Some Ideas for Joining Yarn

At some point in knitting, you come to the end of a ball or skein and have to join in another ball. Also what can be annoying, you are in the middle of a row and see a knot approaching. Methods #1 and #2 are ideal for these situations.


In the sample below, you can see three methods for joining yarn (the back or private side of the knitting)

In the next photograph you can see the right or public side of the knitting. Above the pins, are the two mid-row joins - no disturbance in the knitting line.

Method #1 (top of the sample)
In the photographs below, you can see that I have unravelled the two ends of yarn for about 5cm., then twisted one each of the opposite plys together. I then knitted the “new” two-ply, beginning as close to the “waste” ply and finishing close to the other end of the splice, and continued knitting across the row. Then when you have blocked your knitting, clip the unused strands of yarn. This method is perfect for lace knitting.

Method #2 (middle of the sample)
Here you take the end of your yarn you have been knitting, and the beginning of your new yarn, and knit one stitch with both yarns., and continue across the row. On the return row remember that the one stitch will have two loops - knit them as one. When you have knitted a few more rows, gently tug on the two strands and make one “disappear” behind the other.

Method #3 (bottom of the sample)
This method is very basic. End one row with yarn you have been knitting. Begin with the new yarn on the next row.

I hope you find these descriptions and methods useful in your projects.
Anne Morison.