How to Join New Yarn in Crochet (No Knots)

You are cruising along on a project and suddenly your yarn runs out mid-row, or a skein turns out to have a flaw you need to cut around. Now what? The good news is that joining a new ball of yarn does not have to mean a bulky knot poking through your fabric or a weak spot that could work its way loose. There are several reliable ways to join yarn seamlessly, and which one you reach for depends on your yarn and your project. Let’s go through the main options, from the simplest to the most specialized.

The Seamless Join (Treat It Like a Color Change)

The cleanest, most beginner-friendly way to join a new ball is to treat it exactly like a color change, even when both balls are the same color. This works because a color change already hides the transition inside a stitch instead of between stitches.

Here is how: work your last stitch with the old ball until 2 loops remain on your hook. For a sc (single crochet), that means you have already inserted your hook into the next st (stitch) and pulled up a loop. Then pick up the new ball, yo (yarn over) with it, and pull through both loops to finish the stitch. The new ball now carries the work forward, and the old tail and new tail can both be woven in later. There is no knot at all, and because the switch happens inside a stitch, there is no visible seam.

This method is the best default whenever you have the choice, since it takes seconds and leaves nothing showing. Its only real requirement is that you have both yarn tails long enough, at least four to six inches, to weave in securely afterward.

The Magic Knot

The magic knot is a small, secure double-knot technique that many crocheters use to join yarn anywhere in a project, not just at the end of a stitch. To tie one, overlap the end of your old yarn and the end of your new yarn so they run in opposite directions, tie an overhand knot with the new strand around the old strand, then tie a second overhand knot with the old strand around the new strand. Pull both knots snug, then pull the two long ends in opposite directions so the knots slide together and lock tightly against each other. Trim the short tails close to the knot.

Done well, a magic knot is small enough to often disappear into the fabric as you crochet over it, and it will not slip loose. That said, it is still technically a knot, and some crocheters avoid it on principle – it can create a tiny bump in very fine or smooth yarns, it is not fully reversible if you need to rip back, and some crafters prefer their handmade pieces to have zero knots anywhere in the yarn itself, especially for items meant to be sold or gifted. If any of that matters to you, one of the knot-free methods below is a better fit.

The Russian Join

The Russian join is a knot-free technique that works especially well with smooth, plied yarns like most worsted-weight acrylic or cotton. Instead of tying the two ends together, you weave each tail back into the core of its own strand, which locks the fibers together through friction rather than a knot.

To work it: thread the tail of your old yarn onto a yarn needle. Fold the tail back alongside its own strand and stitch the needle through the middle of that same strand for about an inch or two, leaving a small loop at the fold. Repeat with the new yarn’s tail, threading it back through the strand in the same way, so the two strands overlap and lock into each other. Pull gently to snug the join, then trim any stray fiber ends.

The result is flat, strong, and nearly invisible, which makes it a great choice mid-row when you do not want any bump at all. It can be a little fiddly with very fuzzy, textured, or loosely spun yarns, since there is not a clean strand to stitch through – for those, the seamless join or magic knot will serve you better.

The Felted (Spit) Join

If you are working with 100 percent animal fiber yarn, such as non-superwash wool, you have access to a join that leaves no tails to weave in at all: the felted join, sometimes called the spit join because moisture is part of what makes it work.

To do it, untwist the plies at the end of both yarn tails slightly, overlap the two ends by an inch or so, and moisten the overlapped section with a little water, or, traditionally, saliva. Then rub the overlapped fibers briskly between your palms, the way you would roll dough into a rope. The friction and moisture cause the wool fibers to felt together into one continuous, unbroken strand.

This only works on animal fibers that felt, like wool, alpaca, or mohair – it will not work on acrylic, cotton, or superwash-treated wool, since those fibers are designed specifically to resist felting. When it is an option, though, it is the fastest join of all, and it leaves nothing at all to weave in later.

Choosing the Right Join for Your Project

• Use the seamless join as your everyday default, especially when you happen to be finishing a stitch anyway.
• Reach for the magic knot for a quick, secure join anywhere in a row, as long as a small knot inside the yarn does not bother you or the recipient.
• Choose the Russian join when you want a completely flat, invisible join in smooth or plied yarn and are willing to spend a little extra time.
• Save the felted join for wool and other animal fibers, when you want zero tails and zero knots.

Weaving In Any Remaining Ends

Except for the felted join, every method above leaves at least two tails to deal with. Thread each tail onto a yarn needle and weave it through several nearby stitches on the wrong side of your work, changing direction partway through so the path crosses itself and holds without slipping. Trim the tail close to the fabric once it feels secure, and always test with a gentle tug before you move on.

Never Fear Running Out of Yarn Again

Running out of yarn mid-project used to mean either a visible knot or an anxious moment of wondering what to do next. With these four methods in your back pocket, you can match the join to the yarn and the project every time – a fast seamless join for same-color continuations, a magic knot when you want speed and do not mind a tiny knot, a Russian join for a flawless smooth-yarn seam, or a felted join for wool with no tails at all. Pick one, practice it once on scrap yarn, and running low on a skein will stop feeling like a problem and start feeling like a normal part of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which yarn join should a beginner learn first?

The seamless join is the easiest to start with, since it uses the same last-yarn-over technique as a color change, requires no special tools, and leaves no knot at all.

Is it a problem to use a knot to join yarn?

A well-tied magic knot is small and secure enough for most projects, but some crocheters avoid any knot for items that will be sold or gifted, or for very fine yarns where even a small knot can create a bump.

Why can’t I use a felted join on my acrylic yarn?

The felted join relies on animal fibers like wool, alpaca, or mohair locking together under friction and moisture. Acrylic, cotton, and superwash-treated wool are designed to resist felting, so the fibers will not bond together.

How long should my yarn tails be before joining?

Leave at least four to six inches on both the old and new yarn so you have enough length to work the join and still weave the ends in securely afterward.

— NoraEvery pattern hand-tested