How to Join Yarn in Knitting

How to join a new ball of yarn into your knitting project

how to join yarn

There comes a time when you want to knit a project using more than one ball or skein of yarn.  My next knitting challenge for beginner knitters is a Festive Cowl which uses two balls of wool so you will need to know how to join in the second one. This short article shows you how.

There are a couple of ways to join in yarn.

Join Yarn with Yarn Needle

yarn through yarn needle

You will need a yarn needle - this is a needle with a blunt point but has a large bore hole to thread your yarn through.  

Thread the yarn from the new ball of yarn into the yarn needle.

Weave the yarn needle into the end of your working end starting at the end and working towards the knitting needle.

Pull yarn through until you can remove the yarn needle.

GENTLY pull the two yarns until the ends disappear.

Knit as usual but be sure not to pull on your join or they will separate again. Also be very careful when you come to those stitches on the next row.

JOIN YARN WITH LONG TAILS

Knit until you have 3 or 4 inches of yarn left. 

On the wrong side of your project - hang a tail of 3 or 4 inches from the new yarn

Gather the two strands together and knit 3 or 4 stitches.

Drop the end of the first ball on the wrong side of the knitting and knit as before.

Take care when you come to those stitches on the next row - remember there are a double strand to knit together and don't end up with extra stitches. 

Knit a couple of rows and check the join. 

You can weave in the ends now or wait until you finishe the project.

joined yarn

Use a yarn needle to weave in the ends.

Sew the ends in where they will not be noticed. 

weave in one end using a yarn needle

weave in the second end using a yarn needle

How you join looks after knitting - wrong side of project

how joined yarn looks on the right side of the project