What are people’s preferred method of joining in a new ball? I thought I’d try splicing but found the wool I am using too slippery!
What kind of fiber are you using that would be slippery. Not everything can be spit spliced.
Plain wool and other animal fibers, I spit splice. Superwash wool, acrylics and most synthetics, I use a Russian join. Cottons, I just weave in ends.
I usually just start knitting and weave the ends in later.
If you prefer though…Russian join is good for non felting yarns and spit splicing is good for feltable yarns.
I like to overlap the new and the old yarn and knit one or two sts with both. The double thickness isn’t any more of a problem than it is with Russian join.
Thanks all - I’m using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, which is 55% extra fine merino, 12% cashmere and 33% Acrylic. Next question, though - what is a Russian join, please? I don’t think it’s something that crops up on our side of the pond.
Here’s a video for Russian join. It’s a neat way to start a new ball of yarn.
Thanks! That looks so neat!!
Another to try is the braided join. I’m doing a garter stitch shawl and am trying to have the ends as close to invisible as possible so I tried the Russian Join with my Red Heart With Love yarn and it would not hold for me and I’m using the braided join. I may like it, I may not, the jury is still out.
thanks for that link. i’m so glad lorraineL’s videos popped up first - didn’t know about the braided version of the russian join. i have execution issues with the regular version, but i just practiced the braided version twice, and it worked both times! also a plus that it lays flatter because of the snugness of the braid.
I decided I didn’t like the shawl so I wound the last of the ball I was working with up and have started from the other end, will pull the knitting out of the old one when I get there. If the braided join still looks good when I reuse that yarn, I’ll be more confident of it and will try to remember to let you know.
I tried the Russian join before and had problems with it. I don’t know if it’s just me or something to do with the yarn. I had to rip several rows because it was coming out already and tried again with the same result. Thus far the braided join is still on the I Think It Might Be OK list. I may need to find some matching sewing thread and try to secure those ravely bits that I can still see.
As you’ll see, I’ve had lots of excellent suggestions - not tried yet but will be doing when next ball is needed (quite soon!) and will report when I’ve had a go.
I just successfully carried out the Russian join - much neater and no need to darn in loose ends!
Thanks all for the help - I’ll maybe try the braiding later…