabric to minimize the chance that it will op through to the right side, and if it does, just tug it back to the wrong side without trimming it any further. Even though the fibers don’t actually felt together, with use and washing, the end should still become more settled and secure over time.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Fairly new knitter here. I love your instructions for weaving in tails. I just knit a trivit using 5mm cotton cord (twisted, three-ply) using garter stitch. The pattern said nothing about how to weave in the ends and I’ve looked in vain for guidance. I thought about separating the plies and weaving in separately, but each ply is composed of many threads that separate almost as soon as I separate the plys. Any suggestions? I can’t really tape the ends with tape because these trivits are designed to be washed. Any suggestions appreciated! Thank you
Hi Hazel,
Thanks for reaching out! That is a new one for me, so it’s hard to say what might work best! If you aren’t able to weave in the ends, you may have to use glue or a product designed to keep fabric from fraying to keep the ends in place, and you might also want to only hand wash or spot clean the trivets.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
First time end weaver here….is there a particular method you would suggest for your no-purl ribbed blanket pattern?? All I have left is cast off and weaving in my ends! Thanks!
Hi Erin,
Thanks for writing in! For the No-Purl Ribbed Blanket, try a combination of the techniques above for Weaving In Ends in Duplicate Stitch for both the Right Side (for your knits) and the Wrong Side (for your purls). It might seem intimidating at first but take it slow and follow the stitches. Please let us know how it goes!
Gaby
I wish so much that when you show pictures of, for example, Sand Drift Blanket, you would show some that show where the ends have been woven in, or write a bit about how the designer/master knitter finished off a particular project.
Also. in the tutorials, is the end “buried” in the woven in stitches? I don’t see any ends!!
Hi Annie,
Thanks for writing in! I’ll definitely pass on your suggestion for adding notes or photos into projects about the finishing details. In the tutorial, the ends are just clipped really short at the last point woven in, which makes them disappear into the work. I hope this helps!
Best,
Cassandra
Ditto-this is an awesome resource.
My question is this: How much of a tail should I leave when casting on, binding off, and/or attaching a new skein/color?
Does it make sense to have a longer tail so that weaving with an upholstery needle is manageable and then clipping it after weaving a particular amount?
Thank you for your guidance!
Hi Heather,
Thanks so much for writing in! I usually leave a 9-10 inch tail to weave in later, which is enough to not have to fuss with a length of yarn too short to get on a needle and maneuver. I often have more length than that, because I’m usually so eager to get started that I don’t bother to try to estimate how much yarn I need for my cast on! You can always leave a longer tail, as long as you’re not worried about running out of yarn at the end of your project, and a little extra never hurts, because you can clip off whatever excess you have. I’m so glad that you found this tutorial helpful! Please let me know if you have any other questions, we’re always happy to help!
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
I am not your biggest customer but I am definitely your biggest fan. Not only do you sell gorgeous yarn and have fabulous ideas, your tutorials have taught me so much. Whenever I am stymied I look to Purl Soho for help. I wanted to take a course on weaving in ends, the most dreaded part of knitting for me. Ta da Purl Soho had a fabulous tutorial. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
When seaming – how does one deal with the tails ends – same as other tail ends; simply weave them in?
Hi Zoee,
Great question! Yes, you will treat these ends exactly the same as any other!
Best,
Julianna
I’ve always used a multi-directional method, a combination of the ones above. It is so effective even I couldn’t find it when having to rip back. But the one thing I do that really helps is to make sure there is space for small ends to appear by stretching it a little every few stitches. This allows the woven end to ‘retreat’ without escaping from the captor stitch. If one does, snip it with just a tiny end showing that will become hidden.
Oh what a fabulous resource! I have always been haphazard about weaving in ends (and hated doing it), but with your suggestions, I’m actually enjoying making those pesky ends neatly disappear. Thank you so much.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for how to weave in ends on twisted ribbing (k1tbl, p1)? i find that the end shows through if I try to use the method for ribbing shown here, the end shows through on the twisted knit stitches.
Thanks for the great tutorial and the pictures are so helpful!
I just want to add that when I weave my ends in I always go back through the yarn I am weaving so that the natural spin of the yarn helps to hold it in place.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad that you found our tutorial helpful and thank you for sharing your tip with everyone, it is much appreciated!
All the best,
Gianna
Oh my goodness I have been knitting for 5 years and have never heard of the no knot rule! How did I not know this? This resource is amazing. So I no longer need to tie a knot in my tails before weaving them in I just weave the ends in, does this not create a little hole? I can see that I have actually been using some of these methods, self-taught…. However I am about to start knitting your Ombre Wrap in seed stitch – as the front and back are both visible which would be the best technique to use ? Thanks so much again for this wonderful tutorial.
Kind regards
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes that is correct! No need for a not, and it wont leave you with a hole if woven in correctly! For the Ombre Wrap, even though it is seed stitch and both sides look the same you will still have a designated wrong side to weave in ends! I would recommend the weaving in the ends on the horizontal or weaving in the ends on with a duplicate stitch!
Please let us know how this goes!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi Gianna thanks so much for taking the time to respond that is really helpful!
Hi Charlotte,
I am happy to help!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi!
I have knit a couple pieces with some extra bulky Knit Collage yarn and am having a hard time concealing knitting in the ends. One of the pieces is in seed stitch, the other in stockinette. What methods would you suggest for these pieces with such bulky yarn?
-Caitlin
Hi Caitlin,
Thanks for reaching out! For stockinette I would recommend WEAVING IN ENDS ON THE VERTICAL or WEAVING IN ENDS ON WITH DUPLICATE STITCH (ON THE ‘WRONG SIDE’) and for seed stitch I would recommend following the options for garter stitch and WEAVING IN ENDS ON THE HORIZONTAL or WEAVING IN ENDS ON THE DIAGONAL!
I also recommend checking out our Wet Splice (aka Spit Splice) tutorial, this is an especially great technique for bulky yarns like those from Knit Collage!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi! So I have finished knitting a baby blanket using the garter stitch. I was wondering which method to weave in is the best because there is more than one options?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Dee,
Thanks for writing in! All of the garter stitch methods would be a good choice and work great for your blanket! My favorite methods to use are the WEAVING IN ENDS WITH DUPLICATE STITCH or WEAVING IN ENDS ON THE HORIZONTAL!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hi, Is there a good way to weave closed a hole that was caused by joining a raglan sleeve to the body of a top-down knitted sweater? I’m using round needles.
Thank you for any advice on this.
Karen
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing in. I always close up those holes using duplicate stitch! You can use the end of the yarn from beginning each sleeve to do this. I would also recommend tugging on any looser stitches beforehand to even out the tension before beginning the duplicate stitch. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’m knitting a baby blanket in fan & feather pattern there’s 4 rows to the pattern do I cast off in the last row which is a knit row or the next row which is also a knit row, also which method is best for weaving in ends from adding new balls of wool
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for writing in! You will want to work as many rows as written and then bind off, so if it says to knit 4 more rows you will want to do that and then bind off when it says to. As for weaving in your ends, if it is knit in garter stitch a great option is the Duplicate Stitch method!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Super tutorial!!! Bookmarked and saved!! 😀 Thank you so much!! Julie
This is such a helpful tutorial. I have been making it up as I go along for years. So happy to know have these variations for weaving in ends in my toolbox.
Hi! I recently finished knitting a reversible cotton baby blanket. The pattern is similar to basketweave except the alternating sections of knit and purl are triangles instead of squares. So there isn’t a “wrong/back” side to the blanket and since the cotton yarn used comes in 50 g skeins there are many ends to weave in. I’m wondering how best to do this? And does it help that I started each new skein by overlapping 4 stitches of the old yard with the new yarn?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out. The best way to deal with weaving in ends in a “reversible” design is to designate one side to be the wrong side, even though it looks the same as the other side! Then, you can weave in all your ends on this one side. Even though you overlapped the yarn for 4 stitches, I’d still recommend weaving it in further, especially because you used cotton yarn. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’m finishing the Super Easy Baby Blanket and weaving in the ends. First time doing my own weaving in. Is there a picture of what it should look like just before and just after I cut off the yarn, post-weaving? I should just cut the yarn right at the surface of the blanket? ….in the spirit of measure twice, cut once, I want to get it right. Thank you. PS The blanket is terrific. Can’t wait to send it to my brand new grandchild.
Hi Patty,
Thanks for reaching out! When I weave in my ends, I like to leave about half an inch of yarn when I cut it off from the skein. That just ensures that the yarn will stay on the wrong side of the blanket and won’t pop out to the right side!
All the best,
Lili
One more question: do I weave in the tails left when I cast on and cast off? I assume yes.
Hi Patty,
Yes! You should weave in the cast-on and bind-off tails as well.
All the best,
Lili
Hi, just found your wonderful tutorial. I am not a fan of superwash and try to use non as much as possible. But I find myself being seduced by some of the lovely hand dyed which is usually superwash. What will happen to the little tail cut off at the back after front duplicate stitch as it won’t felt in?
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out. You can just let the little tails be after weaving them in and cutting them short! Since they’ll be on the wrong side of the knit fabric, they won’t be noticeable.
All the best,
Lili
What a fabulous resource!! Thank you. I’m currently participating in the KAL Prism Blanket made with your Good Wool. Based on some of your earlier answers, I’m assuming that I should work in the ends on the wrong side of the blanket. Do you recommend a particular method from the tutorial suggestions for this pattern with this yarn? And what is the best way to deal with the points where we join 6 ends of triangles to make them come together cleanly? (No knots and twisting the yarns around one another before weaving in?) Where do we weave in those ends? The connecting seams or in the blanket fabric itself? Sorry for all the questions!
Hi Rebecca,
These are great questions! For garter stitch, I personally like using the diagonal method. But I’d recommend playing around with this to determine which you prefer. As for the corners of the squares, you can essentially twist each end around one from the opposite side and then bring it back around to the triangle of its own color to weave in there. This will lock the corner in place and reduce the gap significantly!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you!
I am working on the Super Easy Baby Blanket in Morning. Could you walk me through how to do a duplicate stitch weave in on the color change on the ends? With the slip stitch/color change end, I want to see if I can still maintain the pretty edging.
Hi Julia,
Thanks for reaching out! You can pretty much follow the photo tutorial as shown, but I’d recommend twisting your differently-colored ends once around each other before weaving them in. That will make sure that the two stripes are solidly joined at the edge so that no gaps appear at that spot!
All the best,
Lili
I’m looking to make a 3-color, single-stripe baby blanket using the metgod in your Gradient Blanket design. Which technique above would you recommend for that one since each color stripe is only a single row of stitches? It looks like all of these need at least 2 rows of the same color to be invisible.
Hi Kathleen,
I’m afraid that there isn’t a completely invisible way to weave in ends, especially over single-row stripes. My best advice is to use your preferred weaving-in method that works for the stitch pattern you’ll be using and making sure to weave in all the ends on the wrong side of the blanket. They will not show through to the right side, and they should blend in pretty well on the wrong side!
All the best,
Lili
Wonderful tutorial. Im just finishig my 4th Prism blanket so lots of ends to sew in. This one has 49 squares – itll fit a super king bed.
Thanks so much for all your fantastic patterns and helpfulness.
Hi Jenny,
We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed this tutorial! Congratulations on finishing your wonderful project!
Warmly,
Gavriella
Love the instructions.
Would like to know how to finish off the weaving neatly
Hi Judy,
Once you weave in your ends securely, you can just cut any remaining thread/yarn! For a bit of extra added security, I like to felt the end to the inside of my project being sure not to poke through the fabric but that is completely optional.
Happy making,
Gavriella