This is one for connoisseurs.
Like the tails on a tux, or the shine on your shoes, this is a finishing touch with style.
The bind-off that has it all.
A Hemmed Edge. A Picot Ruffle.
On Toe-Up Socks.
This bind-off combines three things you love about socks, but couldn’t have all together until now…
The picot edge – those cute little points that you can do instead of a regular edge.
The hemmed edge – the smooth, folded-over edge that you can do instead of ribbing.
Yes, you can do this on the cast-on edge of a project, but what about on toe-up socks?
Why should top-down sock-knitters have all the fun?
A toe-up sock needs an edge you can do at the end.
You could easily do a regular picot bind-off, but the edge won’t be hemmed.
Some methods out there recommend doing a picot set-up and then sewing the live stitches down to make a hem.
But I know that when I finish knitting a sock, I want to be done.
So there has to be no sewing involved – the edge has to happen on the needles, with some sort of bind-off.
Solution: Combine Two Techniques To Make The Picot Hem Bind-Off
When I wanted a picot hemmed edge on my latest toe-up sock design, I knew I had to combine it with a really good bind off.
The bind-off would have to be stretchy (if you’ve ever made a toe-up sock and then bound off a little too tight, you’ll know what I mean).
But since I was dealing with making the hem at the same time, the bind-off had to be easy as well.
I turned to my favorite fast bind-off, the yarnover bind-off.
I combined the stretchy bind-off with the hemmed cast-on edge technique, doing one hem stitch and then binding it off with the stretchy bind-off.
Learn how to do it in the video below, because…
This Bind-Off Is In The New Fingering-Weight Pattern
I’ll be releasing the fingering-weight version of my toe-up heel-flap socks pattern soon (details below), and I know you’re going to want to try this edging. Doesn’t it look slick in the photos?
Give it a whirl now on small swatch with worsted yarn, so that you’ll be ready.
Written instructions below the video.
Picot Hem Bind-Off Instructions:
Hemmed edge set-up
Knit for at least one inch in St st.
Next round: (YO, k2tog) around.
Work in St st for at least one inch (10 rows in fingering-weight yarn, 6 in worsted-weight).
Create the picot hem bind-off edge
Fold work at the lace round and pick up the purl bump of the stitch 13 rows below, and place the purl bump on the left-hand needle (this step is hereafter abbreviated as GB (“get bump”).
YO, k2tog, pso, *GB, YO, k2tog, pso, pso, rep from * until all sts have been bound off.
Note: if you are working two socks at a time, you’ll have to either leave 1 stitch on the right-hand needle or put it on a stitch marker while you bind off the second sock before you can finish binding off the first sock.
Tip: Watch The Number Of Set-Up Rows – Make Sure You Have An Inch
If you are feeling impatient on the Stockinette set-up rows and want to get to the fun part already, just know that now’s not the time to skimp.
Just like ribbing, if you don’t make this edging long enough, it will look funny. The picot hemmed edge tends to poof out when you have too few rows of Stockinette stitch in your set-up rows.
The key: make sure you have 10 rows of Stockinette if you’re using fingering-weight yarn, and 6 rows if you’re using worsted.
Resources
If you want to understand the techniques that make up the picot hem bind-off, make sure to refer to these videos:
- Edge Treatments: How To Knit A Picot Hem
- Eunny Jang’s Flexible Invention: The Stretchy Yarnover Bind-Off
So, raring to try this technique on the new fingering-weight version of the toe-up heel-flap socks?
The pattern will be published soon – here’s what you can do to speed up the process:
Sign up to be a test-knitter! Details below…
Calling Test-Knitters For The New Fingering-Weight Sock Pattern
I’m looking for a select group of KnitFreedom readers to test-knit the new pattern.
NOTE: YOUR KNITTING ABILITY LEVEL DOESN’T MATTER.
If you can follow knitting directions and read a knitting pattern, you can do this sock. I’ve got resources on KnitFreedom for every technique you’ll need to know, including knitting in the round.
I need feedback from adventurous knitters of all levels, as well as people with small feet, large feet, and high insteps.
If you’d like to test-knit this pattern, leave a comment below and let me know. I’ll contact the first 20 commenters when it’s time to get started. If you’ve already talked to me, don’t worry – you’re on the list.
Lastly, Coming Soon: A Peek Inside The Malabrigo Factory
Yes, I’m planning a trip to the Malabrigo headquarters in Montevideo, Uruguay! I have no idea what I’ll find when I get there, but I’ll be bringing my camera and interviewing a guy named Antonio – that’s all I know.
Of course I’ll take pictures and write up a big blog post about the whole thing.
Got anything you want to tell the folks at Malabrigo? Leave a comment below, and I’ll pass on in person what you said.
And lastly, how about this picot hem bind-off? What do you think? Too crazy? Are you going to try it? You guessed it, leave a comment, and I’ll see y’all next week!
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