The two main ways to change colors: carrying yarn and cutting it

When you switch colors in knitting, you have two choices: carry the unused yarn along the edge of your work (called stranding), or cut the yarn and rejoin it later. Carrying works best when you are switching back and forth between two colors within a few rows. Cutting works better when you are moving to a new color for many rows or finishing a section entirely.

The method you choose depends on how far apart your color changes are and how much yarn you want to hide inside your finished piece. Carrying yarn creates bulk on the inside of your garment; cutting leaves you with more ends to weave in later. Neither method is wrong—they solve different problems.

Key Takeaways

  • To carry yarn, drop your old color at the edge of your work, pick up the new color, and leave the old yarn loose along the side until you need it again.
  • Carrying works cleanly for color changes within 4 to 6 rows; beyond that, the loose yarn creates visible loops on the finished edge.
  • To cut yarn, tie off the old color with a small knot, cut it about 6 inches from your work, and rejoin the new color at the edge of your next row.
  • Weaving in ends (the short tails left after cutting) takes time but gives you a cleaner edge and less bulk inside your garment.
  • Practice the hand motion of dropping and picking up yarn on a small swatch before starting a full project.

Carrying yarn along the edge: the step-by-step process

To carry yarn, work to the end of your row in the old color. On the last stitch of that row, drop the old yarn and pick up the new yarn from underneath it. This twist prevents a gap between colors. Knit the next row with the new color, leaving the old yarn loose along the left edge of your work.

When you are ready to switch back, drop the new color and pick up the old color again from underneath. The key is always picking up the new yarn from under the old one—this locks the old yarn in place and prevents it from pulling loose. If you pick up from over the top, the old yarn will slip and create a hole.

Carry yarn only when you will use that color again within 4 to 6 rows. If you carry yarn for more than 6 rows without using it, the loose strand becomes visible on the finished edge as a loop. For longer color blocks, cut the yarn instead.

Cutting yarn and rejoining: when and how

Cut the yarn when you are switching to a new color for many rows or finishing a color section. Work to the end of your row in the old color. Leave a tail about 6 inches long, then cut the yarn. On your next row, pick up the new color at the same edge where you dropped the old one, and knit as usual.

The 6-inch tail is important: it gives you enough length to weave into your finished piece later without the end slipping out. If you cut too close, the tail will be too short to find. If you leave too much, you waste yarn and create extra work.

When you finish your project, you will have short tails of yarn at the edges where you cut colors. Thread each tail onto a yarn needle and weave it through the bumps on the back of your stitches for about an inch, then trim the excess. This hides the ends and locks them in place so they do not unravel.

Avoiding the most common mistakes

The biggest mistake is picking up the new yarn from over the old yarn instead of under it. This creates a gap or a twisted stitch at the color change. Always pick up from underneath—this is the move that locks the old yarn in and prevents it from sliding.

The second mistake is carrying yarn too far. If you carry the same color for 8 or 10 rows without using it, the loose strand will show on the edge of your finished piece as a visible loop. If you are not sure whether to carry or cut, cut. Weaving in ends takes time, but a visible loop is permanent.

A third mistake is leaving tails too short when you cut. A 6-inch tail is the minimum; if you are nervous, leave 8 inches. You can always trim after weaving in, but you cannot add length to a tail that is already cut.

Practicing on a small swatch first

Before you start a full project with color changes, knit a small swatch—about 4 inches square—and practice switching colors. Use two contrasting colors so you can see exactly where the color change happens and whether you are picking up yarn correctly.

Knit 6 rows in color A, then switch to color B for 6 rows, then back to color A. This teaches your hands the motion of dropping and picking up without the pressure of a large project. You will feel the difference between picking up from under (which feels smooth) and picking up from over (which creates a twist).

Keep the swatch and look at the edge after a few days. If you see loops of yarn sticking out, you carried too far. If you see gaps, you picked up from the wrong side. These are the exact problems you will see in a full project, so catching them on a swatch saves you from unraveling rows later.

Stranding versus weaving: which creates less bulk

Stranding means carrying yarn along the edge. Weaving means catching the carried yarn under your working yarn every few stitches so it does not create a long loose strand. Weaving takes more time but creates less bulk on the inside of your garment.

For most beginners, straightforward stranding (carrying without weaving) is easier and produces good results. You only need to weave if you are carrying yarn for more than 4 stitches in a row, or if you are making a garment where the inside will be visible or pressed against skin.

If you decide to weave, insert your needle under the carried yarn on every other stitch, then drop it and continue knitting. This anchors the carried yarn so it does not hang loose. It looks complicated at first, but it becomes automatic with practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I pick up the new yarn from over the old yarn instead of under?

You will create a twisted stitch or a gap at the color change. The old yarn will not be locked in place and may slip loose later. Always pick up from underneath—this is the single most important move in color switching.

Can I carry more than two colors at once?

Yes, but it becomes harder to manage. Most knitters carry two colors comfortably. If you need three or more colors in the same row, you are probably doing colorwork (like Fair Isle), which uses a different technique called stranding with multiple colors. Start with two-color projects first.

How do I hide the tails after I cut yarn?

Thread the tail onto a yarn needle and weave it through the bumps on the back of your stitches for about an inch, moving horizontally along the edge. Then trim the excess close to the fabric. The woven-in tail will not unravel because it is locked into the stitch structure.

Is it better to carry yarn or cut it?

Carry yarn for color changes within 4 to 6 rows. Cut yarn for longer color blocks. Carrying is faster but creates bulk; cutting takes more time at the end (weaving in ends) but gives you a cleaner edge and less weight inside your garment.

What if my carried yarn shows on the finished edge?

You carried it too far without using that color again. For future projects, cut the yarn instead if you will not use that color for more than 6 rows. If the loop is already there, you can carefully weave it to the inside with a yarn needle, but prevention is easier than repair.