Hello, new knitter here and I REALLY need some help! I’ve finished a blanket, woven in the ends, and it just went through the wash for the first time. Every single one of my ends have come undone!! I was very careful, used plenty of yarn for weaving in, went back and forth multiple times, and they are still coming undone (to clarify- not the knots just the ends that have been woven in are coming “untucked”). I’m kind of losing my mind over here because this is supposed to be a gift so I definitely don’t want any ends showing! The project is about 15 skeins so there are a lot of them all over the blanket - she’d have to be blind not to notice them. Is there anything I can do besides starting again from scratch??
If you have some thread the same color you might be able to weave them in again and then tack the ends down with thread.
What I do is weave in the ends then for the last several stitches I split the yarns and the go back and split the yarn you’re weaving in. Seems to help. But the thread should.
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I find that happens sometimes to me but i also find thst if i tweek it after the wash the problem subsides
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Do you mean weaving in more yarn or thread? I’m using a rather soft acrylic yarn. Can you explain how I would tack using thread with this kind of yarn?
I pull the 1/4" or so that pops out a little and cut it off. Most don’t do it again.
I just mean a regular needle and thread on the back of it and go around the yarn end a few times. If you tied knots and they are tight then you might be able to do what Mike suggested and cut them short. I don’t usually tie knots so I’m not sure myself.
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I just meant cut the part that pops out in the first wash. After that they’re usually fuzzed enough to stop coming out.
I knot and still leave long tails to weave in so plenty is left the little bit isn’t missed.
On sweaters I purposefully leave bits hanging out on the inside so they don’t pop out on the outside. Double knitting is nice where they just get stuffed in the middle.
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That is what i tried to say. Clipping them after the wash causes the problem to subside.
Thank you to everyone who helped me out with this! I tried fray check on all the little ends that came out (after re-shortening them) and so far it’s working amazingly! Thanks again!
Ps. Here’s a pic of the project 
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Lovely!
Such a lovely soft blanket. I’m glad you were able to fix those pesky ends.
When you sew in ends what you really do is do duplicate stitch, but on the back. When you have done several complete du[plicate stitches change to a sharp needle and pierce a few stitches, reverse and pierce your end thread on itself. This should do it. This problem is why wool is a great yarn to work with. Acrylic just doesn’t stick to itself like wool does, but the price of acrylic can’t be beat for large projects like yours.
Did you block your blanket? I never used to block things but I do now.
Even if it is acrylic it can be blocked.
Wash/rinse on gentle cycle. Place on a dry towel - you may have to do this in sections. The cover with a DAMP towel. Gently run a hot iron over the portion covered by the damp towel. DO NOT LET THE TOP TOWEL DRY OUT. (I also pinned my edges so they were straight and even.) Continue to pin, cover with damp towel, and iron until the entire blanket has been blocked.
Then allow to dry completely.
(I did all of this on the unused bed in the guest bedroom.
This works for me. It somehow binds the ends to the blanket fibers and they don’t come loose.
Ah, that is the problem! Acrylic yarn does not matt together – so when you wash the blanket, they simply slide right out! If it was wool, the ends matt with the other pieces of yarn, and they stick together.
With acrylic, you need to use other methods of weaving in the ends. As someone suggested, split the yarn into the plies, and weave in the ends separately. Extra work, I know, but —
Also, I tend to leave long tails after weaving in, and then trim them AFTER washing. I know they will shift a lot during the wash, so after the wash, I cut off what is left. Hopefully, they don’t come out in the next wash, but if I give it away, then it is not my problem anymore!
Of course, I don’t like acrylic for this reason. If I must use it, I tie knots! Sacrilege, I know, but so is using acrylic! Two mistakes make a right, I try to convince myself. When I must change yarns, I tie a knot, and then weave in the ends. Depending on where the join is, I often use the Russian join – seems to be cleaner and doesn’t come apart easily. Or a simple knot with long enough ends going back over the same colour and just knit them in.
Cotton is similar in that it does not matt together easily. Animal fibres are best.
There doesn’t seem to be an easy way to hide ends with acrylic, so try not to use it, or not have many yarn ends. Try wool next time… not as much trouble in the end.
It’s beautiful, Grace, congratulations!
do the endings with a carpet needle , using s or Z shape pattern, see youtube