How To Join New Yarn/Colour In A Project

 
I have been wanting to do this Tut for ages! After a comment made in a crochet group I'm in I was even more desperate to put this on the net. And today (Monday actually) with the kids off at daycare and being alone at home I finally found some time to make some pictures.

Does anyone make knots if you are running out of yarn?

I am very hesitant to make knots in my knitting/crochet projects...

When I was learning how to knit, I came to the end of my ball of yarn and read in my "Knitting for Dummies" book the following phrase (or something like this):

If you are to make a knot between your old end and your new end, be aware it can shift and show on the right side of your work. Weaving in ends is a better option."

I never ever used a knot. Simply because I do not want it to show. So I weave in my ends, although I really despise it.

But how do you switch from your last bit of old ball of yarn to a spiffy new ball of yarn?

Here's how to.

And to have a bit of fun I am turning this tutorial into a "kill two birds with one stone" kind of tutorial.
You can either follow the tutorial for using the same kind of yarn if you are running out, OR when you want to use multiple colours in your project and you need to have a good distinction between stitches of colour A and B.

 

Here we go: two different colours of yarn which represent both colours or the same colour. The principle is the same!

 

O dear. If you are running out of yarn, leave a piece of about 7" or 15 cm dangling behind your work.

 

Make your next stitch (in this case a double crochet) up until you need to make the last step. Do not do this last step!

 

Grab your new end or your new colour, leave about 7" or 15 cm dangling and make a yarn over over your hook, taking care not to work with your end.

 

With your new yarn/colour finish off your stitch.

 

Here we clearly see that there is a complete cream double crochet stitch next to a complete green double crochet stitch. No mingling!

 

A view on the back: you will have two ends that need some weaving in. I always work one end to the left and one to the right.

 

Now, what if you are going to switch from one ball to the other or one colour to the other at the end/beginning of a row?

 

Actually, it is the same technique. Work your last stitch up until the last step. Grab your new yarn.

 

Put the yarn over your hook.

 

Make your last step.

 

Turn your work (if you are working in rows) and cut off your old colour leaving about 7" or 15 cm of yarn.

 

Make a starting chain with your new yarn and start working your row as you would like to.

 

There is another option though!

 

You can also finish off with your old colour.

 

Put your hook in between the first and second stitch.

 

Put your new yarn over your hook.

 

Pull through from back to front.

 

And make your starting chain!

 

It looks a bit sloppy now, but after weaving in your ends you will not see any blurring of colours. It will look very crisp and clean.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.