5 Decorative Knitting Bind-Offs You Might Not Know

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Most knitting patterns end by telling you to bind off, without any further instruction. So, you do the standard bind-off that you learned when you started knitting. And that’s fine. But you might be missing an opportunity to take your knitting to the next level.

Above: (Left to right) Tiny Picot, Two-Row, I-Cord, Icelandic, and Double Chain Bind-offs

There is more than one way to bind off. Some of the options are functional as well as decorative: they can add extra stretch to your bound-off edge or prevent the edge from flaring out. Here are 5 pretty decorative knitting bind-offs worth adding to your repertoire.

Tiny Picot Bind-Off

You may be familiar with bigger, loopier picot edgings, but these tiny picots have a more subtle impact. Pin out each point when blocking to emphasize the delicate scallop. This decorative bind-off has more stretch than a standard chain bind-off, a useful attribute at the edge of a wrap like the Ancient Gemstones Shawl by Lana Jois.

Here’s how it’s done:

• Start with a multiple of 5 stitches.
• Bind off 2 stitches.
• *Slip the stitch from the right needle to the left needle, then cast 1 stitch onto left needle using backwards loop method, bind off 4 stitches, repeat from * to end.

Two-Row Bind-Off

This bind-off is perfect for a piece knit in K1, P1 ribbing. The edge will not flare at all, and there are little spaces just beneath the edge that are handy if you want to add fringe. Avoid this bind-off for stockinette stitch unless you’re looking for an edge that pulls in a bit and will not stretch at all.

Here is how to work the Two-Row Bind-off:

• Row 1: *Knit 1, purl 1, pass knit stitch over purl stitch; repeat from * to end (half of your original stitches remain on the needle).
• Cut yarn.
• Turn work.
• Row 2: Slip 2 stitches purlwise, pass 1^st stitch over 2^nd stitch, *slip next stitch purlwise, pass 1^st stitch over 2^nd stitch; repeat from * to end.
• Use a scrap of yarn to sew down the last stitch and secure.

I-Cord Bind-Off

If you need an edge that will echo the I-cord Cast-on, this is the one you’re looking for. The I-cord Bind-off is a good choice whenever you want a clean, simple, stable edge. It is often used to finish necklines, like on the Charleston Tee by Ruth Garcia-Alcuntud.

There are full instructions for the I-cord bind-off with step-by-step photos at Interweave.com. If you just need a quick refresher, here’s how it works:

• With right side facing, cast on the required number of stitches to the left needle (3 stitches were used for the sample).
• *Knit to the last cord stitch, knit 2 stitches together through back loops (the last cord stitch with the first stitch to be bound off), slip 3 stitches back to left needle; repeat from * until all stitches are bound off.
• Finish the I-cord by drawing the tail through the 3 cord stitches and pulling snug.

The I-cord Bind-off tends to flare out a bit on stockinette stitch. To prevent this, work the bind-off with a smaller needle. I used a needle two sizes smaller for this sample.

Icelandic Bind-Off

This variation on the standard chain bind-off creates an edge that looks a bit like braided cord. It’s especially pretty when worked in a contrasting color. Because the Icelandic Bind-off is elastic and can be stretched in blocking, it is often recommended for lace shawls.

Here’s how to work the Icelandic Bind-off:

• Knit 1, *slip stitch from right needle to left needle purlwise.
• Insert right needle purlwise into first stitch on left needle, then knitwise into second stitch to catch front loop of second stitch.
• Draw front loop of second stitch through first stitch and knit it.
• Drop both stitches from left needle.
• Repeat from * until all stitches are bound off.

Find illustrated instructions for the Icelandic bind-off at Interweave.com.

Double Chain Bind-Off

The Double Chain Bind-off is an attractive and very stretchy bind-off which is a good visual match for the Double Chain Cast-on. Choose this bind-off when you want an extremely elastic edge, such as at the top of socks knit from the toe up. The trick to this bind-off is wrapping the yarn for the purl stitches in the opposite direction from usual.

Here’s how it’s done:

• Purl 1 stitch wrapping the yarn clockwise around the needle (the opposite direction from the way you usually wrap the yarn for purling).
• *Yarn over, purl next stitch wrapping the yarn clockwise around the needle, pass yarn over over the stitch just made, then pass the first purl stitch over the stitch just made; repeat from * to end.

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Try one of these decorative knitting bind-offs the next time you make a gauge swatch. A swatch is a great opportunity to learn new techniques and begin planning how you’ll incorporate them into your projects. Do you have a favorite bind-off for when you’re feeling fancy? Let us know in the comments!

Sandi Rosner
Technical Content Editor, Yarn

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