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Tying off crochet projects for a seamless finish
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There you are, happily reading a crochet pattern and so proud of the work you've done so far…then you reach the end, and all the pattern says is, "fasten off" or "tie off." What does that mean?! We'll walk you through it for both flat row and continuous round projects, plus teach you how to weave in the ends (even for amigurumi) and join new yarn if you want to switch colors or create a border. To create a professional-looking finish and ensure your project doesn’t unravel later, read on!
How to Tie Off Crochet
- Cut the yarn so there’s a tail at least 4” to 6” long.
- Yarn over your hook and pull through the loop that’s already on your hook.
- Continue to pull the yarn until you pull the end through the loop.
- Tug on the tail until the last stitch pulls into a tight knot.
- Weave in the ends using a tapestry needle or crochet hook.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Fastening Off & Weaving in the Ends on a Flat Row Project
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Crochet the final stitch in your pattern. Make the final stitch in your row, just as you normally would before starting extra chain stitches to turn around and move on to the next.
- Hold the yarn tight enough to maintain your tension but loose enough so that it can slide through your fingers while you crochet. [1] X Research source
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Cut the yarn, leaving extra to make a working tail. Cut the yarn about 4-6" from where it comes off the piece you are working on. This extra yarn is called the tail.
- If you plan to use the tail to whip stitch the crochet project to another piece (like when you’re attaching granny squares ), measure the edge you want to sew and multiply it by 3 to get the length of the tail. For example, if the edge of your project is 3”, leave a 9” tail.
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Yarn over your hook and pull through the loop on your hook. There’s only one loop on your hook at this point. Catch the yarn tail on your hook and pull it towards the loop as if you were going to make another chain.
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Pull the yarn all the way through the loop. Now, instead of creating a loop with the yarn, pull the yarn all the way through until you have made a knot. [2] X Research source
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Tug the tail to secure the knot. Give the tail a firm pull to tighten the loops behind and around it until it looks like your piece ends in a knot. Finish your piece by weaving in the ends.
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Thread the tail through a tapestry needle. After you fasten off your crochet project, thread the leftover tail through a tapestry needle by pushing the end of the yarn through the needle’s eye. [3] X Research source
- No yarn needle? No problem! Use a crochet hook to pull the tail through the stitches.
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Weave the yarn tail along the length of the row. Take the needle threaded with your tail and weave it back through the tops of the stitches in the row you just completed. [4] X Research source This will hide the tail and keep it from unraveling the knot you just made. Cut off any excess tail.
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Section 2 of 4:
Fastening Off and Weaving in the Ends on a Continuous Round Chain Project
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Make your last stitch in the round. Crochet the final stitch as you normally would while working in the round. Stop just short of chaining extra to start a new row.
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Cut your working yarn to create a tail. Cut the yarn about 4-6" from where it comes off the piece you are working on. This extra yarn is the tail you use to fasten off your project.
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Pull the yarn through the final loop. Yarn over your hook and pull the tail through the loop until the end comes through and you have a loose tail.
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Thread a tapestry needle with the yarn tail. Get a tapestry needle and thread the yarn tail through the eye of the needle. [5] X Research source Leave at least 3” of the yarn tail hanging from the needle so it doesn’t pull out of the eye while you work.
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Push the needle through the other side of the gap in the row. The beginning and end of your final round are separated by a V-shaped gap. With your needle and yarn on one side, put the needle under the first stitch on the other side of the gap, past the beginning chain. Pull the tail under both loops to begin a fake chain stitch.
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Pull the tail to bring the two sides of the V together and close the gap. Gently tug the yarn tail until the two edges of the gap line up perfectly to make a smooth edge along the outside of the piece.
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Use the needle and yarn to loop back and finish the fake chain. Go back to the last stitch you made on the first side. Put the thread through the back loop of that first stitch from the facing side, and then pull it through. The joined section will look like a normal chain in the outside row, and be completely invisible.
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Weave the tail into the middle of 3-4 stitches. Use the threaded tapestry needle to weave the tail through the previous round, moving through the middle of 3 to 4 stitches. [6] X Research source Pull the yarn through.
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Turn the piece and weave back in the opposite direction. After weaving through 3-4 stitches, turn the piece and weave the yarn back through the 3 to 4 stitches to the place where you began. [7] X Research source
- Weave through a different part of the row than you did when weaving through the first time. This will lock the tail in place to prevent it from unraveling.
- Cut off the excess tail as close to the piece as possible.
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Section 3 of 4:
Weaving in Ends on Amigurumi
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Weave the tail around the center of the bottom of the amigurumi. Amigurumi are small, crocheted stuffed dolls that were originally made in Japan but have become popular in the US and UK. [8] X Research source Because amigurumi are three-dimensional, the method for weaving in the ends after fastening the project off is slightly different after you thread the yarn tail through the tapestry needle.
- Insert the tapestry needle near the beginning of the yarn tail.
- Weave the needle in and out of a few stitches.
- Pull the yarn tight, then repeat, moving around the piece. [9] X Research source
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Trim off the excess tail, leaving a few inches. Pull the tail out of the tapestry needle when you have woven it in a rough circle around the center of the bottom of the piece. Use scissors or the back of your crochet hook to tuck the end of the tail inside the amigurumi. [10] X Research source
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I finish my baby blanket with a shell all-around border?Jenny MarieCommunity AnswerUsing any color you choose, attach the yarn to your hook with the standard slip-knot. At any point on the blanket make a slip-stitch to attach the yarn to the blanket. Make one round of single-crochet all the way around first, joining the last stitch to the first stitch with a slip-stitch. Doing this is useful as you can count the number of stitches on each side and end, making sure you have the same number on each side and end. Now make the shell stitch pattern you have chosen.
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QuestionHow can I fasten the end of a magic ring so that it doesn't pull partially open?Community AnswerYou have to join both sides together with a very loose slip stitch. Then, if you like how it looks, very carefully and slowly pull the working yarn or string slowly.
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QuestionI am crocheting a dark brown bomber jacket. The stitching is cream colored. How do I finish the light ends off so people can't see them on the brown?Community AnswerYou have to sew and then work the loose ends back and forth through your finished jacket seam. You have to do this on the wrong side, or inside, of the jacket.
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Tips
- Use a bit of saliva or water to twist the end of the yarn into a narrow point to make it easier to push it through the needle’s eye.Thanks
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Warnings
- Make sure you pulled the yarn end ALL the way through. If you didn't, it will unravel.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.sigonimacaroni.com/best-way-to-hold-yarn-when-crocheting-how-to-control-yarn-tension/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/jUIfV-Qcq2c?t=1016
- ↑ https://youtu.be/jUIfV-Qcq2c?t=1053
- ↑ https://youtu.be/jUIfV-Qcq2c?t=1064
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l8TBUBnUIg
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NPcRcMFH0Ns?t=140
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NPcRcMFH0Ns?t=147
- ↑ https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/c/article/a-guide-to-amigurumi
- ↑ https://youtu.be/DJAc3-QLT5o?t=143
About This Article
Article Summary
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To finish off crochet using the basic row method, make your final stitch in the row as normal before cutting extra thread about 4 inches long. Next, start as if you are going to make a chain, but pull the thread all the way through the loop on your hook instead of making another loop as you would when chaining. To finish, tug the thread to tighten up the knot and weave the tail into the stitches you just created with the hook or a yarn needle so the knot doesn't come loose. For tips on how to finish with the continuous round chain method, keep reading!
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"Steps 1 to 5 helped me, as I was just making a bracelet, but I plan on making a beanie for a friend, so this shall help a lot! Well written and the pictures, yet sometimes the pictures were unhelpful, as the lines weren't clearly shown, e.g., Step 4's pic."
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