How to Join a New Ball of Yarn in Crochet (Invisible Joins)

Sooner or later your ball of yarn runs out, and you need to join a new one. A good join is almost invisible, strong enough to survive washing and does not leave a lump. There are three common methods: joining in the middle of a stitch, the Russian join, and the wet splice. This guide explains each one, when to use it and how to hide the ends.

When to join

• At the end of a row, if you can see the yarn is running short. For flat projects, this keeps the join at the edge, where it is hidden in a seam or a border.
• At the end of a round in amigurumi, or at a color change, so the join is at the back of the toy.
• Before the old ball is empty. A rough rule is that you need about four times the width of your work to finish a row. If you have less, join a new ball.

Method 1: join with the last stitch

This is the most common way, and it works the same as changing colors. It leaves two short tails that you weave in later.

1. Work the last stitch with the old yarn until 2 loops are left on the hook. For a single crochet, this is after you pull up the loop through the stitch.
2. Leave a tail of about 10 cm (4 in) on the old yarn, and drop it to the back.
3. Take the new yarn, leave a tail of about 10 cm (4 in), and make a yarn over with it.
4. Pull the new yarn through the 2 loops on the hook. The stitch is finished in the new yarn.
5. Carry on with the new ball. Hold both tails along the top of the stitches and work over them for a few stitches, or weave them in later.

The steps are the same as for a color change, which we explain in more detail in our guide on how to change colors in crochet. To hide the tails, see how to fasten off and weave in ends.

Method 2: the Russian join

The Russian join joins two ends of the same yarn into one continuous strand, so there are no tails to weave in. It works best with plied yarn, which is made of two or more twisted strands.

1. Thread a yarn needle with the end of the old yarn.
2. Push the needle into the yarn itself, between the plies, and run it along inside the strand for about 7 to 8 cm (3 in). Bring the needle out, and leave a small loop at the end.
3. Take the new yarn and thread the end through the loop.
4. Thread the new end onto the needle, and run it inside its own strand for about 7 to 8 cm, in the same way.
5. Pull the two strands gently until the loop closes and the join is hidden inside the yarn.
6. Trim the small ends close to the yarn.

The join is slightly thicker than the yarn, but it is hard to see, and there are no tails to weave in. It does not work well with very thin, fluffy or single-ply yarn, which tears when you pull.

Method 3: the wet splice

A wet splice joins two ends by felting them together. It only works with animal fibers such as wool that have not been treated to be washable (superwash wool does not felt), and it does not work on acrylic or cotton.

1. Unravel the plies of each end for about 5 cm (2 in), and cut away half of the plies from each, so each end tapers to a thin point.
2. Overlap the thin ends so that they cross in the middle.
3. Dampen the overlap with a little water, and rub it firmly between your palms until it heats up and the fibers felt together.
4. Let it dry, and you have a single strand of yarn with no knot.

Which method to choose

Mistakes to avoid

• Joining in the middle of a visible row when you can wait until the end of a row.
• Tying a big knot, which can show and come undone in the wash.
• Leaving tails too short, so they pull out before you can weave them in.
• Using a different dye lot for the new ball without checking that the color matches. A small difference shows in a large area.

If you are still learning the basic stitches, start with how to crochet for beginners. When you have the basics, try a toy from our crochet patterns for beginners or a free crochet pattern.