How To Weave In the Ends Of Yarn Tails On Your Crochet Projects

Technique Tuesday – Weaving In the Ends On Your Crochet Projects

12/16/2014

Technique Tuesday - Step-by-step crochet and knitting photo tutorials by Shibaguyz Designz

How To Weave In the Ends Of Yarn Tails On Your Crochet Projects

Technique
Weaving In the Ends On Your Crochet Projects

What is it?
At the end of projects and anywhere a new length of yarn is joined, there is a tail of yarn remaining that must woven in. This instruction is often at the end of a pattern written as: Weave in ends.

Weaving in the end of a tail of yarn secures the yarn tail so it does not come unraveled and hides the tail so it can not be seen.

Technique Tuesday - A free step-by-step photo tutorial for How To Weave In the Ends Of Yarn Tails In Crochet Fabric by Shibaguyz Designz

Why Use It?
Whether at the end of a project or at a yarn join in the middle of a project, the tail must be woven in to prevent the stitches from unraveling. Weaving the tail in securely prevents that tail from slipping out and causing a hole down the line.

We have worked quite a few repair jobs where a family heirloom blanket or garment looks moth eaten in spots because of holes. In just about every case, the holes were caused by a tail slipping out and stitches coming undone as a result.

To Work Today's Tutorial
Here's a list of materials we used to make the swatch for today's Weaving In the Ends tutorial. While you can, of course, use any materials you have on hand, these materials listed are what we recommend you use while you are learning.

Yarn Used
CYCA 4
Worsted Weight, 100% Pure Wool

Hook Used
H-8/5.00mm Crochet Hook

Tools
Yarn Needle

Skillz Used
Foundation Double Crochet (Fdc): Ch 3, yo insert hook in 3rd ch from hook, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 1 loop (first “chain” made), (yo and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice (first dc made), * insert hook under 2 loops of the “chain” just made, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 1 loop (“chain” made), (yo and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice (dc); repeat from * for indicated number of foundation stitches.

NOTE: For a refresher on Foundation Stitches, check out these two step-by-step tutorials:
How to make the Foundation Single Crochet Stitch
How to make the Foundation Half Double Crochet Stitch

Double Crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in next st, yarn over and draw up a loop (3 loops on hook), (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice.

First Double Crochet (First-dc): Here's a step-by-step tutorial for the First-dc stitch technique.

Swatch
Foundation Row: 10 Fdc, turn.
Row 1: Make First-dc, dc in next st and in each st to end of row, turn.
Row 2–6: Repeat Row 1.
Fasten off (leaving approximately 6" tail).
Block your swatch so it lays nice and flat then we're ready to weave in our ends!

Break It Down
For our tutorial today, we will be using a swatch of Double Crochet (dc) stitches but the principle remains the same regardless of the stitch pattern: Follow the outline.

Whether you are weaving in ends on a lace swatch or a solid panel of sc-v crochet stitches, if you weave in your ends by following the outline of the stitches, you'll have a nearly invisible result.

1. Thread the Needle – You're going to need a yarn needle for weaving in your ends. We have a dozen or more of these scattered about in various places and in every project bag. Pretty much every time we are at our LYS, we grab a few more… just in case…

The tail here is in a lighter colored yarn so it is easier to see and we've left the tail a LITTLE longer than necessary. Always better safe than sorry.

2. We use a special technique for weaving in the end of that last tail so we're going to show you that first. We call this our End Cap Stitch and it is used only for this last tail that is pulled through after you cut your yarn at the end of a project.

Use this instead of making one more chain stitch before you cut your yarn and pull it through. Doing that just makes another little annoying knot on the end of your beautiful row of crochet stitches. ICK!

To begin, you will insert your yarn needle from front to back…

3. …just through the vertical bars of the stitch under the head of your last stitch.

NOTE: If you are working this End Cap Stitch on a Single Crochet (sc) or Half Double Crochet (hdc) stitch, you will insert your needle through the head of the stitch one row below. Single Crochet and Half Double Crochet stitches are shorter so you can put your End Cap Stitch over the entire end of these stitches.

4. And pull it through… not too snug yet. Not yet…

5. Now we're going to go back up through the head of that last stitch made. Make sure to insert your yarn needle right back where your tail came from.

6. And pull it through… This is where you will adjust and snug up your stitch so it blends in nicely with the tension of the rest of your crochet fabric.

NOTE: If you have mastered the Duplicate Stitch technique for finishing and weaving in the tail when working crochet in-the-round, you will recognize that this is very similar. We use that same technique here to create a tidy little corner loop. You can learn the Duplicate Stitch technique here: How to Make the Duplicate Stitch for Crochet In The Round

7. Even using lighter colored yarn, you can see how invisibly that tail is woven in already.

Isn't that a pretty little End Cap Stitch?

Neat, tidy, clean… just the way we like it!

8. And here's what that same stitch looks like from the back of your crochet fabric.

9. Now that we've put a neat and tidy finish on our work, we'll start with securing the rest of the tail.

NOTE: If you are weaving in an end in the middle of a row or at the end of a row in the middle of your larger crochet panel, this is where you will begin to follow the outline of the stitch. Again, we are demonstrating on a swatch of Double Crochet (dc) stitches but the principle remains the same.

With the back of your work facing you, insert your hook from top to bottom through the horizontal bar of the stitch right below the head of the stitch.

10. And pull the yarn through making sure that you snug up the yarn to match the tension of the rest of the stitches in your crochet fabric.

11. Now you are going to insert your yarn needle from right to left through the parts of the stitch that come through the head of the stitch of the previous row. These are the loops that you pull through first after you insert your crochet hook into a stitch to make your current stitch. Look carefully at the photo and you will see the correct stitches easily.

A good rule of thumb when working this step is to run the yarn tail along these stitches for about 1.5 to 2 inches. Conveniently, that is the length of MOST yarn needles! Here, we have worked for a shorter distance because this is a smaller swatch.

12. And pull the tail all the way through and snug it up to match the tension of the rest of the stitches.

13. To really lock the tail into place, we like to go back the way we came. First, insert your yarn needle from bottom to top through the vertical bar of the head of the first available stitch. This is going to give us an anchor point so we can run the yarn back the way we came without pulling it back out.

14. And pull the tail through. As you look at this photo, notice how you can hardly see the yarn at all even though it is a lighter color.

15. Now run your yarn needle from left to right back the way you came.

16. And snug up the tail.

17. Here's a photo of the front of that same crochet swatch.

18. And THIS is front of that same swatch with the actual tail woven in. Complete invisible!

Note how that End Cap Stitch in the red yarn is COMPLETELY invisible here as well. FAB!!

All that's left to do now is pull the end of your yarn tail just a TEENY bit further out of the end of the fabric and SNIP off the excess yarn. Gently finger block everything back into place and the cut end of the yarn tail should disappear completely!

TAADAA!!

A Final Word… Or Two…
PRO TIP: We always recommend blocking your swatches and finished projects BEFORE you weave in your ends. If you weave in your ends first, you might end up with some tails popping out as you shape and stretch the fabric into the final dimensions needed.

The key to weaving in the tails of your yarn in ANY crochet fabric is to use your yarn needle to follow the outline of the stitches. Yes, if there are a lot of tails to weave in, it can take a little while. But, hey, it's all part of the making process. You can't cook without washing some dishes and you can crochet or knit without weaving in at least the starting and ending tails. Enjoy the process! And practice! The more you do this, the better you will become and soon weaving in ends will just be another step in your process to making the most beautiful handmade projects you possibly can.

Be sure to check back next week… we're going to weave in the ends on knit fabrics!

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Stitch On!
S&J

Oh hey… before you go… Here are a few more pages we thought you might be interested in. Click on any of the photos below… enjoy!