What is the best way to weave in yarn ends? Mine seem to be popping back out!
Finishing up
I always take a darning needle and weave it through purl bumps for about 4 inches, back and forth and then clip it with perhaps 1/4 of an inch then stretch it in. So far things have stay put.
I thought I did that! When I blocked it, two of the ends were sticking up out of the blanket. Should I stretch it again and hope they stay in?
Great video. Thanks for the link. That was close to what I did. I just never had the ends poke back up after washing the blanket. I’ve only been knitting for a couple of years. Well, I’ve been trying for several years, but only got fairly proficient at it in the last couple of years. All I’ve made so far are baby blankets and washcloths. I’m going to try my hand at a hat and scarf soon. Thanks for the help!
I noticed the little blurb about the video said that this was how to work in ends so they would not pop out on the right side of the work. I find that pretty easy to do. Keeping them from showing at all, at all is harder. I like to be able to cut the ends off leaving a bit of a tail (between 1/4 and maybe 3/8" long). This works great for keeping ends from popping through to the right side, but not so helpful with a blanket or 2 sided object.
There is a tutorial over at Knitty (not the only one I’m sure) about working in ends using duplicate stitch. It is real good for hiding ends when the ends may show (2 sided again) but I find even with doing them this way that it can have a little tag hanging after a while. I know with some types of yarn folks say they sew them in with thread, or even use glue of some sort. I’d use thread in a pinch, but glue doesn’t fit my style.
Ugh, ends.
The easiest thing is to put them on an edge. Since that leaves a longer tail. I make the end into a crochet chain stitch (so I don’t mistakenly pick that end up & start to knit with it.) Then undo the crochet & use it to seam the side.
In the body of the work. I splice the yarn. On wools, you lick the yarn ends. Overlap them. And rub them together. Like felting with saliva. I know that sounds gross. But it has to do with the enzymes. I read somewhere that soapy water works, too.
If it isn’t wool. I thread a sewing needle with the end of the yarn & weave it into the new end. This doesn’t work as well because the yarn is thicker & less smooth. You have to test to see if it will work on a particular yarn.
If it is bulky or can’t be spliced, then I weave in the loose ends. I wash the item (which I always do before wearing or gifting.) Then I go back & check that all the end stubs are hidden in stitches.