Italian Bind Off in the Round

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Italian Bind Off is an especially professionally-looking way of finishing your knitting. Also, it looks identical to Italian Cast On.

Set Up: Work in 1 x 1 ribbing until you reach the desired length. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail at least 3 times the circumference of the edge. Thread it onto a tapestry needle. Make sure the first stitch on your left knitting needle is a knit. Pull the yarn relatively tight after every step.

Step 1: Allow the first knit stitch (1) to come off the left needle. With the yarn behind the knit stitch (1), insert the tapestry needle into the purl stitch (2) from front to back (knitwise). Pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on the needle for now.



Step 2: Insert the tapestry needle from right to left through the last knit stitch (1) knitwise and at the same time through the next knit stitch (3) purlwise. Pull the yarn through.



Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle through the purl stitch (2) again, from back to front (purlwise). Pull the yarn through.



Step 4: With the yarn behind the knit stitch (3), let the two stitches - one purl (2) and one knit (3) - drop off the needle.



Step 5: Insert the tapestry needle into the purl stitch (4) from front to back (knitwise). Pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on the needle for now.



Step 6: Insert the tapestry needle from right to left through the last knit stitch (3) knitwise and at the same time through the next knit stitch (5) purlwise. Pull the yarn through.



Step 7: Insert the tapestry needle through the purl stitch (4) again, from back to front (purlwise). Pull the yarn through.



Step 8: With the yarn behind the knit stitch (5), let the two stitches - one purl (4) and one knit (5) - drop off the needle.



Keep repeating steps 5 to 8 until 1 stitch remains in round. Repeat step 5 one more time.

Step 9: Insert the tapestry needle from right to left through the last knit stitch (2’) knitwise and at the same time through the next knit stitch (1) purlwise. Pull the yarn through.



Step 10: Insert the tapestry needle through the purl stitch (1’), from back to front (purlwise). Pull the yarn through. Let the stitch drop off the needle.



Step 11: Pull the yarn to the WS of fabric behind the first knit stitch (1) and through the right leg of the purl stitch (2).

Note: You can use this bind off not only after 1 x 1 ribbing, but after double knitting too.

To finish a ribbed collar, work 2 or 4 rounds of double knitting before starting the bind off:

Round 1: *k1, sl1 wyif; repeat from * to the end of round.
Round 2: *sl 1 wyib, p1; repeat from * to the end of round.


To produce a full hem, work yarnovers in the first round of double knitting:

Round 1: *k1, yo; repeat from * to the end of round.
Round 2: *sl 1 wyib, p1; repeat from * to the end of round.
Round 3: *k1, sl1 wyif; repeat from * to the end of round.
Round 4: repeat Round 2.