Changing Yarn Colour with the Magic Knot

The magic knot can a game changer in crochet and knitting, especially for yarns with a bit of grip and in patterns that require frequent colour changes. Used correctly, it can completely eliminate any need to sew in lots of ends. Once you're over the fear of cutting your yarn so close to the  knot, there's really no looking back. Check out this great video from Bella Coco for a simple guide on how to get it right. If you prefer pictures, Nelkin Designs has a good tutorial.

But using the magic knot with a change of colour can be a little tricky - how do you get the knot to sit exactly on the right stitch? It's easy when you know how!

Step 1

Crochet to the end of the row, finishing the last stitch completely (usually you leave out the final part of the stitch to add in your new colour, but not with this method).

Step 2

Withdraw your hook, and insert your scissors into the stitch and cut. Yes, we know this feels like the very last thing you should do – you’ll just have to trust us!

Step 3

Unravel back a few stitches, then take your new colour yarn and prepare your magic knot. 

Step 4

The important thing to remember when tightening your knot is not to leave too long a tail on the old yarn – aim for about 1.5 cm or just under an inch.

Step 5

Draw your knots together and cut as usual.

Step 6

If it’s a little off, with your new yarn appearing too soon or too late for that final part of the stitch, don’t panic! Just unravel a few stitches and adjust your tension to give you slightly more or less yarn. The effect you want is this:

With practice you’ll get this down to a fine art - then you can kiss goodbye to all those annoying yarn tails!

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