Join your new yarn at the end of a row, not in the middle of one

The easiest time to start a new ball is when you finish a row and are about to turn your work around. Cut the old yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Pick up your new yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail on that end too, and straightforward knit the first stitch of the new row with the new yarn. The two tails stay loose for now—you'll weave them in later with a yarn needle.

This method works for any yarn weight and any stitch pattern. The join happens at the edge of your work, where loose ends are hidden naturally by the seam when you sew pieces together, or where they blend into ribbing or a border. You avoid the weak spot that forms when you tie knots in the middle of your fabric, and you don't interrupt your rhythm mid-row.

Key Takeaways

  • Always join new yarn at the end of a row, not in the middle, so the join sits at the edge where it's less visible.
  • Cut the old yarn 6 inches from your work and leave a 6-inch tail on the new yarn before you start knitting with it.
  • You do not need to tie the two yarns together—straightforward start knitting with the new yarn and weave in both tails later.
  • Weaving in tails with a yarn needle takes about a minute per tail and locks them in place so they won't unravel.
  • If you run out of yarn mid-row by accident, you can frog back to the row end and rejoin there instead of trying to fix a knot in the middle.

Cut the old yarn and leave both tails long enough to weave

When you reach the end of a row and see you're running low on yarn, finish that row completely. Turn your work. Before you knit the first stitch of the new row, cut the old yarn about 6 inches away from your needles. This gives you a tail long enough to thread through a yarn needle without it slipping out.

Pick up your new ball and unwind about 6 inches of yarn from it. You now have two loose tails—one from the old yarn and one from the new yarn. Both tails will sit at the edge of your work. Do not tie them together. straightforward hold the new yarn in your working hand the way you normally would and knit the first stitch of the new row with it. The old tail will dangle; that's correct.

Weave in the tails with a yarn needle after you finish

Once you've finished your project or reached a stopping point, thread one of the loose tails through a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle). These have a blunt tip and a large eye, and they cost a few dollars at any craft store. Weave the needle through the bumps on the back of your stitches, going in and out along the edge where the join happened, for about 2 inches. Then reverse direction and weave back over the same path for another inch. This locks the tail in place.

Trim the tail close to the fabric—about a quarter-inch from where it exits. Repeat with the second tail. The woven-in tails won't come loose, and the join will be nearly invisible because it sits at the edge of your work. If your yarn is fuzzy or textured, the weaving blends in even more.

What to do if you run out of yarn mid-row

If you didn't notice you were running low and you've knitted several stitches into a new row with old yarn that's now gone, you have two choices. The faster choice is to frog—unravel—back to the end of the previous row, then rejoin the new yarn the correct way at the row end. This takes a few minutes but gives you a clean join.

The other choice is to tie a temporary knot in the middle of your work, finish the row, then go back later and cut out the knot, weave in both tails, and close the gap. This is messier and takes longer. Most knitters frog back instead. If you're working on something where frogging would undo a lot of progress, tie the knot loosely so you can undo it easily later.

Joining yarn in the middle of a row (if you must)

Sometimes you're working a colorwork pattern or a design where you need to add a new color or yarn in the middle of a row. In this case, drop the old yarn at the point where you want to switch, pick up the new yarn, and knit with it. The old yarn stays on the wrong side of your work, waiting for you to pick it up again later.

At the end of your project, weave in all the tails the same way—thread them through a yarn needle and weave them along the back of the stitches for 2 inches, then back over the same path. For colorwork, weave each color tail along the path of its own color so the weaving blends in. Trim close to the fabric when you're done.

Common mistakes that weaken the join

The biggest mistake is tying the old and new yarn together with a knot. Knots create a thick, stiff spot that shows on the front of your work and can catch on things. They also come undone if you don't tie them very tightly, and they're hard to hide when you weave in the tails. Skip the knot entirely.

The second mistake is cutting the tails too short. If your tails are shorter than 4 inches, they're hard to thread through a yarn needle and straightforward to pull out by accident while you're weaving. Cut generously—6 to 8 inches is better than 4. You trim the excess after weaving anyway.

The third mistake is weaving in tails while your project is still on the needles. Wait until you've finished or reached a natural stopping point. If you weave in a tail and then keep knitting, you might accidentally catch the woven-in tail with your working yarn and pull it loose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to weave in tails right away or can I do it later?

You can weave them in anytime after you've finished knitting, even weeks later. Many knitters leave the tails loose while they work and weave them all in at the end. Just make sure the tails don't get tangled with your working yarn or caught in your needles while you knit.

What if I don't have a yarn needle?

A regular sewing needle with a small eye works in a pinch for thin yarn, but it's harder to thread and can split delicate fibers. A yarn needle costs two to four dollars and lasts forever. If you knit regularly, it's worth having one. Some yarn stores include one free with a yarn purchase.

Can I use a spit splice instead of weaving in tails?

A spit splice works well for some natural fibers like wool and works poorly for synthetics and blends. It involves wetting the yarn ends, rubbing them together, and letting them dry so the fibers bond. It's faster than weaving but only works if your yarn is the right type. Weaving in tails works for every yarn, so it's the safer choice if you're unsure.

Will the join show on the front of my finished piece?

Not if you join at the edge. The join sits at the side seam where it's hidden when you sew pieces together, or it blends into a border or ribbing. If you're making a blanket or something without seams, the join will be slightly visible on the edge, but much less so than a knot would be.

What if I'm knitting in the round and there's no row end?

In circular knitting, join the new yarn at the beginning of a round, right after your stitch marker. Knit the first stitch of the new round with the new yarn and let both tails dangle. Weave them in the same way once you're finished. The join will sit at the start of the round, which is usually the least visible spot.