Bind Off Knitting Tips For Beginners

These bind off knitting tips for beginners will help teach you how to finish off knitting stitches evenly and keep them just as nice as the rest of your stitches.

Binding off in knitting can be a little tricky so I decided to give you some extra beginner knitting tips

Binding off knitting stitches or casting off stitches whichever you prefer to call it is quite easy to do but there's just one tiny little issue I want to mention.

Many knitters, me included, tend to cast off knitting stitches too tightly. When that happens you lose the stretchiness in your knitting.

So these tips will help you finish your knitting project without those last stitches being too tight.

See in the photo below how the bind off row is kind of curly and curved upward and there's that last loopy stitch at the end. 

It just doesn't look good. But there's good news. 

With a couple of very simple bind off knitting tips you'll be able to make your bind offs look great.

Keep in mind...

The knit stitches are going to lie sideways across the edge of your knitted fabric. And knit stitches are wider than they are tall.

So when you bind off they're going to pull in a little which means that the stitches will be tighter. 

Also, if you aren't sure how to bind off in knitting please refer to my cast off knitting stitches page for the instructions. 

Bind Off Knitting Tips # 1

For the bind off row only, try using a knitting needle that is 1 or 2 times larger than you used for the body of your knitting. 

This can really help keep those stitches looser and the finished edge will look more even and the stitches will look nice too. I do this all the time now, it really works.

Bind Off Knitting Tip #2

When you're casting off stitches in knit or purl whatever the case may be, don't tension the yarn. Keep it very loose, almost sloppy like. 

This is the one time that you can do this. 

I know it sounds a little off the wall but give it a try. After you cast off about half the stitches stop and take a look at those stitches.

You may be very surprised that they look perfectly fine. I couldn't believe it the first time I tried it. 

My bind off row actually looked really well done. The stitches were even and my knitting was still nice and strechy.

That extra loose tension gives the stitches more room and your bind off won't be so tight.

So try to let the yarn flow through your fingers without applying any tension at all.  

That way the stitches pretty much fall where they should and they won't curl.

Knit A square - A Teeny Tiny Test Swatch - Why?

The best way to try these bind off knitting tips is to practice so pull out some yarn and needles.

Cast on about 15 - 20 stitches and knit for about 1 - 2  inches. Then, using a bigger knitting needle, bind off the stitches. 

Check it out, how does it look?  Remember you can go up 1 or 2 sizes so see which works best.

Then try the same swatch test only cast off stitches very, very loosely and see how it turns out. 

Which one worked best for you?  

For me, going up one needle size works like a charm.  :)

Binding off last stitch - tip #3 - the loopy last stitch

Ever notice when you're casting off the last stitch it just doesn't seem to lie right and always seems looser than the other stitches?

Sometimes it just looks wonky! Check out my simple knitting instructions below because you can fix it. 

simple knitting instructions for Binding off last stitch 

You are down to the last two stitches on your needles with one stitch on the right and one on the left.

With your right needle slip the last stitch from the left needle over to the right. 

There are 2 stitches on right needle.

I turned my needle around so you can see.  What you'll do is stick you needle into one leg of the stitch below the stitch on the needle.

Lift that leg onto the right needle just like the photo.

Here's the stitch lifted onto the right needle

Next, slip those 2 stitches back onto the left needle

 Now all you do is knit them together.

Now you have 2 stitches left on your needle again.

Bind these two stitches off normally. So slip left needle into second stitch and pass it over the first stitch.

When you have the last stitch on your needle, cut your yarn and bring the yarn through the last stitch and pull snugly.

Looks cool right?  It's even and it doesn't look loopy and wonky. 

See how much better everything looks when the bind off is done loosely? It's really dramatic especially when you're working on a sweater or scarf. 

I hope these bind off knitting tips for beginners help you.

Happy Knitting!

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