An Easy Bind Off for Knitting Beginners
To bind off means getting those stitches off the knitting needles. We can’t just take the stitches right off, as this will ruin our work.
By binding off the stitches, you are securing them so you won’t lose the stitch. There are lots of different ways you can bind off your stitches. This method however, is the most basic bind off there is.
There are plenty of other methods to get your stitches off the needles. This one however, is the easiest to do.
Related blog posts: How to cast on, how to knit, how to purl
How to bind-off knitting for beginners
To start, you first need to knit 2 stitches on your right needle. Stop after knitting 2 stitches.
- Taking the left needle that is holding your stitches, you are going to insert the needle into the front like in the image. Similar to inserting your purling stitches, but ensure that the working yarn stays in the back.
- With that stitch on the left needle, we are going to grab it and pull it up.
- We are now pulling that stitch over the last stitch we knitted on the needle. Pull it over and slip it off the needles.
- We now did our first bind off stitch. Ta da! Continue doing this for all the stitches on your needle until the last stitch.
Once you’re done and all the stitches are off the needles, make sure to pull on that last stitch, making the loop larger. Cut the working yarn and pull it through the stitch.
This is the most basic method, and there are plenty more.
For example, this method tends to bind tightly, so it isn’t suggested to use this bind off for something we need to stretch.
Different methods give you that stretch effect.
Happy knitting
Kate