The Basic Method: Carrying Yarn Inside Your Work

The simplest way to change colors is to carry the old yarn inside your stitches as you knit with the new color. This works best when you are switching colors within the same row or a few rows apart. Lay the old yarn along the top of your needles, then knit the new color over it, trapping it inside each stitch. The old yarn stays hidden on the wrong side of your fabric.

This method keeps your tension even and prevents holes at the color change. It also means you do not have to weave in as many yarn ends later. The downside is that carrying yarn works only for short distances — if you carry yarn more than three or four stitches, it creates a loose strand on the inside that can snag or break.

To start: knit your last stitch in the old color. Drop the old yarn. Pick up the new yarn from underneath the old yarn (this prevents a hole), and knit the next stitch. Keep the old yarn resting on top of your needles as you work, and trap it under each new stitch by knitting over it.

Key Takeaways

  • Carrying yarn inside your work hides color changes and works for gaps of three to four stitches without creating loose strands.
  • Weaving in yarn at the color change — twisting the old and new yarn around each other — prevents holes and works for any distance.
  • Stranding (carrying yarn across the back) is fastest for two-color patterns but creates loose floats that can snag.
  • Always pick up the new yarn from underneath the old yarn to avoid leaving a visible hole at the transition.
  • Weave in all yarn ends on the wrong side of your finished piece using a tapestry needle, working through the bumps of stitches for strength.

Weaving in Yarn at the Color Change

When you need to change colors and will not pick up the old color again soon, weave the two yarns together at the point where they meet. This method works for any distance and leaves no loose strands on the inside of your work.

To weave: knit your last stitch in the old color. Drop the old yarn. Pick up the new yarn from underneath the old yarn. Knit one stitch with the new color, then drop it. Pick up the old yarn and knit one stitch. Drop the old yarn again. Pick up the new yarn and continue knitting. You are alternating which yarn you use for each stitch across the color change — usually for about three to five stitches. This twists the two yarns around each other and locks them in place.

The result is a neat, tight seam with no hole and no loose strand to weave in later. The transition is slightly thicker than the rest of your fabric, but it is invisible from the right side. This is the most common method for changing colors in the middle of a row.

Stranding: Carrying Yarn Across the Back

Stranding means carrying the color you are not using across the back of your work, usually for two-color patterns like Fair Isle or straightforward colorwork. You hold both yarns in your hands and knit with whichever color the pattern calls for, leaving the other yarn loose on the wrong side.

To strand: hold the old yarn in one hand and the new yarn in the other. Knit with the new color for as many stitches as the pattern requires. When you need to switch back, drop the new yarn and pick up the old yarn from underneath it. Knit with the old color. The yarn you are not using sits on the back of your work, creating a float.

Stranding is fast once you develop the rhythm, but it has a real drawback: if the float (the strand of yarn on the back) is longer than half an inch, it can snag on fingers or catch when you pull the garment over your head. For patterns where colors change every few stitches, stranding works well. For patterns where one color runs for many stitches before switching, weaving in the unused yarn as you go prevents long floats.

Weaving in Unused Yarn While You Knit

If you are stranding but want to avoid long floats, weave the unused yarn into your stitches as you work. This is slower than plain stranding but faster than weaving in ends later, and it prevents snagging.

To weave while knitting: hold both yarns. Knit with the active color for one or two stitches. On the next stitch, lay the unused yarn over your right needle before you knit, then knit the stitch, trapping the unused yarn underneath. On the following stitch, lay the unused yarn under your right needle before you knit, then knit the stitch, trapping it on top. Alternate over and under every stitch or every other stitch, depending on how often you want to anchor the unused yarn.

The unused yarn is now woven into the back of your stitches instead of floating loose. This method takes practice to keep your tension even — the woven yarn can pull your stitches tight if you are not careful — but it produces a fabric with no loose strands and no snagging risk.

Joining a New Color at the Edge

If you are changing colors at the start of a new row, you can straightforward drop the old yarn and pick up the new yarn. Tie a loose knot to hold them together temporarily, then weave in both ends later. This is the easiest transition and creates the cleanest edge.

To join at the edge: finish your last row in the old color. Turn your work. Pick up the new yarn and knit the first stitch of the new row. The old yarn hangs at the edge of your work. After you finish knitting, thread both yarn ends onto a tapestry needle and weave them into the edge stitches on the wrong side. This hides both ends and strengthens the edge.

Joining at the edge is common in striped patterns or when you are changing colors between sections of a garment. It is also the method to use when you are running out of yarn and need to start a new ball of the same color.

Weaving in Ends on the Finished Piece

No matter which color-change method you use, you will have yarn ends to hide. Weave them in on the wrong side of your finished piece using a tapestry needle (a blunt needle with a large eye).

Thread the yarn end onto the tapestry needle. On the wrong side of your work, push the needle through the bumps (the horizontal strands) of several stitches in a row, working parallel to your knit rows. Go about two inches, then reverse direction and weave back through the next row of bumps, overlapping your path slightly. This anchors the yarn in two directions and prevents it from pulling loose. Trim the end close to your work.

For yarn ends at color changes in the middle of a row, weave them horizontally along the color-change line. For ends at the edges, weave them down the edge stitches. The goal is to hide the end inside the fabric where it cannot be seen or felt from the right side.

Preventing Holes and Loose Stitches at Color Changes

The most common mistake when changing colors is leaving a hole where the two colors meet. This happens when you pick up the new yarn from above the old yarn instead of underneath it. Always pick up the new yarn from below, crossing underneath the old yarn. This closes the gap and prevents the hole from forming.

Loose stitches at a color change usually mean you are not holding tension on the new yarn as you knit the first stitch. Pinch the new yarn close to your needle and pull it snug as you work the first stitch in the new color. The stitch should be the same size as the stitches around it, not larger.

If you are stranding and your floats are pulling your stitches tight, you are holding the unused yarn too taut. Let it sit loose on the back of your work — it should have a little slack so it does not pucker the fabric. Practice will help you find the right tension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between stranding and weaving?

Stranding means carrying the unused yarn loose across the back of your work, creating a float. Weaving means twisting the unused yarn around the active yarn or threading it through your stitches so it does not float loose. Stranding is faster but creates snagging risk on long floats. Weaving is slower but produces a more durable fabric.

Can I change colors in the middle of a row?

Yes. Drop the old yarn, pick up the new yarn from underneath it, and knit the next stitch. Weave the two yarns together for the next few stitches to lock them in place and prevent a hole. You can also carry the old yarn inside your stitches if you plan to use it again soon.

How do I avoid a hole where colors meet?

Always pick up the new yarn from underneath the old yarn, not from above it. This crosses the two yarns and closes the gap. If you pick up from above, the old yarn pulls away and leaves a visible hole.

What if my yarn ends are too short to weave in?

If an end is shorter than two inches, tie it to a nearby yarn end with a square knot, trim both close to the knot, and weave the knot itself into the fabric. For very short ends, you can sometimes find them by weaving through just a few stitches and relying on the friction of the yarn to hold them in place.

Do I have to weave in ends right away?

No. You can weave in ends anytime after you finish knitting. Many knitters wait until the entire piece is done, then weave in all ends at once. This is faster than stopping to weave in each end as you go.