Even if you’re an immediate knitter, I suggest that you review the tips and the video for this bind-off, because you’ll learn the correct technique that you’ll need to apply to the other, more complex bind-offs.

This bind-off will roll if you use it on Stockinette stitch unless you block it.

I would consider all three variations of this bind-off “required reading” for beginning knitters.

Practice getting this bind-off smooth and even, especially the part where you lift one stitch over the other and off the needle. If that’s hard for you to get right, practice it on a long swatch until the movement is smooth and even and the stitches are not too tight or too loose.

In this technique you will learn an abbreviation which will be used throughout the course:

• BO 1 means “bind-off 1” — pass the second stitch on the right-hand needle over the second stitch and off the right-hand needle.

Matching Cast-On: Chain Cast-On

Similar Bind-Offs:

• The Suspended Variation Bind-Off is based on this bind-off.
• The Decrease Bind-Off: you don’t have to lift one stitch over another, so if you are having tension issues on this bind-off, try the Decrease Bind-Off.
• The Crochet Bind-Off is similar but is done with a crochet hook.

To Do the Standard Bind-Off:

1. K1.
2. K1.
3. Insert L needle tip into 2nd st on R needle.
4. BO 1 (pass 2st st over 1st st and off needle).
5. Repeat steps 2-4 across.
6. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail for weaving in later.
7. Grab tail through rem loop, pull tail through and tighten.

Even if you don’t have trouble with your tension, you should learn this bind-off because it uses a basic technique (the “suspended” bit) that is used on some more complex bind-offs, namely the Frilled Standard Bind-Off and the Frilled Decrease Bind-Off.

This is called the suspended bind-off variation because this is a variation on the Suspended Bind-Off. I’ve chosen to teach you the variation instead of the original because the variation comes out the same and it’s easier to do.

Matching Cast-On: Chain Cast-On

Similar bind-offs: Standard Bind-Off
A technique in this bind-off is also used in: Frilled Standard Bind-Off, Frilled Decrease Bind-Off

To Do the Suspended Bind-Off (Variation):

1. K1.
2. K1. Do not remove st from L needle.
3. BO 1.
4. Drop loop from L needle.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 across row.
6. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.

Matching Cast-On: Chain Cast-On

A technique in this bind-off is also used in: Knit 2 Together Bind-Off, Cable Bind-Off, Icelandic Bind-Off, and Elastic Bind-Off.

To Do the Decrease Bind-Off:

1. K2togtbl.
2. Move st from R needle back to L needle.
3. Repeat steps 1-2 across.
4. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.

Cap Sease, the author of Cast On, Bind-Off, says that this bind-off is good for projects made with non-stretchy yarns like silk or cotton because it doesn’t require you to lift one stitch over another other stitch, and therefore it might be easier for you to control the stitch size.

She also says this bind-off works nicely if you are going to work a crochet border into the edge after you finish binding-off.

I recommend that if you do this bind-off you use a crochet hook that is one size smaller than called for on the yarn because this bind-off can tend to flare out a bit.

I personally wouldn’t use this bind-off much, because I feel like the Standard Bind-Off gives you the same results with a faster and easier technique, but I included it in this course because other books gave some valid reasons for trying it.

Matching Cast-On: Chain Cast-On

To Do the Crochet Bind-Off:

1. Insert hook through 1st st as if to knit. Wrap yarn.
2. Pull loop through st. St comes off needle.
3. Insert hook through next st as if to knit. Wrap yarn.
4. Pull loop through st. St comes off needle.
5. Pull 1st st on hook through 2nd st.
6. Snug yarn.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 across.
8. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.

Keep in mind that this bind-off will roll on Stockinette stitch. Just plan on that being a feature of the bind-off — maybe knit a couple extra rows before binding off to make up for the roll.

This bind-off would be nice on something like fingerless mitts, where the moderate stretch and decorative rolled look would work well.

This bind-off is also used in: Picot/Purled Hemmed Edge Bind-Off
Other stretchy bind-offs in this section are: Icelandic Bind-Off, EZ Sewn Bind-Off
This bind-off is part of the Intermediate bind-off challenge

To Do the Elastic Bind-Off:

1. K1.
2. K1.
3. Insert L needle tip into 2 front loops of sts on R needle.
4. Wrap the yarn and k the sts together.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 across.
6. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.

This is my #1 recommended bind-off for binding off on garter stitch.

See how this bind-off compares to other good bind-offs for Garter stitch in Bind-Offs for Garter Stitch.

Be warned that this edge will roll if you do it on Stockinette stitch, so just make sure that that’s a feature that you want on your knitting.

A technique used in this bind-off is also used in: Japanese Bind-Off
Other stretchy bind-offs in this section are: Elastic Bind-Off, EZ Sewn Bind-Off
This technique is part of the Advanced Bind-Off Challenge

To Do the Icelandic Bind-Off:

1. With R needle, reach through 1st st purlwise.
2. Catch front loop of 2nd st.
3. Draw 2nd st through 1st st.
4. Wrap your yarn to knit. Pull yarn through.
5. Complete the K stitch.
6. Move st back to L needle.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 across row.
8. Cut yarn and pull through last st.

To do this bind-off, you will need an extra strand of yarn that’s about three times the width of the stitches to be bound off.

You can use the yarn from the other end of the ball for this purpose if you want. All this bind-off is is basically a purled Standard Bind-Off using a double strand of yarn.

Matching Cast-Ons

• The Old Norwegian Cast-On looks similar to this bind-off.
• This would match the Twined 2-Color Cast-On with a Contrasting Edge, if you did this bind-off on a fabric with vertical stripes and used a 3rd contrasting color for the bind-off. To set this up, work the WS row previous to the bind-off in the 3rd color.

Based on: Standard Bind-Off (back variation)
Other standard bind-offs that lay flat: Standard Bind-Off (top variation)

To Do the Braided Rib Bind-Off:

1. Hold a second strand of yarn with your working yarn. Leave a 6-inch tail hanging down.
2. P1.
3. P1.
4. BO 1.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 across.
6. Cut yarn and pull through last st.

When I tried this bind-off I was surprised at how easy it was. It really only has two movements so, as an introduction to sewn bind-offs, this one is great.

This bind-off does have the tendency to roll forward, which is fine as long as it doesn’t take you by surprise. It is also quite slow (which is the norm for sewn bind-offs of any kind).

A warning for you about sewn bind-offs and delicate yarn: Any time that you’re using a delicate yarn, you’ll want to be careful when doing a sewn bind-off because you are pulling on the yarn more than you would for a knitted bind-off.

If you are using a delicate, one-ply yarn like Noro or Malabrigo Worsted, it could break.

I don’t think that will happen in this case, because you’re not putting a lot of stress on the yarn in this bind-off, but it’s important to know.

Also be careful because, like all sewn bind-offs, this bind-off is difficult and time-consuming to undo. Basically you have to take your tapestry needle and go back the way you came, slowly retracing your steps and putting each stitch back on the needle.

Therefore, you may want to try this bind-off on a small swatch before you do it on a larger project, just to make sure you understand it before using it on hundreds of stitches.

Matching Cast-On: Long-Tail Cast-On

Similar to: Latvian Bind-Off (which I prefer to this bind-off)
Other stretchy bind-offs in this section are: Icelandic Bind-Off, Elastic Bind-Off

To Do the EZ Sewn Bind-Off:

1. Cut yarn, leaving a tail 3x the width of the edge to be bound off + 6 in. for weaving in later.
2. Thread yarn onto a tapestry needle.
3. With tapestry needle, go purlwise in to 1st 2 sts on L needle. Pull yarn through.
4. Go knitwise into 1st st on L needle. Pull yarn through.
5. Push 1st st off L needle.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 across.
7. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.