Three-Needle Bind Off

Merge two sets of stitches into one.

This bind off is often used when you want to create a rolled hem at the bottom edge of a sweater (shown here with the wrong sides of the fabric together). You could also bind off the new set of live stitches you create simultaneously to create a decorative line of stitches on the top of a shoulder, or, if you bind off on the inside (with right sides together), to close everything off neatly without seaming.

Good for: rolled hems, or, if you combine with Basic Bind Off, finishing shoulders and hoods, and closing hatbands.

You may also be interested in my Four-Needle Bind Off tutorial.

Start with two sets of live stitches on needles (usually created with a Provisional Cast On). The needle ends you are binding off from should be on the right side, and your working yarn should come from the top, or the side nearest you once the needles are brought together.

Fold the fabric so the two needles are parallel to each other and the stitches on both needles are even with each other, with the right side of the fabric out if you are creating a folded hem. The yarn should be coming from the first stitch on the needle closest to you.

If your first stitch to work is a knit stitch, move your yarn behind the needles. If it’s a purl stitch, move it in front of the needles.

For knit stitch, insert needle into front stitch knitwise, then the back stitch knitwise.

(For purl stitch, see Step Five.)

Knit through both stitches at once by pulling yarn back through, then pull the worked stitches off the needles.

For purl stitch, insert needle into the back stitch purlwise, then the front stitch purlwise. (This can be tricky, so have patience.)

Purl through both stitches together and pull off the needle.

Note: If you also want to bind off the live stitches, do so now by using the non-working needle to move the first stitch on the working needle over the newest one and the tip of the working needle before dropping. See my Basic Bind Off tutorial for more.

Continue until all stitches have been worked. The knit one, purl one (k1, p1) bind off shown here would be good for ribbing or seed stitch.

(The k1, p1 in this swatch was for demonstration purposes only, but it would also make a nice decorative accent on a stockinette folded hem such as you see in the sample.)