Popping ends!

Viridian · 03-17-2009, 01:11 PM

I've been knitting for a year and in that year, I've learned a lot of things. I can do socks and Fair Isle and all sorts of complicated things. But I cannot, for the life of me, prevent my ends from popping out. Almost every single project has this problem.

What is the best way to work in ends without them popping out? I fear cutting the end will only make it worse.

Thanks for the help!

Jan in CA · 03-17-2009, 06:34 PM

How are you weaving them in? Some yarns (cotton for one) have more problems with this than others.

I weave following the yarn for several stitches and then go back one spitting a few of the stitches. Always on the back of the work btw. And if it's in a hat or somewhere where it won't show I leave the end about 1/2 inch long. Here's a good link for weaving.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/FEATfall04TT.html

imrachel · 03-17-2009, 06:36 PM

First of all, unless it's intarsia, if at all possible, change yarn at the end of the rows. CW is to never tie off the ends in a knot unless you're working with the slipperiest of yarns, but I, and many knitters I know, do it. It's just way more comforting in terms of the possibility of the whole thing unravelling. You don't have to make a big bulky tennis ball-- just a couple of times so it's secure. Let's say it's on a seam-- I then I weave in the ends going down the seam for a few rows, then change directions and go the other way a few rows. I then clip off the end LEAVING A COUPLE OF INCHES OF YARN. It doesn't look as nice on the inside, but anyone looking that closely as my sweaters needs to find another hobby

. It really prevents those popping ends. The larger your stitches and the looser your gauge, the more it can be a problem, but those longer ends have a much harder time finding their way through the holes than shorter ones. As for anything you've already completed and are having problems with?-- I'd just take sewing thread and needle and tack down the ends on the inside of the garment.

knittingincarolina · 03-17-2009, 08:55 PM

When I have to change yarn, I hold it with my working yarn for a few stitches, then go back an weave it in when I'm finished. I guess that comes from years of cross-stitching. When I weave my ends, I might go to the left and then back to the right (on separate rows). I hope this helps.