How To Add Ball Of Yarn Knitting

How to join yarn in knitting

A step by footstep tutorial on joining yarn in knitting with 10 dissimilar techniques from easy to invisible – with or without knots & weaving in

And so, your yarn ran out and at present you want to bring together a new ball, right? Or mayhap you desire to create some stripes with a different colour. And at present you are wondering how to join yarn in knitting the piece of cake manner. Well, you came to the correct place because this tutorial will evidence yous all together 10 different techniques.

Why so many? Well, arguably some of them are a bit easier than others. But that's simply half of the story. Not every method works with every fiber. Some yarn is feltable, while other fibers are super glace. And then there is colorwork to consider, also as knitting in the round.

someone holding up two ends to join them with the spit splice

I structured this article in a beginner-friendly way. Pregnant, I'll start with the basics, and the farther downwards you go, the more avant-garde the joining methods will become. I also added pros and cons for every technique, and so it will be a flake easier for you to decide which version you should pick (e.yard. which method you can use to change colors, etc).

And then, let's dive into information technology.

Note: I earn a small committee for purchases made through links in this article.

Active Time 2 minutes

Total Fourth dimension ii minutes

Instructions

When y'all discover that your yarn is almost up, terminate knitting afterwards you finished one row. For most knitting stitch patterns, you demand around 3-iv times as much yarn every bit your project is wide to finish one row. And so, don't knit also far. You will need a tail of around 5 inches.
Pick upwardly the new ball of yarn and start knitting the regular way, leaving a tail of 5 inches.
The offset ii stitches will be quite loose to knit. But you tin can tug gently on the tails to close any gaps.
Later you lot knit 10 or and then stitches and the stitches are yet on the needle (important), tie the two ends in a loose knot.
Stop knitting your project according to your pattern and so gently untie the knot again.
Thread the first tail on a tapestry needle and weave it in on the wrong side.
Thread the second tail on a tapestry needle and weave it in likewise.

Notes

If you are working on a seamed projection (like a sweater or so), you can as well hide the tails in the seam instead of weaving in as I showed you lot above. Besides, make sure to check out my tutorial on weaving in ends for farther help and tricks.

When you are knitting in the round, you can utilise the verbal same technique. But in this case, you demand to switch yarn in the position that is least probable to get noticed. Simply drop the old yarn and continue knitting with the new ball.

#2 The spit splice/wet splice

new yarn join with a spit splice in an invisible way and without any knots — Sheep wool yarn joined with the spit splice

The so-called spit splice is so invisible and easy information technology near feels similar magic. Information technology relies on the fact that animal fibers (sheep wool, alpaca, cashmere, camel, yak, etc) are feltable. Basically, it boils down to picking the two ends you want to bring together apart, wetting them with a bit of spit, and so rubbing them together in the palm of your hands.

Read my full tutorial on how to join yarn with the spit splice here

PRO: Fast, invisible and does not create whatever waste product.
CON: Does non work on plant-based fibers or superwash yarn; No feasible option for colorwork. May create a visibly thicker section in your knitting.

#iii Overlap Bring together (knit double)

close-up of the overlap join as seen from the right side

If you lot are looking for the easiest manner to join yarn in knitting, then the overlap method volition be your new best friend. The idea is quite simple: Y'all knit 3-5 stitches with two strands held together and trim the tails on either side later on. It'due south and then simple that you might wonder why y'all haven't thought of information technology earlier. The only problem is that it's not totally invisible on the correct side.

Hither's how to add a new brawl using the overlap join

PRO: Simple in the extreme, works in about any position.
CON: Slightly noticeable on the right side, doesn't work for colorwork, not platonic for glace plant-based fibers.

#4 Weave in equally yous go

a swatch where someone did a weave in as you knit seen from the backside with visible lines

If yous hate tapestry needles and yous don't like knots either, then you tin can likewise weave in ends as you knit. This is a wonderful method that works for all slightly fuzzy animal fibers and is both fast and simple. Basically, you are trapping the tails on the wrong side.

Here'south how to weave in ends you go

PRO: Simple, fast, and does not require a tapestry needle or knot. Works for unproblematic colorwork or to join a new ball.
CON: Merely works for well slightly fuzzy and feltable yarn; noticeable on the wrong side.

#5 Twist and weave

a swatch where someone changed color with twist and weave method in knitting

Twist and weave is one of the virtually versatile ways to change colors in knitting. It's but so vivid. While it initially might be a bit more hard to learn (mainly considering you are doing things you commonly don't do in knitting), the effort is worth information technology. Information technology works at the beginning of a row or in the heart, there are no knots involved, and is utterly seamless.

Check out my full Twist and Weave tutorial here.

PRO: Very versatile technique that works in almost all circumstances and with all fibers.
CON: Takes a while to learn; y'all demand to weave in tails afterward on.

#vi Weave in and twist

a swatch where someone joined a new color using the weave in and twist method for intarsia

Of all the colorwork techniques available to modern knitters, I personally love intarsia the about. And for the longest time, the first run up of every color cake ended up looking a flake weird – peculiarly afterwards I wove in the tails. And that's why I came up with a method that would foreclose information technology.

It'south both simple in the farthermost and super neat. The just disadvantage of this color joining method is that information technology does not make weaving in tails afterwards on any easier and you volition have to pick upward the (dreaded?) tapestry needle. Personally, I experience that is worth it for the super nifty results y'all get on the right side.

Hither'due south my total tutorial on the Weave in and twist bring together

PRO: Super easy & super nifty transition, nearly unnoticeable on the correct side, works with every fiber but especially well for intarsia & colorwork.
CON: Requires you to weave in ends afterward on.

#seven Russian Join

A technique that saw a dramatic rise in popularity in recent years is chosen the Russian join. The fundamentals are quite like to the spit splice. Merely instead of felting, you use a abrupt tapestry needle to entwine the ii yarns you lot desire to join. Every bit a result, y'all can utilize this joining method regardless of the fiber or how it was spun. It'south a bit more fiddly and requires some patience, but it's pretty straightforward one time yous did it two or three times.

Here's my full tutorial on the Russian join

PRO: No knots and tails to weave in; works for basically every cobweb.
CON: Creates a visibly thicker section; tin be a fleck fiddly; no useful technique for colorwork.

#viii Magic knot/Fisherman's knot

close-up of a finished magic knot in knitting — Yarn joined with the magic knot technique

The magic knot has been a knitter'due south favorite for almost a decade. It'south fast, piece of cake, and barely visible with the right kind of project. It sounds similar it's complicated but essentially you are just tying two overhand knots close to each other. It's called "magic knot" considering information technology'south so simple, and not because there were whatsoever tricks involved.

Read my full magic knot tutorial here

PRO: Fast and easy; no tails to weave in later on.
CON: Not suitable for colorwork. The knot may be noticeable and can unravel with slippery yarn leaving y'all with no spare yarn to fix the pigsty.

#9 Back join

changing colors with the back to back join shown on a knitted swatch — A swatch where I changed colors with the back join. Can you spot the double stitches? Aye? No?

Are you looking for a way to modify colors without weaving in ends? Well, so there's actually just one viable solution that e'er you to join a new brawl at an exact spot in your knitting and information technology'south called the back bring together. Sadly, you will need a pivot or a paperclip to knit information technology but other than that it works similar a amuse.

Hither's how to change colors with the dorsum join

PRO: Very precise join that does not require any weaving in.
CON: A bit fiddly, leaves behind a visibly thicker section on the right side, and not ideal for glace yarn.

#10 Alternate stitches

adding a new ball by alternating stitches to create a neat transition

The concluding method I want to mention is quite a bit unlike than the residue because in and by itself it's no true joining method at all. But bear with me. Sometimes you are working with handspun and/or paw-dyed yarn. And the problem with these yarns is that normally, no 2 skeins are alike. This often creates a very visible transition.

And if you can't alternate betwixt the 2 skeins for whatever reason, then I recommend alternating stitches for a row. If yous know how to do Fair Isle or stranded knitting, then that's the exact aforementioned concept

Step one: Join in the new ball with the method of your choice and knit one run up.

join a new yarn any way and knit one stitch

Step 2: Pick upwardly the old yarn from below and knit one sew.

knit one stitch in old color and trap new color in the back

Stride iii: Choice up the new yarn from below and knit one stitch.

pick up the new color from below again and knit one stitch

Continue repeating pace 2+three for withal long yous run into fit (all-time washed for a full row).

repeat alternating between the two skeins to create a nice transition and join

Note: Aught speaks against using a knitting thimble or using the fair isle method of your choice.

PRO: Allows you to carefully alloy two different hues into each other.
CON: Very limited use cases and will leave you weaving in ends nonetheless.

Other ways to join in a new ball of yarn

Now, are there other means to add together a new ball in knitting? Definitely! Some just take a different name, while others make sense in simply very specific situations. I tried to mention the almost popular methods and the ones that make sense in my experience.

Above all, I would like to instill the idea that it's not one method you lot should use for every project. For instance, compare a reversible project, like a scarf, to a sweater. With the sweater, you have seams where you can hide tails on the whole wrong side that volition never go to meet the calorie-free of the day.

Then for the scarf, every role of it could be visible. Here, joining methods like the Russian join or the spit splice are probably much amend – even though they are a bit more visible.

And of course, I promise I was able to bring across that different fibers piece of work differently. The chief difference is whether they are feltable or non. Considering if the surface of the individual picayune hairs exercise non have microscopic scales, the fibers will never interlock (aka felt), and this ways one-half of the joining methods won't work or not work well.

In these cases, the very first method and weaving in ends the traditional way is oft the smartest and best pick. Often, I encounter knitters flocking around the newest and fancy flavor of the calendar month technique just there'south a reason for tradition as well: Information technology works!

And that's it. that'south how to bring together yarn in knitting. Comment beneath, in case you however have any questions.