Tuesday’s Crochet Tip – Weaving in Ends
We’re celebrating National Crochet Month with some handy crochet tips! This week’s tip shows us the proper way to weave in your ends.
Weaving in ends is one of the most tedious aspects of knitting and crocheting for me. I have heard of some people who enjoy it, but I’m definitely not one of them. It’s time consuming, especially if you have a beautiful colorwork project. Most advice says to weave in your ends as you go along. That plan always sounds so appealing in the beginning, but never seems to work out!
After all that work you put into your project, weaving in your ends properly is essential. You don’t want them to slip out and poke through. Everyone has their own opinion on the best way to weave in ends. This way seems to please almost everyone.
Step 1. Thread your tapestry hook and insert it vertically down into the stitch closest to the base of the yarn. I like to go down about 1/2″, but adjust this based on the project itself. If it’s very open work, I may only go down a couple stitches at a time.
Step 2. Insert your needle horizontally into the stitches next to it. Again, I like to do about 1/2″, but less if that helps keep the end hidden.
Step 3. Now insert your needle vertically again, this time going up. This weaving in and out will keep your thread secure. If you can only go a couple stitches vertically at a time, try repeating these steps another one or two times to make sure it’s really secure.
Now this is where opinions differ. Some of us like to leave a long tail when you’re done weaving in the ends, then block the project. Once it’s done blocking, then you can cut the tail. The logic is that the tail may wiggle out a bit when the project is blocking. Personally I just snip the tail when I’m done weaving, but the other way seems much more thorough!
Do you have a technique for weaving in your ends? Do you enjoy weaving in all those ends or find it a tedious chore?
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March 12th, 2013 at 11:27 am
I do it just like you do. I think it’s a tedious chore and have been known to choose projects (or not) based on how many ends I will have to weave in.
March 12th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
It is tedious, but it is worth it, my mother does NOT weave in her ends, she just ties them off, and after washing, they unwind, and then it is a russian join with hopefully close to the color yarn, and weave them in. Much easier to just do it right the first time.
March 12th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
I follow your suggestion for weaving in ends but also I place a drop of fray check on the end so it will not pull out easily. With large projects I don’t always use it but with making hearts and shamrocks I always use the fray check.
March 12th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
I weave in the tails back & forth 3 times going over the last underpassed yarn. That way they don’t have a chance to undo. I’m not one for knotting, makes a bump. Yes, weaving in tails is a chore, but you do want a fabulous looking project, right! Here is a baby blanket I am working on with tails everywhere….LoL
March 12th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
I don’t like weaving them in but it is a necessary evil! Depending on the yarn, I will sometimes use a smaller needle, a steel embroidery needle with a large eye, and instead of going under stitches, I go through a few strands of yarn on a few stitches, then under one or two, turn and repeat. Going through the yarn just a little seems to anchor the tail in – almost a felting effect??
March 12th, 2013 at 5:17 pm
Thanks, this has helped me very much…
March 16th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
I was never actually “taught” how to weave in my ends. I always thought working over the ends on the next row was the way to do it until I was on a project where that wasn’t working. Then I tried weaving in the end and knotting. Glad to know about the up and down, repeat and then don’t knot at all. I like the other suggestions too!
February 21st, 2016 at 10:30 am
Thanks to Katie, for the idea to use fray check. That is what I’ll use from now on. Thanks again.