What To Do When You Run Out Of Tail - Tricks For Casting On And Weaving In Short Ends

It happens. Sometimes, you run out of tail! When casting on 180 stitches for a sweater, you run out of tail at stitch number 175. Aarrgh! But don't worry - you can just use the backwards-loop cast-on for the last few stitches - save your knitting and your sanity! Here's how to do it:

A backwards-loop cast-on is the easiest way to add stitches in a pinch, whether you are casting on for a sweater or adding extra stitches for a buttonhole or picot bind-off.

Here's another sanity-saving trick. I know I always tell you to leave a six-inch tail, but... Let's say you need to weave in your ends on your knitting but you accidentally have only two inches of tail left to weave in. That's okay! The trick is to weave the tapestry needle through the stitches before you thread the yarn through - then pull. Here's a short video demonstrating the technique:

See? Now even if you have too short of a tail, you can still weave it in securely and correctly, just by inserting your tapestry needle before threading it.

These tutorial videos are a small part of my FREE Video Knitting Dictionary. Click here to download the dictionary now!

If you liked this post, you may want to watch:

• "How Your Fingers Aren't Getting In The Way - And Why That’s A Shame”
• E-Book Sneak Peek: Stretchy Bind-Offs 101
• "Messing Up Gracefully: How To Un-Knit And Get Unraveled Stitches Back On Your Needles”

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