You are on the home stretch! After you have completed a piece of knitting, one of the last steps is to finish the edge by binding off the stitches. This way you can remove the knitting needles without the work unravelling. There are several bind off methods, but we will start with the simplest: a basic knit bind-off.
3 easy steps to bind off
- Knit 1 stitch
- Knit another stitch. There are now 2 stitches on the right hand needle
- Use the left hand needle point to lift the first of these two stitches up and over the second, letting it drop off the needle. This is 1 stitch bound off.
Continue working steps 2-3 until all only 1 stitch remains on the right hand needle. Break the working yarn, leaving a tail to be woven in later, and draw the tail through the final stitch, then pull tight.
Bind off video:
What’s next?
Once you’ve bound off you will need to weave in your ends, and block your finished knit. Click here for more tutorials on finishing and knit care click here.
This tutorial covers the basic knit bind off, but you might want to check out more bind off options here.
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New Knitters, Begin Here! | Tin Can Knits
February 24, 2022 @ 6:00 am
[…] knitting with no particular purpose. You just want to figure out casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off. Those are the most important basics, and if that seems like too much, just skip the purling! It […]
October 23, 2020 @ 2:02 am
Hi! I am currently working on my first sweater using the simple collection pattern (which is by the way great!). I have bind off and the body is done but somehow the bottom edge remains kind of rigid. It doesn’t stretch much. Did I do something wrong?
October 23, 2020 @ 10:59 am
Hi Giulia – I would try a looser bind off. I usually use a slightly bigger needle to work my bind off to keep it a little looser.
May 9, 2020 @ 1:16 pm
Thank you ‘
October 16, 2018 @ 9:05 pm
How do I make the bind off stretchy? It is too tight for a sweater. I feel like the bottom should stretch. This is my first sweater project. Ty!
October 17, 2018 @ 10:25 am
Hi Amanda – I would try going up a couple of needle sizes when you bind off
March 24, 2018 @ 4:16 am
I’m going to knit the malt blanket. When it mentions using a marker, does the marker go on the needle or the stitch?
March 26, 2018 @ 9:18 am
Hi Cath – check out our tutorial for the Wheat Scarf, all the principles are the same as the Malt blanket, just the stitch counts are different. It has helpful pictures.
December 4, 2017 @ 4:03 pm
I am currently knitting your Little Tern Blanket. What bind-off would you suggest? Thank you for your help.
December 6, 2017 @ 7:08 pm
Hi Nancy – for the final bind off I used just a regular knit bind off
August 20, 2015 @ 10:17 am
Could you add some tutorials on other bind-off methods, and perhaps suggestions for the best type of bind off for the project you’re doing. I want a stretchy bind off for the bottom band of the Wind Swept sweater, and I’m having trouble with the tubular bind off.
Simple Lines 2.0 - Temple of Knit
July 26, 2015 @ 12:31 pm
[…] repeat the rib border as described above. Bind off using your favorite stretchy bind off. I used this very basic bind off with a larger […]
One Row Buttonholes | Tin Can Knits
April 27, 2015 @ 6:00 am
[…] pass the first over the second and off (also known as binding off 1 […]
Let’s Knit a Sweater | Tin Can Knits
September 7, 2014 @ 9:37 pm
[…] passing the first over the second, knitting another stitch, passing the first over the second etc [tutorial here]. Binding off in pattern is almost the same, but instead of knitting each of the sts you are working […]
Free pattern Friday: Oats | espacetricot
August 30, 2013 @ 7:58 am
[…] of online tutorials (e.g. How to Cast On (video), How to Knit (video), How to Purl (video), How to Bind Off (Video), How to Knit Your First Scarf, How to Weave in Ends, Basic […]