How To Work the Sewn Bind-Off

Greetings!

Being a new(ish) knitter, there are plenty of things that I'm still learning.  Binding off (or casting off if you prefer) is one of those things.  I've learned how to do a traditional bind off - where you knit (or purl) a stitch, then pass one over and drop the stitch off the needle.  For some reason though, my bind offs are always  loose.  I've tried using smaller needles, but I still can't get it just right. It's a challenge because not only are my edges ending up floppy, I can never tell how big my item is going to be when I'm finished.

When I crochet I don't have any of this trouble.  I can see just what size my item is going to be, and I know exactly what my finished edge is going to look like.  It's comforting.  With knitting it's more of a leap of faith!  Here's the thing.  I really enjoy knitting and I know that with practice I'll improve, but I needed a plan!

If you've been here before, you know that I'm all about trying new things.  I figured that maybe a different binding off technique would give me the finish I was looking for.  I remembered downloading a free ebook from Knitting Daily that had to have the answer.  (If you're not familiar with Knitting Daily I urge you to check them out. The have a bounty of free ebooks available - on all kinds of topics!)

That's where I found the sewn bind off.  The book says that it creates a very elastic edge that is ropy in appearance, much like a purl row. Perfect the cowl that I was making as a Christmas present!

It turns out that it was really easy and I felt like I was better able to control the tension.  Also, it seemed to flow with the rows of garter stitch that make up the top of the cowl.

Over all I'm really pleased with this technique.  I know that I still have to work on my traditional bind  off, and that eventually I'll learn to judge what things are going to look like when they come off the needles. But the sewn bind off is a great option, and I know that I'll be using it again!

On another note, I'd like to thank all of you who participate in my giveaways.  I'm blessed to receive review copies from various publishers and they are kind enough to provide me with copies to share with you.  Giving books (and other goodies) away is such a great feeling.  I love reading your comments and getting to know you through Facebook, your blogs, Etsy shops and all the other ways we connect!  I hope that you'll come back and visit again - I've got several amazing new titles that I know you're going to love!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!