Stefanina Knitting Design: Tubular or Italian bind-off worked in the round : tutorial

The tubular or Italian Bind-off is one of the border finishing technique I really like to use ! This kind of bind-off gives a really stretchy and cute border.

Work your k1/p1 ribbing border until you reach 2 rounds less than desired length . Then change to smaller needle. You have to go down of 0.5 mm, so for example if you have worked your ribbing with needle no 3.00 mm you have to use needle no 2.5 mm. And then continue as follows :

First round

1. If your round begins with a knit stitch, just knit it and move the begin of the round. Then slip the next purl stitch purlwise with yarn in front.

2. Knit next stitch

Repeat from 1. to 2. until all the stitches of the round have been worked.

Second Round

1. Purl the purl stitches and slip the knit stitches purlwise with yarn in back. If the slipped knit stitches are slipped knitwise the stitch will be twisted on the bind-off round.

After this round have been completed cut the yarn leaving a tail from about 3 times the length of the finished round.

The tail has to be enough long to finish bind-off as you cannot change it during the last round.

To estimate a good length I wrap it around my work 4 times.

Binding – off

1. Insert your sewing needle knitwise in the purl stitch of left needle.

Pull the yarn

2. Insert your sewing needle from right to left in the knit stitch of the right needle and purlwise in the knit stitch of the left needle.

Pull the yarn

3. Insert your sewing needle purlwise in the purl stitch of the left needle (It’s the second time you pull the tail in this purl stitch).

Pull yarn and drop the 2 stitches off the left needle.

4. Insert your sewing needle knitwise in the purl stitch of left needle and pull yarn.

5. Insert your sewing needle from right to left in the knit stitch just dropped and purlwise in the knit stitch of the left needle, and then pull the yarn.