When to Join a New Ball of Yarn and How to Do It Without Stress!

If you knit long enough, you’ll eventually look down and realize your yarn tail is getting shorter and shorter… and then you’re out! It happens to all of us. The good news? Joining a new ball of yarn is a normal part of knitting, and once you know how to do it, it’s no big deal at all.

Think of it like pausing for a moment on deck to tie a new rope before you set sail again. It’s simple when you know what to look for.

Let’s walk through when to join a new ball and how to do it in a few easy ways.

Before You Join: Leave a Tail (or Two!)

Before you switch over to your new yarn, make sure you leave yourself a long enough tail to weave in later.

You want about 6–8 inches from both the end of your old ball and the start of your new ball.

These tails might look messy for now, but they’re the secret to making your final project look clean and professional. When it’s time to weave them in, you’ll be happy you left yourself some room to work.

When to Join Your New Ball

Joining yarn doesn’t have to be a dramatic moment. You can do it almost anywhere, but there are a few times that work much better.

1. Join at the edge of your work

If you’re knitting flat, joining at the edge makes life so much easier.  Why? Because when you weave in your ends later, they’re already sitting right at the side of your project, where they’ll blend in.

This is especially nice for scarves, blankets, sweaters knit in pieces—anything with a tidy edge that you can hide ends in.

2. Join in a quiet part of the row

If you’re working in the round, or your project doesn’t really have an edge, try to join in a spot where not a lot is happening.

Think of places like the underarm of a sweater, the “back” of a hat, or any stretch of plain knitting.  This helps keep your join out of sight, and it means fewer ends showing in the spotlight areas of your project.

3. Don’t wait until the last inch

It’s tempting to keep going until the yarn is almost gone… but that usually leads to stressful joins right in the middle of something complicated.

Instead, switch to your new ball when you still have at least 12 inches of yarn left.
This gives you time to choose a good join spot instead of being forced into one.

How to Join Your New Ball of Yarn

You don’t need anything fancy to join a new yarn. Here are a few simple methods knitters use all the time.

1. The Drop-and-Start Method

This is the easiest method and works for nearly every project.

How to do it:

• Knit until the spot where you want your join.

• Drop the old yarn.

• Take the end of the new yarn and simply start knitting with it.

• Leave both tails hanging until it’s time to weave them in.

Why knitters like it:
It’s clean, simple, and strong once you weave the ends in.
There are no knots to worry about, and the stitches settle nicely.

2. The Overlap Method

This gives a little extra strength without adding knots.

How to do it:

• Hold the last inch or two of your old yarn together with the first inch or two of your new yarn.

• Knit with both strands at the same time for 4–6 stitches.

• Then drop the old yarn and continue with the new.

Why knitters like it:
Those few doubled stitches keep the yarn snug and secure.
And once you weave in the tails, the overlap disappears into your knitting.

The downside to this is you can end up with a spot in your knitting that is "extra" thick.  Depending on the yarn and what you are making, it may not be noticeable though.

3. The Magic Knot

This one creates a firm, tiny knot that won’t come undone.
Some knitters use this for projects where a small knot won’t be seen or felt, like blankets or hats.

How to do it:

• Tie the old yarn around the new yarn with a small knot.

• Then tie the new yarn around the old yarn with another knot.

• Pull both strands tight until the knots slide together.

• Trim the ends (but leave a little bit so they don’t slip).

Why knitters like it:
It’s fast and very strong.
Just keep in mind that in smooth or very fine yarns, the knot may show a little.

This may not be the best method if you are working with chunky or very thick yarns.

You can find a lot of video tutorials on YouTube on how to make a Magic Knot.  

A Final Tip Before We Sail Away

Joining a new ball of yarn is one of those small knitting moments that feels intimidating until you’ve done it a few times. But truly—every join just means your project is growing, stitch by stitch.

Take your time, pick the spot that feels right, leave yourself good tails, and choose the joining method you like best. Soon it’ll feel as natural as casting on.