A Modified Stretchy Bind-Off

Although the ribbing on Vianne is super stretchy, it’s easy to find yourself with a waist that’s too tight if you use the wrong bind-off method. On the original sample, I tried the basic chain bind-off, and it was a really bad choice. It looked nice but was nowhere close to as stretchy as I needed it to be, so I had to rip back and replace it. The next bind-off I tried with Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off. That one had plenty of stretch, but it looked a little sloppy at this loose gauge.

Vianne_Close_01_xtra

My ideal bind-off method was something halfway in between those two methods, and that’s exactly what I did! My modified stretchy bind-off uses the chain method for knit stitches and the JSSBO method for purled stitches. If you’re starting with a knit stitch and binding off with the right side facing you, here’s how to bind-off using my modified method.

Modified Stretchy Bind-Off: K1, *yo, p1, pass both the previous 2 stitches over, k1, pass the previous stitch over; repeat from * until one stitch remains and pull your yarn through the last stitch to secure it.

That bind-off will give you a nice looking stretchy edge, but it’s not your only option here. The tubular bind-off would work just as well if you don’t mind doing some grafting.


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8 responses to “A Modified Stretchy Bind-Off”

  1. Great advice! I always struggle with bind off tension. Did you do this on the right or wrong side?

    1. Elizabeth

      She says that “If you’re starting with a knit stitch and binding off with the right side facing you, here’s how to bind-off using my modified method.”

  2. Amy C

    Very clever, indeed! It can be a struggle to get a tidy but stretchy edge. That’s always been an issue with JSSBO for me. Just not neat enough. I usually end up slipping the knits to one needle and the pulls to another and doing a Kitchener or graft. I don’t set it up ahead of time like a proper tubular bind off and it seems to work just fine, even in a K2, P2 rib. But of course, one has to break out the needle and break off a length of yarn AND it’s rather slow! So next time I’m doing toe-up socks or a top-down sweater, I’ll definitely give this a try.

  3. Elizabeth

    I’m trying to buy the pattern for Vianne at Ravelry using the OAL2015 code but I get this error message:Sorry! OAL2015 is not a valid coupon code. Has it expired? It’s still being offered on your pattern page.

    1. It did expire. I thought I had removed all of the notes about it, but apparently not! Thanks for letting me know.

  4. J

    I absolutely loved this. Just used it on the cardigan I finished last week. It was just right and left a very neat finish. Thanks for sharing.

  5. Fatma Seif

    Thank you so much for this bind off, I really like it and use it for top down sweaters

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

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