I hate weaving in yarn tails when I knit and crochet, so I couldn't have been happier when my friend Mary taught me how to be successful with the Russian join. Goodbye, yarn tails.
Before You Begin
The Russian join can be used whenever you're done knitting or crocheting with one yarn and need to attach another. I think it is easiest to use this method when you are working with yarns that are primarily protein fibers (wool, alpaca, etc.), but there is no rule that says it can't be used with other blends of fiber.
The basic idea is to wrap the ends of the old yarn and new yarn around each other. Then weave each tail back into the working yarns. Surprisingly, this adds very little bulk at the join.
The basic idea is to wrap the ends of the old yarn and new yarn around each other. Then weave each tail back into the working yarns. Surprisingly, this adds very little bulk at the join.
Materials
Thanks to Skacel for providing the Rylie by HiKoo yarn shown in this tutorial. This yarn is available locally at many yarn shops and online at Makers' Mercantile.Other Tools and Notions
- tapestry or yarn needle
- scissors (optional)
The Russian Join
Recommended Pattern
Ready to try this technique in a pattern? The Ohmo Shawl Pattern shown in this lesson has video tutorials to help you learn and practice these skills: