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Finishing · Beginner

Weaving in ends

To weave in an end, thread the tail onto a blunt yarn needle and run it under the strands of several stitches on the wrong side, then turn and run it back another way before you trim it. The changes of direction are what keep the end from working loose.

How to work it

  1. Thread the needle

    This is done with a blunt yarn needle and not with the hook. Push the cut end of the tail through the eye of the needle and pull a short length of it through.

  2. Go through the stitches

    A blunt needle, threaded with the tail, has been pushed under the posts of three stitches in the top row. The needle shows between the strands and is hidden where a strand lies over it.

    Turn the work so that its wrong side faces you, if it has one. Starting where the tail leaves the fabric, push the needle under the strands of several stitches in a line, and pull it through so that the tail follows and lies under those strands.

  3. Turn back

    The tail now runs under the stitches of the top row, and the needle has turned back: it passes under the stitches of the row below, pointing the other way.

    Change direction: push the needle back the opposite way under the strands of stitches close by, and pull the tail through again. Change direction once or twice more.

  4. Trim

    When the weaving is done, pull the tail snug and cut the end close to the fabric.

At a glance

Used for
the tails at the start and the end of every piece; the two tails left at every change of color or new ball of yarn
Tool
A blunt yarn needle. Some call it a tapestry needle.
Which side
The wrong side, wherever the piece has one
Which way
Through a few stitches one way, then back another way. One direction alone does not hold.
When to trim
After the weaving is done, close to the fabric
More than one color
Weave each tail into stitches of its own color, where it will not show.

Weaving in is what makes a piece last. A tail that is only cut short, or only knotted, will work its way out, and the stitches beside it can follow.

One pass in a straight line is not enough. The changes of direction are what hold the end in place.

A change of color, or a new ball of yarn, leaves two tails: the end of the old yarn and the start of the new. Each one is woven in on its own, into its own color.

Some crocheters work over a tail with the stitches of the next row as they go, which hides it at once. Any tail that is left at the end is woven in with a needle.

Tips

  • Leave tails of about 6 inches (15 cm) as you work, so that there is enough to thread and to weave.

When it goes wrong

An end keeps poking out.
It was woven in one direction only. Weave it again, and double back the opposite way for a few stitches before you cut it.

Questions

Do I really have to weave in the ends?
Yes. It is what keeps them from working loose, and the piece from coming undone.
Can I tie a knot instead?
A knot alone is not enough: it can work loose in time. Weave the end in.
When do I cut the end?
When the weaving is finished, and not before. Cut it close to the fabric.
How do I weave in ends where the color changes?
One tail at a time, each into stitches of its own color, on the wrong side.
Where do I weave an end on a piece with no wrong side?
Where it shows least. Hide it as well as you can: follow the line of the stitches, through stitches of its own color.

Where to go next

Stitches

Guides

Patterns