Sewn Rib Bind Off
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.
How to do it:
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.
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
Check out this beautiful finished edge!
Step One:
Cut working yarn at a length about four or five times longer than your finished edge. Thread into a yarn (tapestry) needle.
If your first stitch to be worked is a knit stitch, insert yarn needle purlwise. Do not take the stitch off the knitting needle. Pull yarn needle through the stitch.
If your first stitch is a purl stitch, begin at Step Three.
Step Two:
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.
Step Three:
Insert yarn needle knitwise into purl stitch. Pull through.
Step Four:
Bring yarn needle to front around end of knitting needle and insert knitwise into the first knit stitch. Do not pull yarn needle through.
Step Five:
Use the yarn needle to pull the knit stitch off of the knitting needle. Pull yarn through.
Step Six:
Insert yarn needle purlwise through next knit stitch and pull through.
Step Seven:
Insert yarn needle purlwise through the purl stitch, which is now at the end of the knitting needle.
Step Eight:
Use the yarn needle to pull stitch off of knitting needle and draw yarn through.
Step Nine:
Repeat steps two through eight. Steps four to six can be combined into a single step.
Step Ten:
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.
Step Eleven:
You’re done! Nice work. :-)
