A tail in pattern language is the beginning yarn or the ending yarn.
How do I use it? In amigurumi there are several ways I use tails.
Beginning tail...
1) first and foremost I use it to knot the beginning tail secure so there is no way the circle will come loose.
2) When I make a magic circle, I typically have a beginning tail of 5 inches but depending on what I am making, I may choose to add extra length to it and use it as stuffing. Like say the fingers on the Christmas Thief or the tail on a monkey. Small things that are no bigger than a pencil benefit from just using the yarn tail as stuffing, rather than trying to stuff with fiber fil and having the stitches stretch and then having white stuffing show through. Yuck! Nobody wants to see that.
3) lets say I am making the bottom of a foot with chain stitches that are worked in the round, I know to leave a bit extra tail for sewing and stuffing. For me the ends tend to have a hole in them from having 4 stitches in one chain. This will drive me nuts, so I fix it with a few stitches with the beginning tail to close the gap a little. Then I lay the extra remaining tail over the chain line and tack it down with either stuffing or a drop of fabric glue.
4) leaving an extra long beginning sewing tail. Typically used for sewing when a ending tail is not available, is in the wrong spot for where you need it or extra pieces are being added.
Ending tail...
1) most often than not the ending tail will be used for sewing the entire piece to another piece. Like sewing the opening or ending of a leg to a body.
2) it may also be used as a sewing tail for sewing gaps, in between pieces such as when putting two or more pieces together to make one piece like a hand.
3) I may use the ending tail to weave the last stitches closed or just weave the tail through some stitches to secure it.
One thing I definitely don't do is cut the tail shorter than 2 inches unless absolutely necessary.
Hope this helps. Happy crocheting!
