How to change colors in knitting

Published on September 8, 2026 by Sophie

Whether you’re a knitting newbie or a craft connoisseur, working in beautifully bright and fabulously fun colors is the simplest way to give your projects pizzazz! Learn how to change colors in knitting and you’ll open up a whole new realm of possibilities.

The easiest way to introduce color is to create stripes – working with one color at a time to create a single fabric. Joining a new color isn’t as hard as you think, as you’ll learn in our super simple step-by-step guide.

How to change colors in knitting step-by-step

Insert the needle into the first stitch, loop the new color over the tip of the right hand needle and knit the first stitch

Pick up the short length, taking it under the long length and place it on needle

Holding the shorter length down, knit the next stitch, catching the short end a second time

Repeat, weaving the end over 8 stitches until it is secure

Pro Tip

Avoid joining yarns in the middle of the row as it can be difficult to prevent the knot and loose ends from showing. Don’t work the old and the new yarn together for a few stitches in order to secure ends. This will give it a double thickness and create an uneven fabric.

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