A long-tail cast on, like most other cast ons, will always leave a tail. Learn how I weave in then tie off this loose end on flat knitting projects.
Below are both video and written tutorials to help you learn how to weave in your first tail.
Video Guide: How to Weave in the Cast-on Tail
Written Guide: How to Weave in the Cast-on Tail
To weave in your end, you will use a darning needle to help you sew the tail into your work.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 1:
Pick up the loose end you would like to weave in; here we will start with the loose end from the cast-on edge (located at the bottom of the work).
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 2:
Thread the loose end through the eye of a darning needle.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 3:
Examine the edge of your work and try to identify any unfinished parts of the pattern. On the cast on edge, as show here, you will be missing one leg of an imaginary > shape.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 4:
Using the natural holes in your knitting as a guide, insert the darning needle through the edge stitch, which would form the point of the > shaped stitch.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 5:
Pull the tail through, only tightly enough to match the pattern of your knitting. Do not pull too tightly.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 6:
Remembering that you are trying to trace around the knit stitches with the tail, bring the darning needle up and under the loop at the edge in the next row up.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 7:
Pull the tail through with the darning needle, and once again, pull only as tightly as needed to match the knitting work.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 8:
Sew the darning needle tip down and under the next stitch, moving from the edge of the work into the project.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 9:
Pull the tail through, again ensuring you are neither pulling too tightly nor leaving the thread too loose.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 10:
Sew the needle tip up and through the next stitch, doing your best to follow the winding pattern of the knitting.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 11:
Bring your needle down and under the third stitch bump in the second row.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 12:
Pull through, but not too tightly.
Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 13a:
Remove the tail from the darning needle.Do not cut your tail at this point if you want to secure it with a knot. Move on to the instructions for “How to Tie Off Loose Ends” that follow this section.
OR Weave in Cast-on Tail, Step 13b:
Or, if you do not wish to tie a knot in your work, weave in the tail for several rows. Angle diagonally toward the center of your project, as illustrated by the purple line. After weaving two to three inches of tail into your project, remove the tail from the darning needle. With scissors, clip the excess loose end away. You are now ready to weave in the bind-off tail.
Practice With My Knitting Pattern
You can learn to knit along with me using my Free Beginner Face Scrubby Pattern.
Up Next
Knot in Yarn Tails:
I always tie my yarn tail onto one of my knit stitches with a tiny, strong, and almost invisible knot. Learn how to knot in your yarn ends before you trim them away. Go to full tutorial.
Go Back to the Learn to Knit Index