The Italian bind-off creates a particularly elastic yet very neat finishing edge. Its even, almost seamless appearance makes it perfect for ribbed cuffs on sleeves, hems, or necklines.
The edge looks especially high-quality and tailored – similar to fine industrially manufactured knitwear – and gives the finished project a professional finish.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to bind off a 1x1 rib knit using the Italian method.
The Italian bind-off creates a very stretchy edge, which is perfect for ribbed cuffs.
For seaming the stitches, it is best to use a blunt tapestry needle.
Before binding off, you knit two setup rounds:
Round 1: Knit all knit stitches and slip all purl stitches purlwise (yarn in front).
Round 2: Slip all knit stitches knitwise (yarn in back) and purl all purl stitches.
Now the seaming begins:
Cut the working yarn, leaving a tail about three times as long as the edge you are about to bind off.
Step 1
Thread the wool needle from right to left through the first stitch and – if the next stitch is a knit stitch – through it as well.
Let the stitch (or two stitches, depending) slip off the knitting needle and pull the yarn just tight enough so that it is snug, but not too tight.
Step 2
The next stitch is a purl stitch.
Insert the wool needle from left to right through the first (left) stitch on the knitting needle and pull the yarn through.
Leave the stitch on the knitting needle.
Step 3
Now pull the thread from right to left through the right stitch you just worked (this stitch is no longer on the needle).
Then thread the yarn needle through the second stitch on the knitting needle (a knit stitch) and pull it gently taut.
Leave both stitches on the knitting needle.
Step 4
Draw the yarn from right to left through the first stitch (a purl stitch) on the needle.
Pull the yarn tight and slide both stitches (the purl stitch and the following knit stitch) off the needle.
Repeat steps 2 to 4 until all stitches are bound off (sewn off). Join
the last stitch you just bound off to the very first stitch you
bound off at the beginning to create a seamless transition.
Then weave in the yarn.
Italian bind-off | Video
Slideshow
