How to Work the Basic Bind Off

Once you’ve finished your knitting project, you’ll need to get all of those stitches off of the needle, or bind off.  Here is a basic bind off that is very commonly used.

Once you’ve cast on, knit, and purled to your hearts content, it’s time to complete your beautiful project.  We’re going to be binding off in knit (you can also bind off in purl if needed).  Notice with this particular piece, we are on the right side (“V” shaped stitches facing).

Begin by knitting one stitch as you normally would,

now knit one more…now two stitches are on the right needle.

With your left needle, gently lift the first stitch you knitted (the one closest to your right hand) and lift it up and over the other stitch and off of the needle…

Now you are left with one stitch on the right needle.  Now knit one more stitch and repeat.  Keep doing this until you reach the end of the row and there is just one stitch left on the right needle.

Here we are about halfway through our row…

And now we’re left with just one stitch!  

Giving yourself a couple of inches, snip the yarn, loosen up the loop around the needle, and carefully remove the needle.

Now take the yarn end and draw it through the loop and pull tight…

And there you have it…all finished!  

There are other ways to bind off, this one is the most basic, it will serve you well for a variety of hand knitted pieces.  Be sure to not make things too tight, it could distort or create something that is potentially ill fitting.  If you need to, try your bind off row with a needle that is a couple sizes bigger than what you’ve been using.  Happy knitting to you!

Click here to watch a video to work the basic bind off:

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