What does it mean to 'weave in' your yarn ends?

Weaving in your ends is just any method you use to secure a loose tail of yarn to your knitting. It can help to keep a knot secure (because the ends can't be easily pulled out of the knot) and can make the wrong-side of your knitting look nice, clean and finished.

When to use it

Any time you have a tail of yarn that needs to be secured. Depending on your method of joining a new yarn, you might not have many ends to worry about. But you'll probably always have a tail of yarn at your cast-on and bind-off that needs finishing.

Doodle patterns that use this technique

Literally all Doodle patterns and projects will have at least one end that needs weaving in.

To watch my quick video reel, see How to Weave in your Ends or How to Weave in Ends as you Go.

INSTRUCTIONS

There are more than two ways to weave in your ends. Honestly, you can do it however you like. All that matters is that 1- it's not visible on the right side of your work and 2- the yarn is secure enough to not come undone.

METHOD 1 Using a tapestry needle

This method involves using a tapestry needle is to secure the yarn end into the back of your work. No matter where you are weaving in the ends, the first step will always be to thread the end of your yarn onto your tapestry needle. 

OPTION A. WEAVING THE TAIL INTO RIBBING

Step 1: Pick a column of ribbing just below where the final tail of yarn comes out of your knitting. 

Step 2: Using your tapestry needle, go through one leg of each knit stitch (on the wrong side of your work), in the same direction each time. You can do this one stitch at a time, or put the needle tip though all the stitches before pulling the yarn through (shown in photos below).

Step 3: Repeat the same process, working back UP (towards the edge) of the same column of knit stitches. 

After doing Steps 2 & 3, you can then simply cut the remaining loose tail of yarn!

OPTION B. SIMPLE METHOD

This is similar to the method above, but is used to weave in an end into the body of your knitting.

Step 1: Pick a column of purl ridges near where the tail of yarn comes out of your knitting. 

Step 2: Using your tapestry needle, go through each purl ridge, in the same direction each time, for several stitches. You can do this one stitch at a time, or put the needle tip though all the stitches before pulling the yarn through (shown in photos below).

Step 3: Repeat the process back in the other direction, on a row above or below the one you just used. 

After doing Steps 2 & 3, you can then simply cut the remaining loose tail of yarn!

 

OPTION C. METICULOUS METHOD

Step 1: Pick a row just above or below where your tail comes off your work, and identify a path of yarn.

Step 2: Using your tapestry needle, go through the stitches, following this path up and down for an inch or two (or until you come to the end of your tail of yarn).

Note: Be careful not to go all the way through the knitting, or your tail will be visible on the right side.

Step 3: Cut the rest of the tail as short as you like, it is not going anywhere.

METHOD 2 Weave-in as you go

To watch my quick video reel, see How to Weave in Ends as you Go.

The 'as-you-go' method is essentially like catching floats, except you're catching and securing the tail of yarn.

Step 1: Get to a point in your knitting where you have a tail that needs to be sorted out.

Step 2: Knit 1 stitch past where the tail comes out of your knitting. On the next stitch, catch the tail as if you were catching a float.

Step 3: Continue working as *knit 1 st, catch 1 st* for a few inches (or until you come to the end of your tail of yarn).

Step 4: Cut the rest of the tail as short as you like, it is not going anywhere.

For detailed instructions, see our separate post about Catching Floats.

Photos for Method 2 coming soon!

Happy Doodling!

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Blog co-written by Jamie Lomax and Grey Lundy.