Weaving in the Tails

by Robin McEwan
(Thousand Oaks, CA)

I have never found good instructions for how to weave in the tails for striped garmets (or anything that has required more than 1 ball).

I can't seem to find a way that does not show for both the garter and stockinette stitches.

Thanks for your help.....Robin

YOUR ANSWER

Talk about pressure - now I have to come up with good instructions!

I will give it a go...

I don't weave the ends in as I am knitting, I sew them in when I am sewing the garment together.

When I am knitting stripes, I usually tie a knot in the two tails when I change colours to keep them secure while I am working on the knitted piece.

I sew striped garments together using the invisible seam or mattress stitch method, that way I can see how the stripes are lining up as I go.

With this method you actually do the (sewing) stitches between the first and second knitted stitches at the edge of your knitting, so when you are finished you have a narrow seam edge on the wrong side of the garment.

To weave in the tails I use a darning needle to thread the tails through the stitches on the inside edge for about 10 centimeters (or 4 inches) from the knot joining the two colours and then trim the excess.

When you wash the garment for the first time, the tiny barbs on the yarn 'knit' together making it very unlikely that your tails will unravel.

Hope this answers your question, if not or you would like more detail just post a comment on this page and I will respond as soon as I can.