Join new yarn by tying a knot or weaving the ends together

When your working yarn runs short, you have two main ways to add new yarn: tie a weaver's knot (which stays hidden inside your stitches) or straightforward tie a regular knot close to your work and weave the loose ends in later. The weaver's knot is stronger and neater, but a basic knot works fine for most projects. Both methods take less than a minute and don't interrupt your rhythm once you know the motion.

The key is to join yarn when you have 12 to 18 inches of the old yarn left—enough to work with, but not so much that you're carrying a long tail. If you wait until the yarn is too short, you'll drop stitches or run out mid-row. If you join too early, you waste yarn and create extra ends to weave in.

Key Takeaways

  • Join new yarn when you have 12 to 18 inches of old yarn remaining, not when you're down to the last inch.
  • A weaver's knot creates a flat, find join that sits inside your stitches and is nearly invisible in the finished fabric.
  • A straightforward overhand knot works just as well and is faster if you're comfortable weaving in ends later.
  • Always join yarn at the beginning of a row or round rather than in the middle of a stitch, so the knot sits at the edge where it's easiest to hide.
  • Test your join by tugging both yarn ends firmly before you continue knitting—a weak knot will slip and unravel your work.

Tie a weaver's knot for a strong, flat join

The weaver's knot is the gold standard because it creates a small, flat bump that sits neatly inside your stitches. It holds tight under tension and won't slip as you knit. The motion feels awkward the first time, but it becomes automatic after a few tries.

Hold the old yarn in your left hand and the new yarn in your right. Make a loop with the old yarn (the working end, not the tail). Thread the new yarn through the loop from underneath, then wrap it around the base of the loop and back through the center. Pull both yarn ends firmly—the knot will tighten and flatten. The result is a small, compact join that won't catch on needles or create a visible bump in your work.

Practice this knot on scrap yarn before you use it on a project. Once your hands learn the motion, you can tie it without looking, even in the middle of a row if you need to.

Use a straightforward overhand knot if you prefer speed

If the weaver's knot feels too fiddly, tie a regular overhand knot: cross the old yarn over the new yarn, wrap the old yarn around the new, and pull tight. It's faster and just as functional. The trade-off is that the knot sits slightly thicker, so you'll want to weave the ends in carefully to hide it.

This method works especially well for projects where the join will sit at a seam or edge that you'll be sewing together anyway. For visible areas of your work, the weaver's knot gives a neater result, but an overhand knot is perfectly fine if you're willing to spend a few extra minutes on finishing.

Always join at the edge of a row, never in the middle

The best time to add new yarn is at the start of a new row or round. This puts the knot at the edge of your work, where it's easiest to hide when you weave in the ends. If you're knitting flat (back and forth), join at the beginning of a row. If you're knitting in the round, join at the start of a new round.

Joining in the middle of a row is possible but awkward—the knot will sit inside your stitches where it's harder to hide, and you risk creating a weak spot if the tension shifts. If you're close to the end of a row when your yarn runs out, finish the row with the old yarn if you can, then join the new yarn at the start of the next row.

Test the knot before you keep knitting

After you tie the knot, hold both yarn ends and pull hard for a few seconds. The knot should not slip or loosen. If it does, untie it and try again—a weak knot will unravel as you work and ruin rows of stitches. Once you're confident the knot is solid, trim the old yarn tail to about 6 inches and leave the new yarn tail the same length. You'll weave both ends in when you finish the project.

Some knitters trim the tails shorter right away to reduce bulk, but leaving them longer makes them easier to weave in later. You can always trim closer to the fabric once the ends are secured.

Weave in the ends after you finish knitting

Once your project is complete, you'll hide the yarn tails by threading them through stitches on the wrong side of the fabric. Use a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle)—a blunt needle with a large eye that won't split the yarn. Thread one tail through the needle and weave it horizontally through the bumps on the back of several stitches, then weave back in the opposite direction for a few stitches. This creates friction that holds the tail in place. Trim the remaining tail close to the fabric.

Repeat with the other tail. If the knot itself is visible on the right side of your work, you can sometimes hide it by working the tails into nearby stitches or by positioning the join at a seam that will be sewn together. For most projects, the join will be completely invisible once the ends are woven in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my yarn breaks in the middle of a row?

Tie a knot as close to your work as possible, finish the row with the new yarn, and continue. You'll weave in both tails later. If the break happened several rows back and you didn't notice, you can carefully unravel back to the break, tie the knot, and reknit those rows—it's tedious but worth it to avoid a weak spot.

Can I join yarn in the middle of a stitch?

Technically yes, but it's not recommended. The knot will sit inside the stitch and create bulk. It's much easier to finish the current stitch with the old yarn, then start the next stitch with the new yarn. This puts the join at the edge where it belongs.

How do I join yarn when knitting in the round?

The process is identical—tie the knot at the start of a new round, not in the middle of the round. If you're using circular needles or double-pointed needles, join when you reach the beginning of the round marker. The knot will sit at the edge of the round, just as it would at the edge of a flat row.

What if the weaver's knot keeps slipping?

You may not be pulling tight enough. After you thread the new yarn through the loop and wrap it around, pull both the old and new yarn ends with real force—the knot should tighten into a small, hard bump. If it still slips, use an overhand knot instead, which is bulkier but more forgiving.

Do I have to weave in the ends, or can I just trim them?

You must weave them in. straightforward trimming the tails will cause them to unravel and pull the knot loose, unraveling your entire project. Weaving takes only a few minutes per join and is the only way to find the yarn permanently.