How to Bind Off Your Knitting a Tutorial
When your first knitting project is complete you’ll need to bind off your knitting. Learn how to finish your knitting with this step by step bind off tutorial for beginner knitters.
If you’re new to knitting there are so many things to learn. Binding off is an essential to getting your beautiful work off the needles!
There are a variety of ways to bind off, depending on your needs. This knitting tutorial is a for a basic bind off which works great with the knit stitch.
For this tutorial you can use your current project. If you want to learn the bind off before you dive into a bigger pattern, then cast on and knit a few rows.
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I love a chunky cowl, it’s such a cozy knitted project. The Giana Cowl is a total beginner pattern works up quick in just one skein of yarn.
When to bind off?
Binding off is the one of the final steps at the end of a project. You’re so close to enjoying your newly knit accessory!
It is common that the last row of your knitting project is on a wrong side. This means you will often bind off on the right sides.
There are plenty of exceptions to this, and your pattern will let you know when to bind off your knit stitches.
There are different ways to bind off, and so many knitting techniques to learn. This tutorial is for the standard bind off.
If you’re finishing a knitted garment with shoulder seams, you might want to try a three needle bind off instead. Very Pink Knits has a green video tutorial for the 3 needle bind off here.
I enjoy learning different techniques to improve my knitting!
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More Free Beginner Knitting Patterns
- The Giana Pocket Shawl is made in the same yarn and just as simple to knit.
- This chunky knit earwarmer makes a great first knitting project.
- If you have a single hank of hand dyed yarn then the Tostata Triangle Scarf Knitting Pattern is perfect!
- The Easy Knit Scarf is a simple one skein, garter stitch scarf that’s perfect for beginners.
These simple knit pattern use easy steps so they are great ideas for beginning knitters to try.
Yarn
You’re likely using the yarn you chose for your project, that’s perferct.
For the yarn in this tutorial I’m using a #5 bulky yarn, the same Woolspun I use in the Giana patterns.
For a limited time this yarn is back in stock! Get Woolspun from Lion Brand* while you can. It’s a squishy favorite.
Materials
- your project that’s ready to bind off, or a few knit rows to practice on.
- I’m using 8mm needles I knit with circular/cable needles. You can use the same needles from your project, or ones that match your yarn.
- tapestry needle to weave in the yarn tail
Stitches/Abbreviations (US Terms)
BO-bind off
Bind off in pattern – means to continue following the stitch pattern on your bind off row. An easy example of this would be seed stitch, where you K1, P1.
CO-cast on
K-Knit
live stitches – are the loops on your needle, the stitches that you have not knit yet.
rep-repeat
st(s)-stitch(es)
Helpful Knitting Tutorials
Cast On With A Crochet Hook As a crocheter, this is my favorite and go-to cast on method.
The Long Tail Cast On is another easy and popular cast on method.
Eventually you will need to know how to join new yarn, the magic knot is one way.
How to change colors when you slip 1 at the beginning of a row.
Skill Level
Beginner
Bind Off Video Tutorial
Check out the full step by step video tutorial on You Tube.
Scroll down for the bind off tutorial!
How To Bind Off in Pattern for Seed Stitch
Learn how to bind off in pattern while knitting the seed stitch.
Materials
- You'll need your knitting project that's ready to bind off.
Tools
- The same needles you are using to knit with. I'm using my 4.5 mm needles US 7 needles.
Instructions
- Once you have finished the last row in your pattern it's time to turn and bind off in pattern on the next row.
- The pattern we are working is seed stitch, so we knit where there is a purl, and purl where there is a knit.
- Here I have a purl and a knit, so I will knit the first and purl the second stitch.
- Insert left needle into the first stitch on the right needle,
- Pull the stitch back over the second stitch.
- Now continue to alternate knits and purls, so I knit the next stitch, then pull the first stitch over it to bind off.
- Then I purl one, bind off. Then knit, bind off, etc. Repeat this to the end of the row.
- After the last stitch is bound off, pull the yarn through the last stitch.
- Cut yarn and weave in loose ends of the yarn.
Notes
Now you can try binding off in pattern on your next project!
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