Robin Stroot: Tips for hiding yarn tails/ends on knit or crochet items

Another way to make yarn changes is to incorporate the yarn changes into the first few stitches or crochet over the yarn ends with the next worked row of stitches. This method can be a time saver, especially when working with several rows of color changes on the project.

All ends should be woven on your project on the wrong side (non-public) side of the project. This can be accomplished by taking a tapestry needle and threading the yarn end into the eye of the needle. The tapestry needle is then worked through a few stitches along the wrong side of the project.

Second, match the color of the yarn by weaving the yarn ends through the same color on the wrong side of the project. For example, if your project is made in a pattern of red and white squares, red yarn ends should be woven on the non-public side of the red squares and vice versa. If one hides red yarn ends into the back of the white square section, the red will have a slight color distortion that will show through to the public side of the project.

Many crafters will weave yarn ends by taking a tapestry needle and working through four or five stitches, pull the yarn end through then clip the excess yarn strand off. However, ends woven in this fashion will often, through use and laundering, eventually work their way out. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to first weave through the initial one or two inches, then change directions with the tapestry needle and weave in the opposite direction of the first set of weaving in the back of the stitches, before trimming off the excess yarn end. Going back and forth in different directions helps lock the yarn end into place.

Watch tension when weaving in yarn ends. You want to be careful so that the stitches remain even with no distortion on either side of the garment or home decor item. Also, you can weave yarn ends along the edges when the edges will later be seamed together, hidden from view or covered with a set of border stitches. Where the project edges are seamed or covered, you may want to weave the yarn tail two to three inches along the edge and leave it as a single direction to reduce bulkiness along the edges of your project. The finishing seams and/or border will help lock in the yarn ends.