Finishing Touches: Weaving in Ends and Blocking a Knit or Crochet Item
There’s a sense of excitement and urgency when you near the end of a handmade project. Those last few glorious stitches are completely quickly in anticipation of seeing the finished product. And rightly so. If you’ve been spending hours, or days (or even weeks or months or years) completing a hand-knit or crocheted piece, you have every right to be thrilled to see it finished.
Don’t let your excitement ruin all your hard work, though. Finishing is very, very, VERY important to the final outcome of that beloved garment, shawl, scarf or project. Take it from me, if you are sloppy in the seaming or weaving in of the ends, or you skip blocking (because it’s not really necessary, is it?) you might just be disappointed in the project after all. The devil is in the details, as they say, and it is not truer anywhere than in a hand-stitched item. So, weave in those ends with care and take the time to block before wearing or gifting that masterpiece!
How to Weave in Ends the “Right” Way
Is there really a “right” way to weave in ends? Of course not. There are many ways that work perfectly well, but there are also plenty that will leave loose ends poking through the finished work, causing a sloppy or unpolished look.
So, what I’ve got for you are methods that work, depending upon the type of stitches you’ve used. Purl Soho has some fabulous tutorials for knitters, which you can access here: Purl Soho’s Guide to Weaving in Ends.
My favorite method is to sort of “duplicate” the stitches, which I’ll show you here:
- Start by drawing the loose end of yarn down the side of the work through one loop and then the same loop in the stitch below.
- Once you’ve drawn the loose end through those two loops, as shown here, pull the loose end all the way through.
- Now, you’ll draw the loose end back up through the next stitch, from the bottom to the top and then back into the original stitch you worked through, this time moving from the bottom to the top.
- Now, you’ll move to the next stitch to the right, working from the top of the stitch to the bottom. Then, you’ll go through the previous stitch from the row below, this time working from the top to the bottom.
- For good measure, I like to go back the opposite way for a stitch or two, working back the way I came to “lock” the loose end in to place.
- Then, cut the yarn close to the work, and ta-da!
Video Tutorial: How to Weave in Loose Ends in Knitting
Here’s a video of me weaving in some ends so you can see what it looks like in action: How to Weave in Loose Ends in Knitting.
Weaving in Loose Ends in Crochet
If you are a crocheter, it is my experience that ends are easier to hide than in knitting, but it is still important to use a method that keeps those woven-in ends secured and hidden. So, my recommendation is to use a yarn needle to draw the loose end through a row of stitches in one direction and then back in the opposite direction, skipping the first loop on your way back. I tend to go back in the other direction once more for a few stitches for good measure.
Why and How to Block a Finished Item
Blocking is one of those things that I avoided for a long time. I don’t always block everything, but I find that if it is a garment or lace project, it is necessary. It doesn’t hurt to block any project, as far as I can tell, and it helps to put it into it’s best light – blocking allows you to shape the piece, even out the edges, avoid curling, and much more. It is so key to finishing a garment or project.
What is Blocking?
Blocking is getting the item wet and laying it out on a flat surface to dry. It allows you to shape your work and provides a nice finish to the project. There are many different methods for blocking, and the best one will depend almost entirely on the fiber you have worked with.
How to Block Your Project
You’ll need a flat surface and pins, as well as a towel and your blocking liquid or wash (I like to use cool water in a spray bottle). You’ll want to prepare a flat surface that is big enough to lay your project out flat, such as a bed, ironing board, or blocking mats.
I lay a towel down on top of the surface, and then place the project on top of the towel. For the image above, I just put the towel down on my desk, which is pretty large, and flattened the blanket out on top of the towel.
I gently mist the item with the water and shape it as desired, pinning it carefully around the edges. (I admit to using regular sewing pins with the plastic “balls” on top. Be sure NOT to use those if you are steam blocking, as the heat can melt those colorful balls, which nobody wants!) Then, let it dry. It needs to air dry completely before you remove the pins.
For a more detailed account (and a steam-blocking how-to), check out Vogue Knitting’s Blocking Guide.
What’s your favorite method of weaving in ends or blocking? Share in the comments!
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