How to fasten off crochet and weave in ends

We show you how to fasten off in crochet so you can finish your work, as well as how to weave in crochet ends neatly.

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Becky Skuse

Published: May 16, 2023 at 8:00 am

If you've been learning how to crochet and have just got to the end of your first crochet project, then now is the time to learn how to finish a crochet project!

You'll generally see the words 'fasten off' at the end of every crochet pattern or shape, but occasionally people may refer to this technique as 'how to tie off crochet' - don't worry, they're both the same thing!

Essentially, when you fasten off crochet (or tie off crochet), you're putting a knot in place so that your crochet doesn't unravel. As well as the crochet fasten off technique, we'll also show you how to weave in crochet ends securely using a yarn needle.

Crochet not looking quite right?

If you're still just learning the basic crochet techniques but something still doesn't seem right, take a look at our crochet troubleshooting tips article before fastening off.

How to finish a crochet project

Check out our video below on how to fasten off/how to tie off crochet and weave in your ends, or you can check out our step-by-step picture tutorials below.

You will need:

Yarn
Crochet hook
Scissors

How to fasten off crochet

Step 1

Once you’ve worked your last stitch, you’ll have one loop left on your hook. Cut the yarn leaving a tail approx 15cm long.

Wrap the yarn round the hook (yrh) and pull through the loop.

How to fasten off crochet – how to tie off crochet – step1B

Step 2

Remove the hook and pull the yarn tail to tighten it up. This will create a nice little knot that will mean your yarn can’t unravel.

How to fasten off crochet – how to tie off crochet – step2

Once you’re accustomed with how to fasten off crochet, some people will remove the hook altogether at step 1, loosen the last loop and thread the yarn through by hand. That’s all there is to it, now you know how to fasten off crochet/how to tie off crochet!

How to fasten off a crochet round

If you’re doing crochet in the round, fastening off in this way can create a bit of a bump. To get your circles looking perfect, check out this clever little technique – How to do the invisible crochet join.

How to weave in ends in crochet

Step 1

Once your crochet is fastened off, there’s one more thing you’ll need to do to finish off crochet – you need to hide that yarn bit of leftover yarn (what is often called a yarn tail or end).

Knowing how to weave in crochet ends not only helps it to look neater, but also secures the tail in place so even with a lot of movement your crochet won’t unravel. Never cut the tail right up to the crochet fasten off knot as this could easily work itself loose.

To weave in crochet ends, thread your tail onto a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle). On the wrong side of your crochet, weave the needle down in and out of the back of a few stitches as shown in the picture.

How to weave in ends crochet – step1

Step 2

Weave the needle back going in an upwards direction.

There are no strict rules about how best to weave in the ends of yarn – the important thing is that they need to be secure and invisible from the front.

When crochet is pulled or requires a lot of movement, woven in tails can occasionally come loose, so you may want to weave the yarn tail in different directions to prevent this from happening.

How to weave in ends crochet – step4

And that’s how to finish off crochet! It’s so simple, before you know it you’ll be fastening off without even needing to think about it.

How to finish crochet like a pro!

Once you know how to tie off crochet, if you’re making anything with multiple motifs or shapes you may also want to learn how to join crochet pieces together.

It’s all in the finishing touches

Now that you know how to fasten off and how to weave in ends in crochet, you’ve learnt the final steps to many crochet projects. However, there is one more technique to learn if you want to get your crochet fabric looking it’s best – blocking. This helps to relax natural fibres such as wool and will help to make your crochet fabric to lie flat and make your edges look even neater.

Learn how to block crochet

Find out everything you know about when and how to block crochet with the complete guide from Gathered.

Crochet Designer & Technical Editor

Becky is a writer, crafter and designer from Bristol. As well as contributing many designs to Simply Crochet, Becky is also the creator of many of the Simply Crochet workshop features, sharing her incredible crochet knowledge with readers. As well as crochet Becky is a keen crafter in a variety of disciplines, including baking, beadwork, sewing and knitting. You can catch up with Becky on Instagram at @becky.skuse