Category: Knitting

If you used a stitch holder to separate and add your glove thumb, you will have a yarn tail and a hole at the base of your glove thumb. You can use the loose end to close the gap as you weave it into your work. Using a bit of duplicate stitch will help you match the pattern of your knitting when you close the thumb hole. Then, you can tie a small interlocking knot that will anchor your loose end into your project.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 1:

Thread the loose end through the eye of a darning needle.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 2:

Pick up the work so you can see the gap at the base of the thumb. Point the thumb away from you and the top of the glove toward you. The hole will appear to be almost diamond-shaped when held in this manner.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 3:

Locate the stitch directly across the gap from where the yarn tail leaves your knitting. Insert the tip of your darning needle upward (toward the thumb tip) and through that stitch.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 4:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 5:

Following the left leg of the next stitch upwards, locate the top of the first stitch to the right of the gap. Begin to trace this stitch with your yarn by inserting the tip of the darning needle under the two legs of the next stitch up.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 6:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch only tightly enough to match the pattern of the work.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 7:

Follow the right leg of the stitch down, toward the hand. Insert your darning needle tip under the loop at the base of the stitch leg. Then, insert the needle tip under the stitch directly on the other side of the thumb gap.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 8:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitches.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 9:

Locate the top of the stitch just above your yarn tail. Trace this stitch with your yarn by inserting the tip of the darning needle under the two legs of the next stitch up.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 10:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitches. The loose end should now be coming from the space just at the tip of the hand-side of the diamond-shaped gap.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 11:

Follow the leg of the stitch at the bottom right of the diamond shape upward, toward the thumb. Insert your darning needle tip under the loop at the base of the stitch leg. Then, insert the needle tip under the stitch directly on the other side of the thumb gap.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 12:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitches.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 13:

Insert your darning needle tip down and through the center of the stitch directly on the other side of the gap. Do not pull the yarn tail through just yet.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 14:

Insert your darning needle tip down and through the center of the stitch located at the left corner of the diamond-shaped gap.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 15:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitches.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 16:

Locate the loop at the corner of the diamond-shape, just below your yarn tail. Insert the tip of the darning needle down and through that loop.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 17:

Pull the tail through to begin closing the gap. Take care to only pull tightly enough to match the pattern of your knitting. Do not pull too tightly.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 18:

Locate the loop at the bottom corner of the diamond-shape, just below your yarn tail. Insert the tip of the darning needle down and through that loop, then up and under the next stitch leg to the left.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 19:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitches.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 20:

Insert the darning needle tip down and through the center of the stitch just above the yarn tail.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 21:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch and into the inside of the glove.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 22:

Turn the glove inside out and locate a purl stitch that is near your yarn tail. Insert the darning needle tip under and through that stitch.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 23:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 24:

Remove the tail from the darning needle. Inspect your yarn tail by untwisting it a bit, near your work. Identify the individual yarn plies and count them. Use the tip of your darning needle to help you split the plies into two equal sections. With the four-ply yarn shown, the plies should be split so there are two on each side. Gently separate the two halves of the yarn with your darning needle by sliding it out toward the end of the tail. Take care not to break the strands by pulling too quickly or roughly.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 25:

Once the tail is split in two, set one half aside and thread the other half through the eye of your darning needle.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 26:

With the darning needle, sew this half of the tail around the stitch that it is coming out from under. Do this by bringing your needle tip under and through the other side of the knit stitch.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 27:

Remove the tail from the darning needle. Lay the sides of your top yarn tail out in opposite directions. One side should point right, the other should point left.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 28:

Tie two small interlocking knots. (See this link for more specific instructions.)  

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 29:

Using the sharpest scissors you have available, clip off both halves of the yarn tail, one at a time, as closely as possible to the knot, without cutting the knot itself.

Weave in Thumb Tail, Step 30:

Turn your glove right side out.

Finishing mittens is up next. I’ll show you how to round out the tops of mittens weave in all your ends.

A standard bind off in the round will leave a yarn tail and a small jog where your knitted row ends. As you weave in your bind off tails in the round, you can use the yarn tail to close the gap and make a seamless, smooth edge.

In this lesson, I will show you how I weave in my yarn tails at the thumb and fingertips of fingerless gloves. This method will also help you finish headbands, ear warmers, leg warmers, cup cozies, and any other items you’ve finished with a standard bind off in the round.

After perfecting the glove edge, I tie in the loose ends with two small, interlocking knots. This tiny, nearly invisible knot anchors the yarn tail in place. Then, it hides itself among your stitches.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 1:

Thread the loose end through the eye of a darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 2:

Pick up the work so that the bind-off edge is facing you.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 3:

At the edge of your work, you will see “>”-shaped stitches. Locate the stitch just next to the yarn tail, on the other side of the jog left by your bind off. Insert the tip of your darning needle under both legs of the “>”-shaped stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 4:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 5:

Locate the stitch from which the yarn tail started. Insert the tip of the darning needle down and through the center of that stitch, ensuring your needle tip goes under the leg of the stitch toward the inside of the project.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 6:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch only tightly enough to match the pattern at the edge of the work.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 7:

Rotate the work so you can see the inside of the project and the yarn tail. At this point, a small hole will remain just next to where the yarn tail comes out of your work.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 8:

Locate the purl stitch on the other side of the hole. Insert the darning needle tip down and through that stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 9:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 10:

Locate the knit stitch just to the left of the purl stitch you just worked into. Insert the darning needle tip down and through that stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 11:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 12:

Remove the tail from the darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 13:

Inspect your yarn tail by untwisting it a bit, near your work. Identify the individual yarn plies and count them. Use the tip of your darning needle to help you split the plies into two equal sections. With the four-ply yarn shown, the plies should be split so there are two on each side.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 14:

Gently separate the two halves of the yarn with your darning needle by sliding it out toward the end of the tail. Take care not to break the strands by pulling too quickly or roughly.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 15:

Once the tail is split in two, set one half aside and thread the other half through the eye of your darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 16:

With the darning needle, sew this half of the tail around the knit stitch that it is coming out from under. Do this by bringing your needle tip under and through the other side of the knit stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 17:

Pull the tail through, only tightly enough to match the pattern of your knitting. Do not pull too tightly.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 18:

Remove the tail from the darning needle. Lay the halves of the yarn tail out in opposite directions. One side should point right, the other should point left.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 19:

Tie two small interlocking knots. (See this link for more specific instructions.)  

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 20:

Using the sharpest scissors you have available, clip off both halves of the yarn tail, one at a time, as closely as possible to the knot, without cutting the knot itself.

After you weave in the bind off tails in the round, one last tail will remain at the base of your glove thumb. In the next lesson, I will show you how to use that loose end to close the gap at the base of the thumb.

At the beginning of your knit rounds, there will likely be a small jog near your slipknot. When you weave in the cast-on tail of fingerless gloves, you can fix the jog and hide the slipknot. Use a darning needle to sew the loose end into the project, while doing your best to match the pattern you’ve knit. Then, tie in your loose ends to hide your ends and anchor your yarn in place.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 1:

Thread the loose end through the eye of a darning needle.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 2:

Turn the work so that the cuff of the glove is facing you and the top of the glove is facing down. At the edge of your work, locate the slipknot, which was your first cast on stitch.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 3:

Insert the tip of the darning needle down through the stitch directly behind the slipknot.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 4:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 5:

Insert the tip of the darning needle down and through the slipknot.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 6:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the slipknot.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 7:

Guide the tip of the darning needle under the edge of the work and toward the front of the work.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 8:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through to the outside of your work.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 9:

Locate the loop just behind your slipknot on the backside of your work and insert your darning needle tip down and through it.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 10:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail though the stitch. 

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 11:

Remove the tail from the darning needle.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 12:

Inspect your yarn tail by untwisting it a bit, near your work. Identify the individual yarn plies and count them. Use the tip of your darning needle to help you split the plies into two equal sections. With the four-ply yarn shown, the plies should be split so there are two on each side.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 13:

Gently separate the two halves of the yarn with your darning needle by sliding it out toward the end of the tail. Take care not to break the strands by pulling too quickly or roughly.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 14:

Once the tail is split in two, set one half aside and thread the other half through the eye of your darning needle.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 15:

With the darning needle, sew this half of the tail around the knit stitch that it is coming out from under. Do this by bringing your needle tip under and through the other side of the knit stitch.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 16:

Pull the tail through, only tightly enough to match the pattern of your knitting. Do not pull too tightly.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 17:

Remove the tail from the darning needle.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 18:

Lay the halves of the yarn tail out in opposite directions. One side should point right, the other should point left.

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 19:

Tie two small interlocking knots. (See this link for more specific instructions.)  

Weave in Cast on Tail Fingerless Gloves, Step 20:

Using the sharpest scissors you have available, clip off both halves of the yarn tail, one at a time, as closely as possible to the knot, without cutting the knot itself.

I’ll show you how to weave in the bind off tails at the ends of your glove fingers and thumb in the next lesson.

Weave in the Cast-on Tail of Fingerless Gloves:

Learn to weave in the yarn tail at the bottom of your glove cuff in this first lesson, which can be found at this link.

Weave in the Bind-off Tails on Fingerless Gloves:

Learn to weave in the yarn tails at the tops of your glove hand and thumb in this second lesson, which can be found at this link.

Weave in the Tail at the Base of Fingerless Glove Thumbs:

Learn to weave in the yarn tail at the base of your glove thumb in this third lesson, which can be found at this link.

I’ll show you how to weave in the loose ends on mittens in the next mini-series.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 1:

Unclip the stitch holder. Place it in your left hand with the sharp tip pointing toward your right. 

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 2:

Pick up one end of a long circular needle with your right hand. Insert the tip of the needle into the first stitch on the holder purlwise (into the front leg from back to front).

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 3:

Slide the stitch off the stitch holder and onto the needle.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 4:

Slip one-half of the stitches from the holder onto the needle tip in the same manner.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 5:

Pull the needle tip through the stitches in a leftward direction, moving the stitches onto the needle cord.  

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 6:

Continue to hold the same needle in your right hand and bring the tip around toward the stitch holder.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 7:

Slip the remaining stitches from the holder onto the needle tip purlwise, as before. Set the empty stitch holder aside.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 8:

Gently pull the cord and bring the other end of your circular needle into the first set of stitches.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 9:

Turn your work and pull the back needle rightward to prepare to knit in the magic loop. Pick up a strand of working yarn and place the tail between the left-hand needle and the cord.

Knit Off Stitch Holder in the Magic Loop, Step 10:

Work into the first stitch on the left-hand needle and begin knitting in the round as your pattern instructs.    

Now that you can knit a glove from start to finish, you will want to know how to take care of all those leftover strings. We will start learning to weave in loose ends on fingerless gloves in the next lesson.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 1:

Unclip the stitch holder. Place it in your left hand with the sharp tip pointing toward your right. 

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 2:

Pick up a double point needle (DPN) with your right hand. Insert the tip of the needle into the first stitch on the holder purlwise (into the front leg from back to front).

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 3:

Slide the stitch off the stitch holder and onto the DPN.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 4:

Slip about one-third of the stitches from the holder onto the first double point needle in the same manner.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 5:

Let go of the first DPN and pick up a second DPN in your left hand. Slip another third of the stitches purlwise onto the second DPN.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 6:

Pick up a third DPN and slip the remaining stitches onto it purlwise. Set the empty stitch holder aside.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 7:

Pick up a strand of working yarn and place the tail between the first and third needles.

Knit Off Stitch Holder with DPNs, Step 8:

With a fourth DPN held in your right hand, work into the first stitch on the first DPN and begin knitting in the round as your pattern instructs.    

You can also take stitches off the stitch holder when working in the Magic Loop. I’ll show you how to make glove thumbs on long circular needles in the next lesson.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 1:

Following the pattern you have been using for previous rows, knit the first two stitches of your last row.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 2:

Insert the left needle tip into the front loop of the first knit stitch on your right needle from front to back.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 3:

Lift the first stitch on the right needle up and over the second stitch on the right needle.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 4:

Pull the second stitch on the right needle through the first stitch.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 5:

Slide the left needle out of the stitch on the right needle.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 6:

At this point, the first knit stitch should be anchored onto the second and only one loop should remain on your right-hand needle.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 7:

Following your pattern, work the next stitch off your left needle and onto the right needle.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 8:

In the same manner as before, lift the first stitch on your right-hand needle over the second stitch, drawing the second stitch through the first, leaving only one stitch on your right-hand needle.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 9:

Repeat steps seven and eight until you have reached the last two stitches and freed the left-hand needle from your work.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 10:

Turn your work by rotating the entire project so that the back side of your magic loop is on the front side. Pull the needle cord on the front side of your work leftward, to bring the front needle back into the live stitches. Take care not to let go of the right-hand needle or you may drop the single stitch it holds.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 11:

Continue binding off the second side of your magic loop by repeating steps 7 and 8.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 12:

Work in the same manner until you have reached the last stitch and freed the left-hand needle from your work.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 13:

Set your work down, leaving the knitting needle in the last stitch. With very sharp scissors, clip the working yarn about eight or ten inches away from your last  stitch. This will free your work from the ball of yarn.

Bind Off Magic Loop, Step 14:

Pull the yarn tail through to anchor it in; do this by enlarging the last stitch with your knitting needle until the tail slides completely through. The loop will become a straight loose end.

The next step in making a glove or mitten is to turn the stitches on your stitch holder into a thumb. In the next lesson, I’ll show you how to work of a stich holder to knit a thumb, using double point needles.

A stitch holder is a clip, which looks a bit like a large safety pin. This tool allows you to take some of your live stitches off your knitting needles and save them to work later. Slide a group of live stitches onto the stitch holder so that you can skip them.

In glove knitting, you will place the thumb stitches onto the stitch holder, then knit the hand portion of the glove. At the end of your project, you will go back and knit the stitches off your stitch holder, turning them into a thumb.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 1:

Place the working yarn behind the knitting needles. Let go of the righthand needle and pick up an open stitch holder with your right hand.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 2:

Insert the tip of the stitch marker into the front leg of the next live stitch from back to front (as if to purl).

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 3:

Slip the stitch onto the tip of the stitch marker.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 4:

Slip all the stitches your pattern instructs onto the stitch marker in the same manner.  

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 5:

Close the stitch marker.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 6:

Gently pull the stitch marker down and out of the way of your knitting needles.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 7:

Pick up the working yarn and knit into the next live stitch.

Slip Stitches onto a Stitch Holder, Step 8:

At this point your live stitches will connect behind the stitches on the holder with a single strand.

After you finish knitting the hand portion of your fingerless gloves, you will need to it off the needles. In the next lesson we will learn how to bind off when working in the Magic Loop.