A clean finish for one-by-one ribbed edges.
Using ins-and-outs that will be easily understood by those familiar with Kitchener Stitch (but you don't have to be to do it), this bind off (also known as the Invisible Ribbed Bind Off, Kitchener Bind Off, or Grafted Bind Off) makes a beautiful, stretchy finish for the top of any one-by-one ribbed edging.
Basic Principle:
You will use a yarn needle to recreate the yarn pathway of normal alternating knit and purl stitches without creating a new row of loops for a beautiful finish.
Sewn Rib Bind Off follows the same rules of formation as Kitchener stitch. The difference is, instead of grafting two pieces of fabric together, you're finishing a knit edge.
For example, the first time you go into a knit stitch, enter it purlwise (opposite). The second time, enter it knitwise (same) and slip it off the knitting needle.
The first time you enter a purl stitch, enter it knitwise (opposite), and the second time enter it purlwise (same) and slip it off the knitting needle.
Text included in the images is written out below each step to make this Low Vision Accessible. Instructions on the images are for right-handed people. Instructions in the written text is non-hand specific.
Ensure the next stitch to be worked is a knit stitch. If your one-by-one rib pattern ends on a knit stitch, purl 1.
Cut working yarn at a length about four or five times longer than your finished edge. Thread into a yarn (tapestry) needle.
For the first stitch (a knit stitch), insert yarn needle purlwise and pull through. Do not take the stitch off the knitting needle.
Take yarn needle around end of knitting needle and insert from back to front between first (knit) stitch and next (purl) stitch. Do not pull through.
Insert yarn needle knitwise into purl stitch. Pull through.
Bring yarn needle to front around end of knitting needle and insert knitwise into the first knit stitch. Do not pull yarn needle through.
Use the yarn needle to pull the knit stitch off of the knitting needle. Pull yarn through.
Insert yarn needle purlwise through next knit stitch and pull through.
Insert yarn needle purlwise through the purl stitch, which is now at the end of the knitting needle.
Use the yarn needle to pull stitch off of knitting needle and draw yarn through.
Repeat steps two through eight. Steps four to six can be combined into a single step.
Steps seven, eight, two, and three—in that order—can also be combined into a single pull of the yarn needle.
To finish a round (if working in the round), weave yarn from last stitches into the first and second bound-off stitches. Weave in ends on wrong side of work.
You’re done! Nice work. :-)
Hi! I’m Talena Winters (a.k.a. the Yarn Mermaid).
I started My Secret Wish Knitting in 2010 to empower and delight knitting heroes like you who want to elevate your knitting and make magic with yarn. When I’m not concocting new yarn potion recipes, I’m creating story magic as a fantasy and romance author and fiction editor (at talenawinters.com). I live with my family and pets in the Peace Country of northern Alberta, Canada, where sweater weather lasts at least nine months a year and my closest neighbours are bears and wood nymphs.
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