Tips & Tricks for Better Bind Off Edges // Technique Tuesday

This video explains what causes different problems with bind off edges, and how to avoid those problems. Sometimes edges flare, and sometimes they are too rigid. Once the reason for the problem is understood, the knitter can solve the problem with the appropriate solution.
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To jump right to a specific point in the video, click on the adjacent time-stamped link:
Introduction: 0:00
Typical bind off problems (too tight/too flared): 0:18
Avoiding a flared bind off: 1:14
Creating a less rigid/tight bind off (by modifying tension): 4:33
The decrease bind off: 6:50
Purl decrease bind off: 9:59
Decrease bind off in pattern: 10:37
Needles used in video demonstration: various brands of bamboo dpns. No idea what brand they are
Yarn used in video demonstration: Brown Sheep Company Nature Spun worsted weight wool.
My Ravelry project page for the sweater I'm wearing: www.ravelry.com/projects/Rox/...
If you have questions about this video, or suggestions for future videos, please let me know down in the comments or on social media.
My knitting designs: www.ravelry.com/designers/rox...
Rox Rocks Ravelry group: www.ravelry.com/groups/rox-rocks
Facebook: / roxknits
Twitter: / roxmpls

[@rachelbeck600]

This video was so helpful! I have watched quite a videos talking about binding off, but yours is the first to address the issue I am having - a too tight bind off. Thank you so much for such a thorough review!

[@leeperalta101]

Thank you for this tutorial! I used this decrease bind off (worked as a ssk) for the first time, and I love it! It looks very nice, has just enough stretch, and is fairly quick.

[@DiVaIve]

What a great instructional video. I usually bind off with a crochet needle I find it much easier to pull through instead of pulling over.

[@lesleyoliver5582]

Hi Roxanne, just to say that I am thoroughly enjoying all your little tips. I am returning to knitting after 25/30 years and you’ve inspired me (maybe a little too much, I want to do it all 🙃🤣😊). I hope that you and your family/friends are well and remain so. Thanks from Australia 🐨🐨🦘🦘

[@annd9159]

I was so excited to see a technique Tuesday video today! Thank you for the great information.

[@scarlettm.7025]

Thank you for your helpful work! And for the timestamps in the videos which are so convenient 😊

[@sarag1158]

I've used your video to bind off in the ssk version on the bottom of my first sweater in 2x2. I don't want something that's going to stretch out too much. I think this will work beautifully..

[@cherylhandmadewithlove338]

Very informative for new knitters!! Thank you! 💐🦋

[@daamile]

This was so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for explaining it so well, and doing all that research. My edges look so crisp now! ♥️

[@r.mcd2921]

Always excellent - thank you!

[@keksitse]

Thanks for this great video! I got great advise, and the yarn and stitches are easy to be seen in your example!

[@Regina-yf5cz]

Thank you so much for your bind off-video showing different types of binding off. Would have saved me a lot of time and anger, if had found it before 😘. I have bought you and your friend a café. Best regards from Bavaria.

[@denisedrapeau5549]

Very good, thanks

[@tinekejoldersma]

Oh wow, thought I couldn't learn more about knitting but you just did.

[@lala-KNITS]

Loved this! Thank you ✌️❤️😁

[@marypfeffer997]

Great Video; thanks!

[@rafaelr.2228]

You are the best. Thanks for addressing the elephant in the room. I don't know what I am talking about. Flamingos are cool.

[@Sanna99971]

Thank you, my two by two rib bind off, sorted.

[@billhernandez9658]

Great instructions! For my ribbed scarf I discovered the cast on edge was flared. Rather than unravel it, I wove the tail just under the edge every few loops in the fabric all the way across with a crochet hook and when I got to the end, I pulled that yarn to gather the edge to perfection with the right tension and then tied it off. I will be adding tassels so how the edge looks doesn't matter, but the edge looks just fine without. The concept was inspired by something my mama taught me when inserting elastic to homemade pajama waist bands. Now with your instructions, when I bind off I will use your technique. Not sure how to make the cast on edge behave with the ribbed pattern except with my work around. Thanks!

[@adabee]

Thank you for this! I came here for this exact problem I’m having with a scarf. I think I’ll do the same.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Thanks for your great work. I am so happy to see another technique Tuesday video. They are so helpfull. It is great to have them all on line and go back to different videos when the help is needed.

[@maretabester9784]

Thank you!... I learn so much with each of your Technical Tuesday videos! I have just started knitting again after about 20 years and really want my work to look neat. Somehow I am bundling everything up. 🙈 I have a question about something I do really struggle with. The side edges of a piece of knitting, eg for jerseys. Firstly I am not sure what I should do at the edges, especially thinking of sewing pieces together. Do I knit the first and last sts on the knit side, and purl them in the purl side, or knit all of them. 🤦 Secondly I struggle with keeping the same tension especially the beginning and ending of rows. So when I want to sew pieces together the 'end' stitches are not the same size. Could you please help, or maybe you already have a video explaining this.🙏 Thank you 💕

[@Ursaminor31]

I lays bind off medium loose and much more so then the knitted body, because I use super wash wool and wash it and block it after completion always - and it grows by 10-15% in size. I use a chrochet hook to bind off and it’s perfectly fast and consistent. If I don’t get it right I never snip my long tails until after it’s washed. That way I can undo it and re do it knowing that the yarn has reached its final relaxed drape.

[@idaducy]

Thanks.

[@NYKnitter]

:) as always, while watching, I ask a question and it is as if you can hear me :) thank you for making these

[@jaepro6572]

I always enjoy watching your videos--so well presented and so interesting! I have been catching up on the Casual Friday videos you made before I found you on KZbin, and you were talking about sewing ribbon to the inside of your button bands on three of your sweaters. I think the sweater you have on in this video might be one of those from the description you gave. I love this sweater, and one of the things I really love is how perfect the neckband is! It lies so perfectly around the edge of your sweater--really beautiful! (Nothing ruins the looks of a sweater more than a tragic buttonband!) I would love it if you would give some detail on the process of installing the ribbon. I imagine it would be really easy to do it poorly, so any tips would be appreciated. :) Or is that on a video I haven't gotten to yet?

[@dawnoverholt6877]

I have found that what works best for me and has a stretchy edge is I knit into the back of the stitches if it is a K st and if a P I purl the first st. lift the last stitch over making the knit stitches stretchy and not the purl. If the bind off stitches are all knit I will use the two bind off methods to control flare and still maintain the stretch if needed. If I don't want a lot of stretch I will use a regular bind off.

[@imenabbasi8772]

Love your videos I have a request if you don't mind could you please make a tutorial about the contiguous knitting technique for the top down knitted garments by suzan meyers ?

[@junewebb4985]

What's the best way to remove a tubular bind off from brioche or double knitting?

[@narminallaweardi2384]

Thank you❤❤❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂

[@thearmchairjournalist566]

I wish I had you for a mum! No more freaking about knitting fubars or racing down the wool shop or online to try to figure out where I went wrong lol

[@susant8166]

I'm interested to know what yarn you use in these demonstrations?

[@marissachippy9372]

This is great! How do you take care of the last 2 stitches when binding off so you are not stuck with a large, loose loop at the end?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

There is a play list of bind off videos at the end. One of the videos demonstrates how to neaten up that corner.

[@marissachippy9372]

@@RoxanneRichardson thank you!

[@kirstenseballe261]

If you knit the two last stitches together and then bind of you can avoid the big loose stitch. Normally you vill knit them one at a time. That makes the big loose stitch in the end.

[@melvinbeli1]

Wow, I've learned so much from your video and your others are great too. Do you have a video on how to tie off the last bind off stitch so it's smooth for weaving in that end? I've seen (but don't know which yarn they pull through) where the yarn instead of being pulled through and making a bulky knot that working yarn is puled through and up into a really long loop and cut at the top middle. One side is pulled through to finish it off but I can never see which side of the cut loop is pulled through. Can you help? Thanks again for your great video :D

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I do have a video for this. The main point is that you cut the yarn *first* - there is only one strand to cut, and that is the working yarn which is attached to the ball of yarn. After you've cut the yarn (giving yourself a 4-6'' tail), *then* you enlarge the loop on the needle until the cut end is pulled out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKSTd6mrq5eebc0

[@semprelegato10]

Ahhhhh! Thanks for the Technique Tuesay! Having some withdrawal symptoms! (Of course happy that you're doing the vids that give you the personal enjoyment that you so richly deserve) sooo, I was originally taught versions of the decrease bindoffs, and don't seem to have probs with stockingette or ribbing, but thnks for the info on the cable fabric bindoff. Will play with your tips to see what improvement I can achieve. May be a silly question, but many times I will bind off in purl on the knit side of the fabric so that I don't have that chain facing me and curling down. (Depends on whether the bind off shows and the project) Would you have a suggestion to achieve the same result with a knit stitch bindoff?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Are you talking about binding off something that was worked in garter stitch? Many people choose to BO on the RS of the work, and in order to avoid the chain rolling toward that final knit row, they'll BO purlwise across the RS. You end up with two rows of purls at the edge of the work when you do that. The alternative is to maintain the garter stitch pattern, but bind off on the WS of the work. The chain will still roll toward the last row of knits, but it will be on the WS.

[@semprelegato10]

@@RoxanneRichardson nope, just regular stockinette. Just don't like the look of the chain stitch of the bind off. But that's good info for garter stitch. (If I could figure out how to edit on this thing it would look like I could spell, but that's neither here nor there. :-( )

[@RoxanneRichardson]

For stockinette, the BO edge typically won't remain exposed, because either the fabric will roll and cover the BO edge, or you will seam or pick up sts along the edge.

[@heidicook2395]

Thank you so much for this video! It makes a big difference! Do you have a video on binding off socks with the really stretchy result? I have learned so much from your videos. I taught myself to knit from a book. I was able to take a beginner's class once that helped, but where I live now that isn't an option. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I do have one video in the Binding Off playlist that can work well, which is the Outline Stitch bind off. It's a type of sewn bind off. Other types of stretchy bind offs usually do something to add additional yarn or stitches during the course of binding off, essentially creating a longer edge that will then stretch more. I don't have any of those techniques on my channel at the moment.

[@royt7562]

I use Lori's Stretchy No-Flare BO, which has a YT video.

[@heidicook2395]

@@royt7562 thanks.

[@syhkodelique]

Great info onto those bind-offs, so much goodness in the finished look. I thought I heard you say, more ideas on your list to add along with knowing more about wools, sheep from one Ewe University also has.

[@cydnicaldwell1337]

I 'semi-cheat' and use a crochet hook one or two sizes bigger. Keeps me from making my bind off being to tight.

[@Ursaminor31]

Cydni Caldwell indeed my preferred technique as well.

[@cydnicaldwell1337]

@@Ursaminor31 I know I bind off tightly and using a crochet hook keeps my bind off loose. Sometimes if I'm missing one of a set of needles for a project - I will grab a tunsian (Afghan) hook and use that until I can find the other needle (one if my 2 cats is a needle thief and hides them all over the house if I forget to put them back into a project bag overnight.)

[@thesedwick]

Could you knit the row in pattern then go back and pass the stitches over without working them? You give that as a tip for when you forget to bind off. "just pass the stitches back and bind them off without working them." It seems like that would keep you from tightening the stitches as you bind off.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You can, but that usually gives a very firm result. If you aren't pulling on the working yarn, the act of pulling a stitch over will typically loosen the sts a bit. It's that slight loosening that sometimes causes knitters to react by tightening. Pulling over a few loops in a row for a few sts won't likely affect the entire bind off edge, so it's fine to do, particularly when it can be difficult to undo the worked sts (as for a 3NBO). The firmness is a desirable quality in some situations, like buttonholes, which is why it's used for the one-row buttonhole technique.

[@maxx6050]

👍🏽

[@sandracohen8481]

Hello, instead of binding off can I knit that last row and then. Will that keep it from stretching Thanks

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The idea is to bind off in pattern (however that row would have been worked if you weren't binding off), and to do so without pulling the bound off sts too tightly.

[@sandracohen8481]

I ended up binding off with one size smaller needle and it really helped

[@lindabraun6396]

Button hole on purl side

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Is that a question? Request?