Introducing the JSSBO-Turbo: Jeny Staiman’s New Favorite Stretchy Bind-Off
Hello darling readers, I’m back with a new update and collaboration with Jeny Staiman, of JSSBO (Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off) fame!
Why JSSBO Became a Go-To Bind-Off
JSSBO rose to popularity as one of the best stretchy bind-offs out there, capable of binding off any combination of rib stitches and stretching out and springing back in with impressive elasticity. Unlike the Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off which uses a tapestry needle and yarn to sew, JSSBO is a knitted bind-off that you can do while your work is still on the needles.
Jeny’s Honest Take: It’s Not Always Fun to Do
Still, in one of our recent conversations, Jeny shared with me that although she liked the stretchiness and the “corrugated” look of her eponymous bind-off, she found that she didn’t use it all that much.
Knitting is all about what you enjoy. –Jeny Staiman
In a pinch, Jeny found herself using a variation of the K2tog bind-off where you K2tog through the back loops. It’s not stretchy at all, but, as she explains, “Sometimes, you just don’t care, you just want to do it fast, because you want the thing.”
How the JSSBO-Turbo Was Born
In classic Jeny fashion, she found herself wondering if there were a way to make the K2togtbl bind-off more elastic, and thereby get the best of both worlds. Without thinking about JSSBO, she tried adding a reverse yarnover between each stitch. Then things clicked into place when she did a regular yarnover before a purl stitch and a reverse yarnover before the knit stitch.
Meet the JSSBO-Turbo
Voilà! A new, turbo-charged version of JSSBO was born. Not only does it look tidier across the top, with the same corrugated texture, Jeny shares that she finds it much more pleasing to do. The JSSBO-Turbo is now Jeny’s new go-to stretchy bind-off for any kind of rib.
Video Tutorial: Learn the JSSBO-Turbo
Excited to give it a try? Grab some sharp-taper needles, knit up a sample of 1×1 rib, and follow along with the video below to learn Jeny Staiman’s NEW favorite stretchy bind-off. Written instructions follow the video.
JSSBO-Turbo: Written Instructions
- Slip the first stitch purlwise.
- If the next stitch is a purl stitch:
- Bring the yarn to the front.
- YO, bringing the yarn back to the front.
- Insert the right-hand needle purlwise into the first stitch on the left-hand needle, with the right-hand needle in front.
- Insert the left-hand needle into the two stitches on the right-hand needle, with the left-hand needle in back.
- Purl the 3 stitches together.
- If the next stitch is a knit stitch:
- Bring the yarn to the back.
- Reverse YO.
- Slip the next stitch knitwise.
- Insert the left-hand needle into the 3 stitches on the right-hand needle, with the left-hand needle in front.
- Knit the 3 stitches together.
Repeat the above steps for any combination of knit and purl stitches.
What Do You Think?
Are you going to try this version of JSSBO on your next ribbed project? What’s YOUR favorite way of doing JSSBO? As Jeny says, “It makes me really happy when people come up with their own variations, because that’s what brings it to life.” Let Jeny and me know in the comments.
A Personal Update from Liat
Back in the Saddle with KnitFreedom
It’s been a long time! Thanks to Jeny getting in contact with me and sharing her new and improved techniques, I’ve dusted off the video camera and knitting needles once again. It’s been exciting for me to get this post ready for you, and I hope you love it.
Behind the Scenes at KnitFreedom
Our site has seen many setbacks over the last year, including some difficulties which almost finished us off. We lost most of our subscriptions in a hosting move a couple years ago, and had never really recovered (re-subscribe here if you’d like to get access to our library again!). Then, our shopping cart was broken for many months. Then spam traffic was crashing our site.
The good news is, Jeny Staiman’s idea to collaborate has breathed new life into my relationship with KnitFreedom. I’ve solved the most egregious problems on the site with the help of a new developer. We are now working on making the site faster so it can be more enjoyable to use. And lastly, this post is the first of three planned (and many more yet-to-be-planned) collaborations with Jeny to bring you my videos of her fabulous new techniques.
Liat’s Personal Journey
It’s been over a year since I posted here saying that family life had started to settle down. Milo is now almost 6 and Max is 2 1/2, and they are the boisterous, loving, challenging center of my life. In addition to helping my mom in her real estate business and studying for the real estate exam, I have also continued to learn and pursue knowledge in my favorite topics, among which are self-development, photography, and Feng Shui.
I officially became a certified Nine Steps to Feng Shui® consultant, which means I can now help people turn their current homes into dream homes, just by collaborating online (leave a comment below if you’re interested!). I also continue to improve the Feng Shui of the apartment I share with my mom.
Miracle Techniques for Parenting
One of the most momentous things I’ve learned this year is called the Nurtured Heart Approach. This is a parenting/teaching approach invented by Howard Glasser and explained in his book Transforming the Difficult Child.
There are a few key concepts to knock your socks off but one of the most smack-yourself-on-the-forehead, why-didn’t-I-see-this-before ideas is that we almost exclusively give our attention, energy, and focus to our kids when they’re misbehaving. As soon as they’re compliant, the attention goes onto other things.
Intense or needy kids learn pretty quickly that they can get a stronger connection to parents, caregivers, and teachers when they misbehave. It’s sort of an addiction. This is what I was going through with my oldest son. Even though I love him so much, his behavior was such that even the most patient mom would be at her wits’ end. All of my energy was going towards connecting with him during tantrums and other negative behavior.
It is a miracle I found the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) through Milo’s after-school program. In it, Howard Glasser shows people how to invert this upside-down energy so that you’re giving praise, attention, encouragement, and connection to your kids when they’re NOT misbehaving, thereby creating a system that cultivates success and what Glasser calls “inner wealth.”
Here Come the Photos
And last, here is a collection of my favorite photos of my life (i.e. my kids) since I posted previously. Enjoy! (click a photo to open it full-size and read the caption)
Leave a Comment
I love to hear from you! How have you been recently? What to you think of the new technique? Do you know that I miss and love you? Let me know in the comments.
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