Oh my word. You look at a pattern, or maybe just the picture and think, ugh, all of those color changes. That’s so many ends to weave at the end, or halfway through, or whenever you decide to try to tackle that bad boy. I mean, be honest. How long did you let that one project sit before you actually finished it because of all of those yarn ends? I have a way to avoid weaving ends of color changes at the end of your project.
Do you want to know the secret? I’ll tell you!
There’s a way to avoid having to tie off and weave in all of those color-change ends. Simply carry your extra yarn through the next few stitches.
This is easier to show you than to tell you, so let’s show some photos.
Let’s change color before we learn about weaving the ends of your color changes.
I always change my colors in the last stitch of the previous color. Say, for example (as as shown in the photo), you’re using the single crochet. Before you pull through the last two loops on your last stitch, grab your new color and finish the stitch with your new color!
Now, how to avoid weaving the ends of color changes.
Once you’ve change your color, you’ll now have three pieces of yarn you’re working with and around. When I first started, I would just leave the tail end of the new color and the old color right where I changed and move on, coming back to tie them off and weave them in later. Then I learned this trick that forever changed my crochet projects and the time it takes to finish them. Carry your tails with you for several stitches. When you crochet over the top of these tails, you’re locking them down in place. I carry mine through ten or so stitches, but you can do more if you want, or if you’re confident in less, do that.
Once you feel comfortable with how many stitches you’ve done, simply cut the ends. Yes, it’s THAT simple. You don’t have to worry about them wiggling their way out because the stitches you did over the top of them should be holding them in place.
Here’s a video if you prefer to see it that way!
Now you know my secret on how to avoid weaving ends of color changes! Do you use this method, or are you now super excited to start up a new color-changing project because you don’t have to worry about those pesky ends?
Need a simple project to try this on? Check out my Olivia Bow Free Pattern.
