There are several ways to add a double chain to the bind off edge.
The method that creates an identical edge to the one formed by the double chain cast on involves an unusual way to purl stitches.
This approach to purling is used in Eastern knitting, and it is a secret trick that makes the double chain bind off a perfect match to the double chain cast on method that is often referred to as the Chinese waitress cast on.
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STEP 1
With the right side of the fabric facing you, bring the yarn to the front of the work and insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the first stitch on the left needle.
Place the working yarn at the bottom of the tip of the right needle.
This is the Eastern purling that I mentioned earlier. The difference between the Eastern and the classic purl is in the way we wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn.
In classic knitting, we make the wrap from the top of the right needle, while in Eastern knitting we keep the yarn at the bottom of the tip of the right needle.
This subtle change creates stitches that look much neater. Plus, this way of purling is a bit easier than the method used in classic knitting.
Push the tip of the right needle to the back turning the yarn wrap into a purl stitch. Then slip the just-purled stitch off the left needle.
STEP 2
Make a regular yarn over by bringing the yarn from the front over the top of the right needle and to the front of the work.
STEP 3
Purl the next stitch using the Eastern method described in step 1
Now we have two stitches and a yarn over on the right needle, and it is time to bring them down to one stitch. We’ll do it in the next two steps.
STEP 4
Insert the tip of the left needle from left to right into the yarn over that we formed in step 2.
Pass it over the first stitch from the tip of the right needle and off the needle.
We are left with two stitches on the right needle, but our target is to have one stitch, so let’s bind off one more stitch.
STEP 5
Insert the tip of the left needle from left to right into the second stitch from the tip of the right needle.
Pass this stitch over the other stitch and off the needle.
Voila – there is only one stitch sitting on the right needle.
Repeat steps 2 through 5 making a yarn over, purling one stitch the Eastern way, and finally, binding off the yarn over and one stitch to bring the number of stitches on the right needle to one.
When you bind off all stitches and there is only one stitch left on the right needle, cut the yarn, pass the yarn tail through the last stitch and pull tight to secure.
If you inspect the cast on and bind off edges, you will see that they are mirror versions of each other. Everything is the same – two chains placed next to each other, the size of stitches in each chain, even the direction of the chains at the cast on and bind off edges is identical – a perfect match.
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This and 31 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #8.
