Joining new yarn
It's hard to believe I've never written a post about joining new yarn to a project. Or to be precise, I wrote a post about the magic knot, but that is hardly a good post, because there are many more ways and arguably better ones to join yarn. As usual in knitting, that means there is no single way that is better than others. It depends on many factors. Some methods are discrete, but arduous and a project may not require the extra work, some methods work very well for certain situations and not at all for others, some people prefer one method, others hate it, etc, etc.
What methods do I prefer? I'll describe the methods that are worth knowing in greater detail below, but let me give you an overview first. If working ribbing, because in this case it's so easy to weave in the yarn through the side of a column of knit stitches in a almost invisible way, I use the no-join method. I also, out of pure laziness, often use the overlap (when joining the same yarn) or the weave-in-as-you-go methods (for joining different colours), even if I'm sure these are probably not the best methods available. However, if a piece has no wrong side, these methods are no good at all. In that case, spit splicing or the Russian join are the best options. They are probably also better options in most situations, but they are more laborious too. So, it really depends on how lazy you are. As for knots, I do not think they are very discrete in most situations and, even if it may be irrational, I fear the knot may come undone later. Hence, I avoid them.
An important thing to remember is that no join is perfect and by that I mean perfectly invisible. This means that you should make sure your join, no matter which method you use, is as short as strictly necessary, i.e. just short enough to be secure (since any join can come undone, if it's too short). In other words, you want to find that middle ground between too short to be safe and not too long to be visible. Hence, in the descriptions below, pay attention to how long the join is for each method. You'll only need to make it longer if your yarn is very slippery.
The Ashley Bend
The Hunter's Bend, also known as the Rigger's Bend,
Quite frankly, for the reasons I mentioned above, I cannot recommend knots, except in very specific situations. Even in situations that the knot will not be visible, there is the danger of it unravelling and that is a real problem for me. One thing I noticed with the magic knot is that when you pull it hard, it holds, but if you pull it slowly it can come undone. The problem with this is that it is exactly the latter that is going to happen to your fabric when you use it, wash it, block it, etc.
Knit 3 or 4 stitches with both ends together, aka as overlap join. This method is so obvious that it does not require a video or photo tutorial: (1) you must have a tail of the old yarn that is long enough for knitting 3 or 4 stitches and a little extra, (2) join the two threads so that the tails are going in opposite directions, (3) knit 3 to 4 stitches, (4) drop the old yarn and continue to knit with the new. Advantages of this method (1) it is the easiest method of all methods, (2) it is relatively discrete on the right side of your work, even if you can still notice the thicker stitches at close inspection. Disadvantages: (1) it leaves two small tails on the wrong side of the work (this is unavoidable, if you cut them, the stitches will unravel), so it does not work for pieces like scarves where the wrong side is visible or open-work lace; (2) obviously, it does not work if you want to join a different yarn, for example, when working stripes; (3) it may not work with slippery yarn or very open work where the stitches are too loose. A possible solution for the last problem is to knit more stitches together.
The straight Russian join. I just made up that name. The advantages and disadvantages of this method are pretty much the same as for the standard Russian join (read them below). There is an extra (small) disadvantage, which is that it is slightly weaker than the standard Russian join, which can be fixed by making it longer. Therefore, I prefer to use the Russian join, but you may disagree with me. Here is a video that shows this method:
Spit Splicing is one of the preferred methods to join new yarn. The biggest problem with this method is that it only works with yarn that felts, since this is what the method does: felts the two ends together. This means it only works with animal fibres and it does not work as good with superwash wool (although I'm told that if you persevere you can spit splice superwash wool too). Note, there are two ways of spit splicing yarn, (1) the lazy, straightforward one, just wet the two ends of yarn, then join and rub them together, (2) the professional, which is shown on the video below, where you cut half of each end, in order to get a better join. The disadvantage of the lazy way is that, just as in the methods above, you get a thicker join that shows in your work at close inspection. Other disadvantages of spit splicing in general are: (1) the felted yarn is stiffer than normal yarn and this is not very visible, but it is noticeable to the touch; (2) it is more laborious than other methods and (3) not as good for thin yarns or for lace, because even the most careful felted join will show against the lacy fabric, (4) it is really only useful for joining 2 identical ends. The biggest advantage is, of course, no ends what so ever.
No-join join is the most standard method to join yarn (warning: I made up that name). Just leave a few inches of the two tails hanging loose and weave them in at the end. Some people like to knot theses tails together, but that is really not necessary. The advantage of this method is that you leave all the work to the end. In other words, all its disadvantages are passed on to whatever method you use to weave in the ends. One disadvantage of this method is that it is really frustrating when you think you are done knitting that you still have a lot of ends to weave in, so most people prefer methods that weave in the ends "as you go" instead of leaving all the work to the end. Another important disadvantage is that, depending on your project and the location of your ends, it can be very difficult or even impossible to weave in the ends in a satisfactory way. This is true in particular when knitting lace or when your piece does not have a wrong side where to hide the ends. Last, but not the least, the main advantage of this method is that it works with all yarn changes.
Weaving in a you go is a good method, in particular when working with different yarn changes. It really is equivalent to the no-join join, except that you weave in the ends as you go, not at the end. It is useful mainly for stockinette (but it can be adapted for other stitches) when there is a wrong side, as the ends are woven in on the purl side and are quite visible on it. The main advantage of this method is that there are no ends to weave in at the end of the work. The main disadvantage is that, I think, it is more arduous than weaving in using a more standard method (i.e. with a darning needle). This method can be quite discrete and is less work than, for example, the spit splicing method. It also has the advantage that it can be used for any yarn change.
Here is a video that shows how to weave in the old end on the knit side:
And here is how to weave in the new end on purl side:
Both methods shown in these videos can be used in exactly the same way whether you have an old or a new end to weave in. The way I use this method is that I weave in first the new yarn as I continue to knit with the old end for approximately 6 to 8 stitches, then start knitting with the new yarn and continue to weave in the old end for about the same number of stitches. This can be done even in the middle of a row without a problem. Notice that this join spans 12 to 16 stitches, which means that it's quite long, which makes it less discrete than other options, both to the touch (the fabric will be thicker and have less drape in the region) and to the eye (the stitches on the right side will be slightly twisted). The videos assume you are knitting stockinette stitch, but this method can be adapted for other stitches. However, it's no good for reverse stockinette stitch or any other stitch pattern that is not made of mostly knit stitches on the right side of the fabric. Garter stitch, for example, is OK as long as you're joining while working the right side, otherwise the woven-in ends will be perfectly visible.
Another disadvantage of this method is that sometimes, specially if the fabric is stretched, you can see the other colour through. To avoid this, there is another method of weaving in the ends as you go (which, in addition, avoids the jog in stripes, although this can be done with any other method too) and may be worth learning if you are knitting a project with lots of stripes, the overcast method.
The Russian Join The main problem with this method is that it requires the yarn to be hollow, i.e. constructed from many strands twisted together. This is the most standard type of yarn, but, still, not all yarns are like this. The other disadvantages are: (1) it creates a join that is at least twice as thick as normal yarn and this is still visible, but, depending on how successful you are creating this join, it can be a bit more discrete than other methods; (2) it still leaves some tiny ends of yarn on (hopefully) the wrong side of the work, but these are much smaller than in other methods (except for spit splicing which leaves no ends); (3) if joining different yarn, it is impossible to place the join at an exact spot, so it is usually only useful for joining the same yarn or when the exact spot the yarn changes is not absolutely crucial; (4) it may not be sturdy enough with slippery yarn; (5) it may come undone if the yarn is twisted loosely. Advantages: as I mention before, depending on how your yarn is twisted and how successful you are creating the join without ruining the structure of the yarn (which happens mainly if the yarn is twisted loosely) this method can be relatively easy to execute and pretty discrete.
What methods do I prefer? I'll describe the methods that are worth knowing in greater detail below, but let me give you an overview first. If working ribbing, because in this case it's so easy to weave in the yarn through the side of a column of knit stitches in a almost invisible way, I use the no-join method. I also, out of pure laziness, often use the overlap (when joining the same yarn) or the weave-in-as-you-go methods (for joining different colours), even if I'm sure these are probably not the best methods available. However, if a piece has no wrong side, these methods are no good at all. In that case, spit splicing or the Russian join are the best options. They are probably also better options in most situations, but they are more laborious too. So, it really depends on how lazy you are. As for knots, I do not think they are very discrete in most situations and, even if it may be irrational, I fear the knot may come undone later. Hence, I avoid them.
An important thing to remember is that no join is perfect and by that I mean perfectly invisible. This means that you should make sure your join, no matter which method you use, is as short as strictly necessary, i.e. just short enough to be secure (since any join can come undone, if it's too short). In other words, you want to find that middle ground between too short to be safe and not too long to be visible. Hence, in the descriptions below, pay attention to how long the join is for each method. You'll only need to make it longer if your yarn is very slippery.
Knots
Let me start by mentioning knots in order to get them out of our way. There is what knitters call the magic knot and as I mentioned above, I already wrote a a post about it. The magic knot is a favourite with knitters because it is relatively small, but still quite sturdy. As I explain in the aforementioned post, there are two main problems with knots: (1) they can be quite visible, specially in stockinette stitch; (2) they can unravel and, if they do, it is very difficult to fix the hole. You can always secure a knot extra well, but that is going to make it bulkier and more visible. There are other knots used by knitters, but they all suffer from the same problems as the magic knot. Here are two videos of knots that are small enough, but still very sturdy (warning: I've not try them).The Ashley Bend
Same yarn joins
More often than not you want to join new yarn because you've run out of it in the middle of a project, not because you want to use a different yarn. These methods are not good for the latter situation, but perfectly OK for the former.Knit 3 or 4 stitches with both ends together, aka as overlap join. This method is so obvious that it does not require a video or photo tutorial: (1) you must have a tail of the old yarn that is long enough for knitting 3 or 4 stitches and a little extra, (2) join the two threads so that the tails are going in opposite directions, (3) knit 3 to 4 stitches, (4) drop the old yarn and continue to knit with the new. Advantages of this method (1) it is the easiest method of all methods, (2) it is relatively discrete on the right side of your work, even if you can still notice the thicker stitches at close inspection. Disadvantages: (1) it leaves two small tails on the wrong side of the work (this is unavoidable, if you cut them, the stitches will unravel), so it does not work for pieces like scarves where the wrong side is visible or open-work lace; (2) obviously, it does not work if you want to join a different yarn, for example, when working stripes; (3) it may not work with slippery yarn or very open work where the stitches are too loose. A possible solution for the last problem is to knit more stitches together.
The straight Russian join. I just made up that name. The advantages and disadvantages of this method are pretty much the same as for the standard Russian join (read them below). There is an extra (small) disadvantage, which is that it is slightly weaker than the standard Russian join, which can be fixed by making it longer. Therefore, I prefer to use the Russian join, but you may disagree with me. Here is a video that shows this method:
Different yarns joins
These joins can be used for joining different yarns, for example, different colours. Needless to say, there is no reason not to use any one of them for joining the same yarn, if you prefer it to the methods mentioned above.No-join join is the most standard method to join yarn (warning: I made up that name). Just leave a few inches of the two tails hanging loose and weave them in at the end. Some people like to knot theses tails together, but that is really not necessary. The advantage of this method is that you leave all the work to the end. In other words, all its disadvantages are passed on to whatever method you use to weave in the ends. One disadvantage of this method is that it is really frustrating when you think you are done knitting that you still have a lot of ends to weave in, so most people prefer methods that weave in the ends "as you go" instead of leaving all the work to the end. Another important disadvantage is that, depending on your project and the location of your ends, it can be very difficult or even impossible to weave in the ends in a satisfactory way. This is true in particular when knitting lace or when your piece does not have a wrong side where to hide the ends. Last, but not the least, the main advantage of this method is that it works with all yarn changes.
Weaving in a you go is a good method, in particular when working with different yarn changes. It really is equivalent to the no-join join, except that you weave in the ends as you go, not at the end. It is useful mainly for stockinette (but it can be adapted for other stitches) when there is a wrong side, as the ends are woven in on the purl side and are quite visible on it. The main advantage of this method is that there are no ends to weave in at the end of the work. The main disadvantage is that, I think, it is more arduous than weaving in using a more standard method (i.e. with a darning needle). This method can be quite discrete and is less work than, for example, the spit splicing method. It also has the advantage that it can be used for any yarn change.
Here is a video that shows how to weave in the old end on the knit side:
Another disadvantage of this method is that sometimes, specially if the fabric is stretched, you can see the other colour through. To avoid this, there is another method of weaving in the ends as you go (which, in addition, avoids the jog in stripes, although this can be done with any other method too) and may be worth learning if you are knitting a project with lots of stripes, the overcast method.
The Russian Join The main problem with this method is that it requires the yarn to be hollow, i.e. constructed from many strands twisted together. This is the most standard type of yarn, but, still, not all yarns are like this. The other disadvantages are: (1) it creates a join that is at least twice as thick as normal yarn and this is still visible, but, depending on how successful you are creating this join, it can be a bit more discrete than other methods; (2) it still leaves some tiny ends of yarn on (hopefully) the wrong side of the work, but these are much smaller than in other methods (except for spit splicing which leaves no ends); (3) if joining different yarn, it is impossible to place the join at an exact spot, so it is usually only useful for joining the same yarn or when the exact spot the yarn changes is not absolutely crucial; (4) it may not be sturdy enough with slippery yarn; (5) it may come undone if the yarn is twisted loosely. Advantages: as I mention before, depending on how your yarn is twisted and how successful you are creating the join without ruining the structure of the yarn (which happens mainly if the yarn is twisted loosely) this method can be relatively easy to execute and pretty discrete.
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