To form a beautiful elastic edge when we bind off stitches, we’ll join stitches in pairs using a wool needle.
To simplify the process, we’ll take advantage of the basic fact that the stitches that we see as purls on the right side of the fabric look like knits on the wrong side of the fabric.
Instead of trying to remember a way to join knit stitches and a way to join purl stitches, we’ll alternate joining knit stitches on the right side of the work with joining knit stitches on the wrong side of the work.
As we do that, we’ll always work stitches in pairs, inserting the wool needle from front to back into the first stitch we join and from back to front into the second stitch.
Let’s see how we do it step by step,
The other thing to keep in mind is that we need to work each stitch twice.
But before we close the stitches, we want to make sure the bind-off edge is well-rounded and doesn’t have an inclination to stretch out when we start to wear our precious knitted creation.
That’s when preparation rows come into play.
PREPARATION ROWS
This part is optional. You can follow the instructions in the “Bind Off Itself” part right away, but preparation rows give the bind-off edge a more polished look and help the edge to keep its shape better.
These rows are very similar to the setup rows that we make when we use the tubular cast-on method.
We simply knit the knit stitches and slip the purls with the yarn in front of the work.
Because in most cases 1×1 ribbing starts with a knit stitch, we’ll assume that the first stitch on your needles is a knit.
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PREPARATION ROW 1
Knit 1 stitch, bring the yarn to the front of the work, and slip 1 stitch purlwise to the right needle.
Repeat this sequence to the last two stitches of the row, then knit 1 stitch and purl the last stitch.
If you have an odd number of stitches, repeat this sequence to the last stitch of the row, then knit the last stitch. If your row starts with a purl stitch, purl that stitch, and then repeat the sequence described above.
PREPARATION ROW 2
Nothing special happens in this row. We simply repeat the same “knit the knits and slip the purls” process that we followed in preparation row 1.
When we get to the last stitch of the row, we purl that stitch.
As a result, the fabric underneath the needle looks very similar to 1×1 ribbing, but it is not quite ribbing.
When we look closely, we’ll see strands in front of purl stitches in the top row. These strands make the edge more rounded, and they also keep the fabric from stretching out.
BIND OFF ITSELF
Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail that is at least three times as long as the bind-off edge. Thread this tail into a wool needle.
To make it easier for you to see every strand of the seam, I will use a piece of yarn in a different colour as my yarn tail.
STEP 1
The first step is a bit tricky, but it is essential to ensure that the right-hand side of the edge is nicely shaped.
Place the wool needle at the back of the first knit stitch, and then insert it from left to right into the first purl stitch.
Pull the yarn through.
STEP 2
With the right side of the fabric facing you, insert the wool needle from left to right (front to back) into the first knit stitch on the left needle.
Drop this knit stitch off the knitting needle. Then drop the purl stitch that we “worked” in the previous step.
Insert the wool needle from right to left (back to front) into the next knit stitch.
Drop this knit stitch off the left needle and pull the yarn through, but don’t pull it too tight. The strand that you form should be as long as one leg of an average stitch of the fabric.
STEP 3
Rotate the fabric around the left needle so that you can see the wrong side of the last few rows of the project.
Insert the wool needle from front to back into the “previously worked” knit stitch (as it presents itself on this side of the fabric) and from back to front into the next knit stitch.
Slip this knit stitch off the knitting needle and pull the yarn through, forming a neat strand on top of the edge.
STEP 4
Rotate the work again so that the right side of the fabric is facing you, and insert the wool needle from front to back into the “previously worked” knit stitch and from back to front into the next knit stitch.
Drop the knit stitch off the left needle and pull the yarn through, forming a neat strand on top of the edge.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you bind off all stitches.
It is important to treat the process of seaming as embroidery. Because we form each strand separately, we should make sure all strands are of approximately the same length. Otherwise, the bind-off edge will look a bit sloppy. Not something we want for our projects, right?
To finish the seam, insert the wool needle from front to back into the last knit stitch and from right to left into the last purl stitch.
Pull tight, secure the yarn, and hide the tail inside the edge.
Tubular bind off forms a beautiful edge on a fabric worked in any stitch pattern. Even a humble stockinette stitch will get an upgrade with this edging. But, of course, this method really shines when we use it to form an elastic edge on projects worked in “knit 1, purl 1” ribbing.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
This and 31 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #8.
