The old skein runs out. The new one needs to start. The transition should be tidy in the finished fabric and secure enough not to unravel.
The four main methods are the overlap join (most universal, two tails to weave in), Russian join (no loose tails, slightly thicker), spit splice (nearly invisible but only for feltable wool), and magic knot (fast but leaves a knot). The best choice depends on the yarn’s fiber content and how much you care about weaving in ends.
At a glance
| Method | Yarn compatibility | Tails to weave | Visibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overlap | Any | 2 | Low after finishing | Default choice, all yarns |
| Russian join | Plied yarns work best | 0 loose tails | Slight thickening | Knitters who hate weaving |
| Spit splice | Feltable animal fibers | 0 | Nearly invisible | Non-superwash wool projects |
| Magic knot | Many yarns, with trade-offs | 0 | Knot in fabric | Bulky/felted projects only |
Method 1: the overlap join
Most universal. Start knitting with the new yarn, leaving tails on both old and new. Knit the first few stitches with the new yarn, holding the old tail alongside. Drop the old tail after a few stitches. Weave in both ends later.
Works with any yarn, needs no prep, and you can do it mid-row or at the edge. The downside: two tails to weave in, and the overlap stitches can look slightly thicker until the ends are woven in and the fabric is blocked. This is the method most knitters learn first, and it’s the right choice whenever weaving in ends doesn’t bother you.
Some knitters prefer to join at row beginnings rather than mid-row. The tails end up at the edge where they’re easier to hide in a seam. For flat pieces that get seamed, this is cleanest. For knitting in the round, there’s no edge, so mid-round joining is unavoidable.
Weaving in overlap tails well
The weave-in is what makes or breaks the overlap join. A sloppy weave-in unravels eventually, especially in superwash wool where the fibers don’t grip.
Thread the tail onto a yarn needle. Travel through the back of the work, splitting individual plies of the surrounding stitches rather than running along the surface. Splitting plies locks the tail in place through friction. Work far enough that the tail won’t pull free, change direction once, then trim close after the fabric has relaxed. The change of direction helps stop the tail from working loose with washing.
For superwash, slippery yarns (silk, bamboo, mercerized cotton), or anything that doesn’t grip well, leave longer tails and weave further. The mechanical security has to do all the work because the fiber itself won’t help.
Method 2: the Russian join
No loose ends to weave in. The old and new tails are threaded back through themselves with a yarn needle, creating two interlocking loops.
Thread the old yarn’s tail onto a yarn needle. Pierce back through the old yarn’s plies for a short distance, creating a loop at the end. Do the same with the new yarn. Link the two loops together like chain links before pulling tight. Trim the tails close.
A sharp yarn needle helps. Blunt needles slide between plies rather than splitting into the yarn, which can produce a weaker join. The needle needs an eye large enough for the yarn and a tip sharp enough to burrow into the strand.
Very secure because the join is integrated into the yarn itself. The joined section is slightly thicker (two layers for about 2 inches on each side), which shows in very thin yarn. Plied yarns are easiest to pierce cleanly; singles and very splitty yarns can be harder to join neatly this way.
Best for knitters who genuinely dislike weaving in ends and are working with plied yarn. From DK weight and heavier, the thickness increase is often unobtrusive. For fingering and lace, the join can show as a slightly thicker spot, though finishing usually softens it.
Method 3: the spit splice (felt join)
Only works with non-superwash wool and other feltable animal fibers.
Overlap the ends by a few inches. Wet them (the name comes from the traditional method, but water works fine). Roll the overlap vigorously between your palms. Friction plus moisture felts the fibers together, creating a secure bond with very little bulk.
The result can be nearly invisible: no obvious thickness change and nothing to weave in. The limitation is obvious. It only works with feltable yarn. Cotton, acrylic, superwash wool, silk, linen, and bamboo won’t felt. If the bond isn’t strong enough (not enough friction or moisture), it pulls apart.
Many wool knitters’ favorite method. If your yarn felts, worth learning.
To test whether a yarn will splice, take two short scraps and try it before committing to a project. Some “wool” yarns have a superwash treatment or non-feltable blend that prevents the felt bond. A small test is better than discovering halfway through a sweater that the joins fail.
Method 4: the magic knot
Overlap old and new yarn. Tie the old around the new with an overhand knot, then tie the new around the old with another. Slide both knots toward each other until they meet and lock. Trim tails close.
Fast, secure when tied well, and no ends to weave in. But there’s a knot in the fabric. Even a tight magic knot creates a small hard point that can be felt in thin fabric and may work to the surface over time. In slippery yarns (silk, bamboo), the knots can slip undone. Many knitters avoid knots in garments, full stop.
Best for thick fabrics where a knot disappears (bulky blankets, felted items). Not for garments or delicate work.
Choosing the right method
For most situations, the overlap join with woven-in ends is safest and most universal. Works with every yarn, clean result after finishing, no special technique needed.
For non-superwash wool, the spit splice gives the cleanest result. It takes practice to get the pressure and moisture right, but once it clicks, it’s fast and nearly invisible.
The Russian join suits knitters who genuinely dislike ends, working with plied yarn from DK and heavier.
Timing the join
If you can plan ahead, you have options. When you’re getting close to the end of a skein, measure the remaining yarn against the width of your work. Enough for several more rows? You have room. Barely enough for one? Join at the beginning of the next row so the tails land at the edge.
A rough rule for measuring: lay the remaining yarn next to the row you’re about to knit. If it’s about 4 times the row width, you have one row’s worth. The math isn’t exact (purls use slightly more yarn than knits, stitch patterns vary), but it’s close enough to plan a clean join location.
For stockinette in the round, stagger your joins so they don’t all fall at the same point. Moving the join a few stitches each time prevents a visible column of slightly different texture.
Joining hand-dyed yarn between skeins
Hand-dyed yarn varies skein to skein, even within the same dye lot. The “alternating skeins” trick prevents a sharp color line where two skeins meet.
When starting a new skein on a hand-dyed project, alternate between the old and new skeins for several rows. Many knitters use two rows from one skein, then two rows from the other. Carry the unused yarn loosely up the side. This blends any tonal difference into a transition zone instead of a visible line. After several repeats, drop the old skein for good and continue with the new.
For high-contrast hand-dyed (variegated yarn with strong color pooling), the alternating-skein trick also helps avoid stripes lining up across skein changes. Two skeins blended together pool differently than either one alone.
Factory knots inside skeins
Sometimes the skein itself has a knot. Yarn mills sometimes splice mid-skein when a strand breaks during winding, tying the two pieces together with a small knot. You’ll find these mid-project without warning.
Don’t knit through the knot. Cut the yarn at the knot, treat the two pieces as separate skeins, and use whichever join method matches your yarn. A small knot in finished knitting reads as a flaw even if it doesn’t unravel. Factory knots happen with mass-produced yarn.
When yarn breaks mid-stitch
The yarn snaps while you’re working a stitch. Doesn’t happen often, but it does happen with old yarn, weakened spots, or aggressive frogging.
Stop. The half-worked stitch can be slipped back to the left needle. Treat the break as a normal join: leave a tail on the broken end, attach the new yarn with your preferred method, and continue from where you left off. The fact that the break happened mid-stitch doesn’t change the technique.
If the yarn breaks repeatedly in different places, check the skein. Sometimes a damaged skein has multiple weak spots and the whole skein isn’t worth the joins. Return it if you bought it recently.
Notes on joining
Tying a knot and continuing is technically possible but generally poor practice. The knot creates a hard lump, can work loose, and shows on inspection.
For tails, leave enough length to thread a yarn needle comfortably. Too short, and weaving becomes fussy. For slippery yarns, longer tails are safer.
Where you join depends on the project. Seamed garments: join at the edge, tails hide in the seam. Knitting in the round: mid-round joins are unavoidable. Avoid the center front of a sweater if you can.
If the new yarn is a slightly different shade (different dye lot), alternate skeins for a few rows before switching completely. Two rows old, two rows new, repeated several times, blends the transition instead of creating a sharp line.
FAQ
Can I join a new color the same way as a new ball of the same color? Mostly yes, but a color change joined with an overlap will show one or two rows of slight blending. For clean color transitions in colorwork, join the new color at the edge of the row and weave the tails into the back of the matching color section. Spit splices don’t work for color changes because they blend the two yarns visibly.
What if my yarn is too splitty for a Russian join? Use the overlap method instead. The Russian join needs cohesive plies to pierce through. Singles, loosely-plied yarns, and very fluffy yarns won’t hold the join.
Does the join show on the wrong side? Slightly. Even a clean spit splice has a tiny bump where the splice happens. Overlap joins show as a doubled section of yarn until the tails are trimmed. Russian joins show as a thickened section. None of these are visible on the right side of finished, blocked fabric.
How do I weave in ends in lace or other open fabric? Harder, because there’s less fabric to hide tails in. Work the tail along the back of a structural column (the stitches that aren’t yarn overs), splitting plies as you go. For very open lace, plan joins at the edges where they can be woven into the border rather than the body of the pattern.
Why does my woven-in tail keep working loose? Usually too short, not enough direction changes, or the yarn doesn’t grip well (superwash, silk, slippery synthetics). Extend the weave, add a zigzag, and split plies rather than running along the surface. If the yarn is very slippery, leave a longer tail and check the ends again after blocking.