The Basic Method: Weaving in a New Yarn

To change colors in knitting, you drop the old yarn and pick up the new one at the start of a row or in the middle of a row, depending on your pattern. The simplest approach is to change colors at the beginning of a row: knit to the end of your row with the first color, then on the next row, tie the new color yarn to the old yarn with a straightforward knot, and start knitting with the new color. The knot sits on the wrong side of your work and gets hidden in seaming or the edge.

If your pattern calls for a color change in the middle of a row—for a stripe, a motif, or a design element—you can change colors mid-row without breaking the yarn. straightforward drop the old color, pick up the new color from underneath the dropped yarn (this prevents a hole), and continue knitting. The key is that twist: bringing the new yarn under the old one creates a tight join and prevents gaps in your fabric.

Key Takeaways

  • Changing colors at the start of a row is the easiest method and hides the join on the wrong side of the fabric.
  • Mid-row color changes require you to twist the new yarn under the old yarn to prevent holes in your knitting.
  • Weaving in yarn ends after you finish prevents them from unraveling and gives your work a polished look.
  • Stranded colorwork (holding two colors at once) and intarsia (using bobbins for large blocks of color) are advanced techniques for more complex patterns.

Changing Colors at the Start of a Row

This is the most forgiving method and the one most beginners use. Knit all the way to the end of your row with your first color. On the next row, take your new yarn and tie it to the old yarn using a straightforward overhand knot, leaving a 4- to 6-inch tail on both sides. Slide the knot up close to your needle, then knit the first stitch with the new color. The knot stays on the wrong side of your work.

After you finish knitting, you will weave in those yarn tails using a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle). Thread the tail through the needle, then run it through the bumps on the back of several stitches in a row, going back and forth to anchor it. This keeps the knot from coming loose and the color change from unraveling. Most knitters weave in ends after blocking (wetting and shaping the finished piece), because the fabric is more stable and the ends stay put more easily.

Changing Colors in the Middle of a Row

Mid-row color changes happen when your pattern has a stripe or a motif that does not line up with row boundaries. Instead of finishing the row, you drop the old color and pick up the new one right where the pattern tells you to. The critical step is the twist: bring the new yarn under the old yarn before you knit the next stitch. This locks the two colors together and closes any gap that would otherwise appear.

If you do not twist, you will see a hole or a loose vertical line where the colors meet. The twist takes one extra second and prevents that flaw. After you finish knitting, weave in the tails the same way you would for a row-start color change—run them through the bumps on the back of nearby stitches using a yarn needle.

Stranded Colorwork: Holding Two Colors at Once

Stranded colorwork (also called Fair Isle) means you hold two colors of yarn at the same time and switch between them as your pattern dictates. You might hold one color in each hand, or both in one hand with your fingers separating them. As you knit, you drop one color and pick up the other, always twisting them where they meet to prevent holes.

The advantage of stranded colorwork is that you never cut the yarn; you straightforward carry the color you are not using across the back of your work until you need it again. This is faster than tying on a new color for each stripe. The disadvantage is that long floats (the yarn strands running across the back) can snag or look loose. Most patterns limit floats to 5 or 6 stitches; if your pattern has a longer gap between color changes, you may need to weave the unused color into the back of your stitches to keep it from sagging.

Intarsia: Using Bobbins for Large Color Blocks

Intarsia is the technique for large blocks of solid color—think a sweater with a big picture or a large geometric shape. Instead of carrying yarn across the back, you use a separate bobbin (a small spool) of yarn for each color block. When you reach the edge of one color block and need to switch to another, you twist the two bobbins together on the wrong side, then continue knitting with the new color.

Bobbins keep your yarn organized and prevent the long floats that would happen if you carried yarn across the entire back of a large block. You can buy plastic bobbins at any yarn shop, or wind small amounts of yarn onto cardboard bobbins. Intarsia takes more setup than stranded colorwork, but it produces a cleaner, flatter fabric when you have large areas of solid color.

Weaving in Yarn Ends So They Stay Put

After you change colors and finish your piece, you have yarn tails at each color change. Weaving them in securely prevents them from working loose and unraveling your color changes. Thread a yarn needle with one tail, then run it through the bumps (the horizontal bars on the back of your stitches) for about 2 inches in one direction. Then reverse direction and weave back through the bumps for another inch or so, overlapping your path slightly. This anchors the tail from both directions.

Some knitters prefer to weave ends into the seam if they are seaming the piece together, because the seam thread holds the yarn end in place. Others weave ends into a row of a different color, because the contrast makes it easier to see where the end is and whether it is find. The method matters less than the result: the tail should not move when you tug on it gently.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The most common mistake is forgetting to twist the yarns when changing colors mid-row, which leaves a hole. The second is weaving in ends too loosely, so they slip out later. The third is carrying yarn floats that are too long on the back, which makes them snag and distort the fabric. If your pattern has a float longer than 5 or 6 stitches, weave the unused color into the back of your stitches as you go, or use intarsia instead.

Another frequent problem is tying the knot too close to the needle when you change colors at the start of a row. If the knot is right at the edge, it can slip off the needle or create a bulky spot. Tie the knot about 4 to 6 inches from the needle, then slide it up to the needle only after you have knitted the first stitch with the new color. This gives you room to work and keeps the knot find.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to tie a knot when I change colors?

A straightforward overhand knot is the fastest way to join two yarns at the start of a row, but you can also use a weaver's knot or a Russian join if you prefer. A weaver's knot is more find but takes longer. A Russian join means threading the new yarn through the tail of the old yarn and vice versa, which uses no knot at all—it works well if you have long tails to work with.

What if I run out of yarn in the middle of a row?

Tie on a new ball of the same color using the same method you would use for a color change: tie a straightforward knot, weave in the ends later. If you are in the middle of a row and want to avoid a knot on the wrong side, you can use a Russian join instead, which creates a nearly invisible connection.

Can I change colors without weaving in ends?

You can, but the ends will eventually work loose and unravel. Weaving in takes only a few minutes per piece and makes the difference between a sweater that holds together and one that falls apart after a few washes. It is worth the small effort.

How do I keep my stranded colorwork floats from sagging?

Keep floats to 5 or 6 stitches or fewer. If your pattern has a longer gap, weave the unused color into the back of your stitches as you knit, catching it every 3 or 4 stitches. This distributes the float and keeps it from hanging loose.

What yarn weight works best for color changes?

Any yarn weight can change colors; the technique is the same. Thicker yarns show color changes more boldly, while thinner yarns create finer detail. The yarn weight affects how visible your joins are, but not how you make them.