Categories:
Advanced Knitting, Seaming Bind-Offs
It is easy to do Kitchener stitch and have the seam come out too loose or too tight. Follow these tension tips so that your Kitchener stitch bind-off is invisible, stretchy, and blends in perfectly with the surrounding stitches.
Video: How to Have Great Tension on Kitchener Stitch
How to Have Great Tension on Kitchener Stitch - KnitFreedom.com
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced
To improve your tension on Kitchener stitch, try the following tips:
- Only cut as much tail as you need, not more
- Stop every few stitches to see how your bind-off looks. Give the finished section of the bind-off a little tug as you go, so that you can see if it’s too tight or too loose.
- Pull your yarn carefully when pulling it through the stitches. Do not pull hard. Pull until the yarn is just snug.
- Bring the needles close to each other every time you pull the yarn through. If you keep them far apart, it will make it difficult to get the tension right.
- The row of stitches you’re creating should match the tension of the surrounding stitches.
If your Kitchener stitch is too loose, you can use your tapestry needle to move the loose yarn down the bind-off and tighten up the bind-off. If it is too tight, you should undo your bind-off and start again (how to undo your Kitchener stitch bind-off).
For a step-by-step photo tutorial of Kitchener stitch, a downloadable cheat sheet, and lots of Kitchener stitch tips and tricks, see our Complete Video Guide to Seaming Your Knitting With Kitchener Stitch.
Recommended Materials: Tapestry needle, scissors
