Or, How to Join Some Yarns

Spit-splicing is one of, if not my very favorite technique in knitting.  It isn't for all yarns, however.  Spit-splicing is appropriate for wool yarns of at least 75% wool content.  It is NOT appropriate for:

1.  Superwash wool

2.  Cottons, linens, acrylics. 

Here's how it goes:

Whether intentional or not, you have two ends of yarn.  This happens to be a Cascade knitting worsted weight yarn with 4 plies, or strands of yarn twisted together.

Tease out approximately, but not perfectly, about equal lengths of 2 plies.  I do mean "tease," because you want some of the fluffy stuff to help the yarn adhere.

Overlap the ends, again approximately.  Some like to try and twist the ends together, which is probably fine.  I've never found any need to do that. 

Now, here's the tricky part:  You lay the overlapped ends across your hand and spit on it.  I suppose those faint hearts who can't bring themselves to spit might use water, but I consider that a bit sissy.  You get the yarn nice and wet with spit, then you gently rub it back and forth between your hands, generating both friction and heat, until you have a nice, continuous piece of yarn that looks like this:

You will have a continuous yarn, and the place where you spliced it will not show.

This is the part where I get to tell you once again, the thrilling anecdote of my son's cardigan.  I made him a lovely cardigan

of Lamb's Pride Worsted.  I wound up having to re-do the fronts a couple of years afterwards, and I knew that I'd extensively spit-spliced the left front.  When I ripped it out, I could not find the splices, and even tugging on the yarn did not cause it to come apart.  I was astonished. 

If one is a devotee of Shetland wool, splicing will be even more secure, and the insides of your sweaters will be a joy and delight, rather than a melange of yarn ends to bury. 

I know one woman who splices when doing Fair Isle.  It works to an extent, let us say.  It produces a slightly more ambiguous color change than might always be desirable, but it works.

If you simply can't spit, go to your pharmacy and purchase a bottle of that lovely artificial spit.  It should work very well.  Just be sure it doesn't have any sugar in it, to attract beasties.

Good knitting,

MEM

Copyright and all rights reserved to Mary English Morrison a/k/a/ The Little Yarn Shoppe of Horrors, 2005

Comments

[Meg]

Great pictures, Mary! I was trying to describe spit splicing to someone over the phone the other day -- next time I'll just send them here. Thanks!

BTW, I always spit splice my color changed when doing fair isle, and at 2 ply jumper weight it works just fine. When I'm 5 sts away from the end of my round I measure out 5" of the old color, break off one ply 1" from the end, splice and knit on. The change either occurs (a) in the steek if a cardigan, or (b) under the arm if a pullover. Much preferable, to me at least, to weaving in ends.

[Laura]

You're so awesome to make these great pictures and instructions! I will absolutely be using this technique when I make my next project of wool. But I'm afraid I might have problems if my spit must be sugar-free. ha I drink so many sodas and sweetened coffee, etc, I don't think I would have sugar-free spit!

[Katie]

Thanks! This saved the merino scarf my daughter is knitting.

[Cathy]

was linked to your blog by uhm...toured your pics and notes and they are awesome. I am just beginning fair isle and my cables are coming along. Thanks for sharing your many talents including the spit splice!!!
wooly hugs from snowy Niagara

[patita]

Just worked the magic with some Noro Kureyon--it helped make the transition to a new skein look like the other color transitions!

[deanna]

Fantastic! I am a newbie knitter and was searching around trying to figure out how to add a new skein to my first project...this amazed me and worked perfectly!

[May]

Wow! It work great, never think of a way to join yarns... thanks so much.

[restitched]

thanks for this tutorial... this technique makes me look far more professional than i actually am!!

[Libby G]

Thanks for this info about splicing. My Mum (who is now 96) taught me to spit on the wool, but sitting on a crowded bus this morning, I didn't think it was too 'polite' so endeavoured to splice without the moisture - not nearly as good! Your reassurance of my 'old & trusted' method is great. (From Brisbane, Australia)

[Annette]

If you don't want to actually spit on the wool just stick it in your mouth for a few seconds and get it wet.

Yes, I am not afraid to admit it, I suck splice instead of spit splicing.

[Kamagra Discount]

great article... thanks!!

[Hiro]

Spit splice is the only way I ever work fair isle, and you know, after a very little while, you figure out where to place the splice so you have the shortest range of 'transition' issues. In my most recent pullover you can hardly see it, and since it is shetland wool, it holds like iron.

[Jennifer]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have saved my knitting project and my little boy's life! He accidentally ripped my yarn in his excitement to watch Sesame Street. It's a lace project so I wasn't willing to just start the yarn at the edge like I normally would. I heard of this method before, but was skeptical how well it would actually work. I was so desperate today I just had to give it a try. I certainly had nothing to lose. Wow! I can hardly tell the difference! I'm amazed and relieved. I owe you a huge debt of gratitude!!

[Catherine]

I want to thank you too for the spit splice - it helped tidy up my handspun stash. I make 50 gm balls from the hanks - but they are never 50 gms each - so now I can join on more yarn to make up the 50 gms :).