Weaving in ends is the part most knitters secretly dread, but it is the difference between a project that looks handmade and one that looks finished. Every new ball and every bind-off leaves a tail hanging off the work. Those tails have to go back into the fabric so they do not unravel or show on the right side.
Kristen from Studio Knit teaches two go-to methods. One runs the tail along the edge through the wrong-side loops. The other travels on a slight diagonal through the body of the work, which hides a contrasting color better. She uses green and hot pink on a white swatch so you can see the path; in your own work the tail matches and disappears.
If you crochet too, the idea is similar but the fabric differs - the crochet version is in how to weave in ends in crochet. Still learning? Start with how to knit for absolute beginners; this is the last step of every project there.
Where to weave
Seams and edges come first. If the piece gets sewn up, seam it with mattress stitch, then run the tails into the seam allowance where nothing can show. On an open edge, follow the selvedge. Only go into the body when there is no edge nearby. On stockinette, work through the purl bumps on the wrong side. On ribbing, follow a purl column down.
How long a tail to leave
About six inches. Less than that and threading the needle turns into a wrestle. Leave a longer cast-on tail if you plan to seam with it. When you add a ball mid-project, how to join yarn in knitting shows where to put the join so both tails land at an edge.
Slippery yarns
Silk, bamboo, cotton and superwash wool slide back out if you treat them like rustic wool. Two fixes. On the return pass, aim the needle through the plies of the tail itself so it pierces the yarn instead of riding beside it. And change direction three times, not twice. The extra turns build friction. For very slick ribbon or silk, split a long tail into its plies and weave each one separately in a different direction.
Weave as you knit
On a striped blanket, ends add up. When you join a new color, lay the old tail along the working yarn and catch it on the back of the next eight or ten stitches, the same way you carry a float. Trim it after blocking. It saves an evening of finishing.
Block before you trim
Blocking relaxes and stretches the fabric. A tail trimmed before blocking can pull back and pop out the first time the piece is washed. Weave, then block your knitting, then trim.
Common mistakes
- Trimming flush. The tail has nothing to hold and works out. Leave about a quarter inch.
- A straight line in the body. It shows on the right side as a ridge. Go diagonal or stay on the edge.
- Pulling tight. The fabric puckers. Stretch it after each pass so the tail matches the knitting.
- Weaving on the right side. Check which face is which before you start. A purl-bump path on the front shows forever.
