Does anyone know a way to secure the tail while you are knitting? Some patterns call for a long tail and it is always in the way. Thanks
You can cut it if it’s longer than 3", or wind it up into a butterfly bobbin if you want to use it for sewing up a seam.
I usually knit mine into the first row of knitting, that way I don’t have to weave it in later.
What is a butterfly bobbin?
Winding the yarn in a figure 8 around the thumb and little finger. Here’s a set of pictures - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristinroach/sets/72157607856938652/ though I do mine on my left hand. It makes a very small center pull skein.
Do you have any advice on keeping your pointer fingers from hurting after knitting. I switched to addi turbo needles from lace addi’s and they still hurt.
If I have to leave a long tail for seaming or something later, I wind it up into a loop then wind a few wraps around the loop & pull the end through to secure it. Otherwise I knit with it together with the working yarn like Abbily & clip it. (although the socks I am currently wearing still have the tail flapping in the breeze- how lazy am I? Which brings me to- if I am using the long tail to tell where the beginning of a round is I leave it hang.)
For the sore finger issue- depending on where it is you can try a bandaid when you knit (or just wait for a callus like a guitar player). Is it from the needle poking you because you’re using your finger to push the tip? If not- then I am not sure what to do except maybe try those knitter’s stress gloves?
Thanks, I am codylucas on Raverly. I am brand new and have not posted any pictures yet, but hope to soon.
I prefer longer tails than Suzeeq. I usually cut it to about 6 inches then just weave it in later.
What are you doing to make your index fingers hurt? If it’s how you hold them with the yarn around them while you knit, try a different method of holding the yarn. Youtube has dozens of knitting videos so you can see a lot of people knitting and how they hold their yarn. If it’s from pushing the needle tips, don’t. Loosen up so you don’t have to push the tip to get the st off the left needle. It should come off easily after it’s been knit into.
I forget - everyone else uses needles to weave in their ends, I use a crochet hook. And actually I usually don’t leave 3"; if it’s longer than an inch and a half, that’s enough for me.
I use the square or rectangular plastic bread wrap holder. I wrap the yarn around that and it dangles close to my project until I’m finished and doesn’t get in the way.
I weave it in as I go and knit it into a couple of stiches.
I use a plastic tab from a bread bag as a bobbin. I just wind the tail of the yarn onto a tab till it’s about 2" long and let it dangle. Works a charm.
i usually wind n tie it n later on i use it for sewing the finished work
I would suggest what suzeeq says about changing the way you knit but sometimes I do push the needle through with my finger and end up using a thimble but it does get quite cumbersome.