Russian Grafting is a clever alternative to Kitchener stitch. It uses a crochet hook to seam up two live edges of knitting without ever having to get out your tapestry needle. It also creates a decorative, criss-crossed finish.
Video: Russian Grafting (Bind-Offs Class)
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This is a fast seaming bind-off that's good for beginners.
It has a visible zigzag seam that lays flush with the knitting. It is one of the few nearly-invisible seaming bind-offs that is not sewn (the other being the Three-Needle Bind-Off ).
This bind-off would work fine for the toe of a sock or anywhere that a sturdy, flat seam is wanted.
Instructions
Your working yarn is at the needle tips. Transfer it to the other end of the needle as follows:
- Pull back needle out.
- Turn back needle to face front needle. Sl 1.
- Slip all sts on front needle.
- Turn. Working yarn is at other end of sts.
Use a crochet hook the same size as is called for on your yarn label.
- With crochet hook, go knitwise into 1st st on back needle.
- Slip st onto crochet hook and off needle.
- Go knitwise into 1st st on front needle.
- Slip st onto crochet hook and off needle.
- Pull 1st st through 2nd st on hook.
- Go knitwise into 1st st on back needle, place st on hook.
- Pull 1st st through 2nd st on hook.
- Repeat steps 3-7 across.
- 1 st on hook. Cut yarn, wrap yarn around hook.
- Pull tail through rem st on hook.
- Thread yarn onto a tapestry needle.
- Poke needle down side sts and pull through.
Russian Grafting - Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
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Animated GIF: Russian Grafting (Bind-Offs Class)
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More Information
You'll be using a crochet hook to do this bind-off which makes it go really fast. Use a crochet hook that is the same size as your needles, not smaller. This will make the bind-off more even.
You'll need to transfer the working yarn to the other end of your needles before you start this bind-off, which I will show you how to do.
The trick here, as with most of the seaming bind-offs, is to get comfortable managing stitches on not one but two needles, and pushing the stitches to the tips of the needles without stretching them.
Pointy needles can be a bit painful in this case - you may want to use traditional needles like the Addi Turbos I use in the tutorial here.