Running out of yarn mid-project?
Have you ever been knitting along, thinking you had enough yarn… only to run out right before you finished? It happens to every knitter — beginner and experienced alike! The good news is that joining new yarn doesn’t have to mean ugly knots, holes in your work, or tails that come loose over time.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you a simple overlap method to join new yarn securely, without any knots. This technique works with most standard yarn weights and fibers, and it leaves your finished project looking smooth and professional.
Why This Method Works
Most beginner knitters reach for a knot when they run out of yarn — but knots can create bumps in your fabric, work their way to the right side of your project, and even come undone with washing or wear.
Instead of tying the yarns together, this method uses an overlap technique: you’ll knit with both the old and new yarn strands for a few stitches, which locks everything in place naturally. No knot. No glue. No spit splice needed.
This method is great for:
- Beginners who want a simple, reliable join
- Projects where you’re switching to a new ball of the same color
- Any standard wool, acrylic, or cotton yarn
- Flat knitting (worked in rows)
This method may not be ideal for:
- Very slippery fibers like silk or bamboo (try the Russian join instead)
- Projects knitted in the round where the doubled stitches need to stay invisible
What You’ll Need
A tapestry needle (for weaving in ends at the finish)
Your knitting project and needles
A new ball of yarn (same weight as your current yarn)
Step-by-Step: How to Join New Yarn in Knitting (without knots)
Step 1: Set aside your old yarn
When your old yarn is running low (leave at least an 8-inch tail — you’ll need this to weave in later), set it aside to the back of your work. Don’t cut it yet. You’re now ready to begin working with your new yarn.
Step 2: Insert your needle
Insert your right needle into the next stitch on your left needle, exactly as if you were going to knit normally. Don’t do anything yet — just have your needle in position and ready to go.
Step 3: Prepare your new yarn
Take your new yarn and form it into a loose loop — kind of like an arch or U-shape. Leave about an 8-inch tail on the short/cut end. This tail will get woven in later, so don’t trim it short.
Having a generous tail gives you enough yarn to weave in securely and prevents the join from unraveling.
Step 4: Place the new yarn on your needle
Lay the arched loop of new yarn over your right needle. You want the working end (the long end connected to the new ball) to be the strand you’ll actually knit with.
Step 5: Knit with the new yarn
Complete the knit stitch using the new yarn, just like you normally would. Pull it through cleanly and slide the old stitch off the left needle.
This first stitch with the new yarn may feel a little awkward — that’s completely normal! It gets easier from here.
Step 6: Pick up your original yarn
After completing that first stitch with the new yarn, bring your original (old) yarn back into your hand. You’ll be using it in the very next step.
Step 7: Overlap the yarn strands
Lay the original yarn over the two strands of the new yarn, towards the back of your work.
TIP: This overlap step is the most important part of the whole method — it’s what prevents a hole from forming at the join. Don’t skip it! After step 8, you may want to gently tug on the old yarn strand to tighten it slightly if it looks loose.
Step 8: Hold and prepare
Hold your original yarn (the one you just moved to the back) in place with your fingers. Now pick up both strands of the new yarn together — you’ll be knitting with them doubled for the next few stitches.
Step 9: Knit with both strands
Knit the next 3 stitches using both strands of the new yarn held together as one. This is what locks the join firmly into your project and keeps it from pulling loose.
TIP: After working these 3 stitches, check the back of your work. If the original yarn you tucked to the back looks a little loose or is creating a gap, give it a gentle tug to snug it in place. A tiny bit of tension here makes the join invisible from the front.
Step 10: Check your stitches
Your first few stitches will look a little thicker where the join is — this is expected! They’ll blend in nicely as you continue knitting.
Important: When you come back around to work the next row, treat those 3 double-stranded stitches as single stitches. Knit into them as one stitch each, just like normal. If you accidentally knit into both strands separately, you’ll end up increasing your stitch count without meaning to.
Step 11: Continue knitting
Now you can drop the short tail of the new yarn and continue knitting with the single working strand for the rest of your row. Easy!
When your project is completely finished, weave in all your tails on the wrong side of your work using a tapestry needle. Weave them in different directions for extra security so they don’t work loose with wear or washing.
(You can find the tapestry needle I use here.)
Troubleshooting: Common Problems & Fixes
There’s a hole at my join — what went wrong? This usually means the overlap in Step 7 was skipped or the original yarn wasn’t pulled snug enough. You can often fix it by threading the tail onto a tapestry needle and gently pulling the slack through from the back of your work.
My join looks lumpy or bumpy on the front. This is most often caused by knitting the doubled stitches too tightly. Try to maintain the same tension with the double strands as you would with a single strand. The bump usually relaxes after blocking.
I accidentally increased my stitch count. This means you knitted into both strands of a doubled stitch separately in the following row. Count your stitches, identify where the extra stitch appeared, and use a decrease (like k2tog) right there to get back to your original count.
My tail keeps poking out to the front. Make sure you’re weaving in ends on the wrong side (the back) of your project, and weave the tail in at least 2–3 inches in multiple directions so it can’t escape.
Can I use this method with chunky or bulky yarn? Yes! The overlap method works well with chunky yarn. The doubled section over 3 stitches may be slightly more visible, but it will still be secure. You can reduce it to 2 double-stranded stitches with bulky yarn if you prefer.
Other Ways to Join Yarn in Knitting
The overlap method above is perfect for beginners and works in most situations, but there are a few other common join methods worth knowing:
- The Magic Knot – A knot-based join that’s very secure. Best for projects where the join will be hidden inside (like toys or bags), since there’s a tiny knot involved.
- The Russian Join – Uses a tapestry needle to loop both yarn ends back through themselves. Creates a very neat join with no ends to weave in, but takes more time to set up.
- The Spit Splice – Works only with feltable wool (100% animal fiber, not superwash). You wet the yarn ends and rub them together to felt them into one seamless strand. Completely invisible when done well.
For most beginner knitters working with acrylic or standard wool, the overlap method in this tutorial is the easiest and most reliable place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far from the end of my yarn should I start joining? Start your join when you have at least 8–10 inches of yarn left on your old ball. This gives you enough tail to weave in securely.
Do I need to join at the beginning of a row? It’s ideal to join at the beginning or end of a row so the join sits at the edge of your work where it’s least visible. However, this method can also be done mid-row if you run out unexpectedly — it will still be secure.
Will the join show after blocking? Usually not. Blocking relaxes the yarn and helps the doubled section blend into the surrounding fabric, especially with natural fibers like wool.
What if I’m knitting in the round? This method can be used in the round, but the doubled stitches will appear mid-row rather than at an edge. For in-the-round projects, the Russian join or spit splice (for wool) are often preferred since they leave no visible join at all.
Thank you for visiting CreatiKnit!
~Angie
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work 💛