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How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear

Knitting Videos » Bind-Offs » Seaming Bind-Offs » How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear

Most written instructions for Kitchener Stitch are too complex to follow. This video teaches you to seam up your knitting with Kitchener stitch so you can easily close up sock toes and afterthought heels with confidence.

Video: How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear





How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear - KnitFreedom.com
How to Do Kitchener Stitch Without Fear - KnitFreedom.com


Characteristics: recommended, sewn, slow
Difficulty: Intermediate

Kitchener Stitch Without Fear thumbnail 61821 square crop

This is an advanced sewn bind-off that is completely flat and invisible. It is slow but it gets faster as you get better at it.

Not only is this a fabulous way to invisibly join two pieces of knitting, this technique is used in a lot of other advanced bind-offs, making it an investment in your future knitting happiness.

I would consider it “required” for intermediate knitters.

For a step-by-step photo tutorial, downloadable cheat sheet, and lots of Kitchener stitch tips and tricks, see our post The Complete Guide to Seaming Your Knitting With Kitchener Stitch.




Instructions

Cut your yarn tail as follows:
Measure out three times the width of the stitches to be bound off, plus add 6 inches for weaving in. Cut yarn.
Thread yarn onto a tapestry needle.

Setup Stitches:

  1. Go purlwise into first stitch on front needle. Pull yarn through.
  2. Go knitwise into first stitch on back needle. Pull yarn through.

After you do the setup above, repeat the following steps:

  1. Go knitwise into first stitch on front needle. Take the stitch off.
  2. Go purlwise into first stitch on front needle. Pull yarn through.
  3. Go purlwise into first stitch on back needle. Take the stitch off.
  4. Go knitwise into first stitch on back needle. Pull yarn through.

To finish, work step 1 and then 3.

To easily remember Kitchener stitch, repeat the following mantra: (front needle) Knit off, purl; (back needle) Purl off, knit.


Kitchener Stitch - Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

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More Information

Even if you've run into a lot of frustration with this bind-off before, I want you to put that aside and try this with a fresh, new outlook.

I promise you can do it, because I'm going to show you everything slowly and carefully.

Keeping it simple: There are only two basic movement groups that make up this bind-off, and you say them like a mantra in your mind as you work.

The moves are “knit-off purl” and “purl-off knit,” and I explain them in the video and the photo tutorial below.

About sewn bind-offs and delicate yarn: Any time that you're using a delicate yarn on a sewn bind-off, you'll want to be careful not to pull too fast or too tight, because the yarn could break. Just go slow.

To undo this bind-off if you mess up, take the tapestry needle and follow the path of yarn back through the stitches the way you came, putting the stitches back on the needles as you go.

If your bind-off ends up being too loose, use your tapestry needle to pick through the stitches one by one and pull them tighter down the seam to tighten them up. If it's too tight the best thing would be to take the bind-off out and start over.

Download an illustrated guide to Kitchener Stitch here.




Learn Everything There is to Know about Intermediate Knitting!
Visit our Intermediate Knitting Page.

Learn Everything There is to Know about Seaming Bind-Offs!
Visit our Seaming Bind-Offs Page.

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