How to Weave in Ends for Knitted Ribbing

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Ribbing is one of the foundational elements of many knitting projects. That neat, flat, stretchy fabric is just about perfect for all sorts of edges. But that stretch can cause problems when it’s time to weave in ends. Your weaving technique needs to accommodate the stretch without causing the ends to pop out. Here’s a step-by-step guide to weaving in ends on ribbing.

Ribbing Knit in the Round

When your ribbing is knit in rows, as for the lower edge of a sweater with side seams, you can simply bury your yarn tails within the seam. But when you’re working in the round, as for the cuff of a sock or the neckband of a sweater, or on a flat piece without seams, a little finesse is called for.

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Weaving in Ends for Ribbing

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Andrea will demonstrate the technique in this video. For more detail, scroll down for step-by-step photos.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Getting ready to weave in ends on ribbing — This swatch of K1, P1 ribbing has been bound off in pattern.

I’ve made a swatch of K1, P1 ribbing and bound off in pattern. I’ve left a tail about double the length of my tapestry needle. We’ll begin by neatening the jog at the bound-off edge, then we’ll weave in the tail on the wrong side.

Weaving in ends on ribbing steps 1-4 — Weaving in ends on ribbing, steps 1-4

1

Look closely at the chain created by the bind-off at the top of your ribbing. Insert your tapestry needle under both legs of the first stitch in that chain, from right side to wrong side, and pull the yarn through (Photo 1).

2

Take your needle down through the stitch from which the tail emerged—the last stitch bound off—and pull the yarn through (Photo 2).

3

You’ve completed the bind-off chain and eliminated the jog in the edge (Photo 3)!

4

Now we’ll start weaving in that tail. Identify the closest column of knit stitches on the wrong side and insert the needle under both legs of the top stitch from right to left (Photo 4). Pull the yarn through.

Weaving in ends on ribbing steps 5-8 — Weaving in ends on ribbing, steps 5-8

5

Insert your needle under both legs of the next stitch in that same column, this time working from left to right (Photo 5). Pull the yarn through.

6

Working from right to left, insert your needle under the next stitch in that same column and pull the yarn through (Photo 6).

7

Continue in this manner, weaving the tail back and forth under that column of stitches, until you’ve gone about 1½”, or your yarn tail becomes uncomfortably short (Photo 7). Trim the tail not quite flush with the fabric.

8

The tail is nestled in under the sides of the knit stitches you wove into (Photo 8).

The serpentine path taken by the yarn means there is enough slack so the tail won’t pop out, no matter how you stretch that ribbing.

Ends woven in on knitted ribbing — With the ribbing stretched open, you can see how the tail yarn blends into the purl rib on the right side.

Looking at the right side, you can’t see where the end was woven in. Even with the ribbing stretched open, that tail is barely visible as it blends into the column of purl stitches.

What About K2, P2 Ribbing and Other Arrangements?

Whatever sort of ribbing your pattern calls for, there will always be vertical columns of knit and purl stitches—that’s the definition of ribbing, right? Just choose the nearest column of knit stitches on the wrong side, and weave back and forth under a single column of stitches only.

Give this technique a try the next time you need to weave in ends for ribbing, and let us know what you think!

Thank you to Ancient Arts Yarns for providing the yarn used for these samples. This sample was made with Herlig in the color Water Lily Blue.

Sandi Rosner is the technical content editor for all things yarn at Interweave. When she isn’t knitting, she usually has her nose in a book. You’ll find new technical content from Sandi nearly every week at www.interweave.com.

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