Cast On, Bind Off (59 page)

Authors: Leslie Ann Bestor

â¢ Pull the yarnover over the knit stitch.

Processing a Purl Stitch

â¢ Make a yarnover, this time going from front around the back and ending with the yarn in front.

â¢ Purl 1 stitch.

â¢ Pull the yarnover over the purl stitch.

Working the Bind Off

Process each of the first 2 stitches as described. You now have 2 stitches on your right-hand needle. Pull the right-hand stitch over the left-hand stitch and off the needle.

Process the next stitch, knit or purl, as needed.

Again, pull the right-hand stitch over the left-hand stitch and off the needle.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until 1 stitch remains. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.

Note:
Once you have processed the first stitch, on all remaining stitches you can pull the yarn-over and the processed stitch off the needle together in one step.

Getting It Right

The trick with this bind off is to remember which way to do the yarnover. For knitting, you start at the back and end at the back for your yarnover. For purling, you do the reverse: Start the yarn in front and wrap it around, ending in the front again.

Decorative Bind Offs

The techniques in this section
add a decorative effect to the bound-off edge. Usually reserved for edges that will not be seamed, they add a beautiful finishing touch. The picot bind offs in particular are quite elastic, which makes them popular choices at the tops of socks and the necks of baby garments. All these bind offs are as functional as they are decorative.