What is the difference between an away knot and a waste knot?
Both are used when starting stitching in a new area, and there are no existing stitches to run the thread under. A knot is tied in the end of the thread, and the needle is plunged into the canvas from the top, a few inches away from where you are going to start stitching. The difference between the two types of knots comes in where the knot is put. An AWAY KNOT is put in the direction you will not be stitching. After you’ve stitched awhile, you can clip the knot off, then slip the end under existing stitches to secure it. A WASTE KNOT is placed a couple inches away from where you will start stitching, in the direction that you will be stitching. In this case your first few stitches go over the loose end and tied it down, and when you reach the knot you just cut it off, and your thread is already secure.
