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How to do an Italian bind off / Knit 1 (twisted) / Purl 1

In this DROPS video we show how to do an Italian bind off to a rib with knit 1, purl 1 but in the bind off the knit 1 becomes knit 1 twisted. With this technique we get an elastic bind off that is perfect for example on toe up socks, edge around neck, a shawl edge or sleeve edges when working top down. Cut yarn long enough for your bind off, approx 4 times the length of the edge you are binding off. Start by locking the first stitch like this: Insert the needle into the 1st stitch as if to purl and tighten. Do not slip the stitch of needle. Insert the needle from the back between the 1st and 2nd stitches so that the thread comes to the front, then insert the needle into the purl stitch. Then insert the needle into the 1st stitch as if to knit, lift the stitch off the needle. Now the bind off starts: 1) When there is a purl stitch to sew off, sew as follows: Insert needle into 2nd stitch (knit stitch) as if to purl, insert needle into 1st stitch (purl stitch) as if to knit, lift the stitch off (the thread is now at the back of the work). 2) When there is a knit stitch to sew off, sew as follows: From the back, insert the needle between 1st and 2nd stitches. From the front, insert the needle into the purl stitch (2nd stitch), also from the right side, insert the needle into the 1st stitch as if to knit and slip the stitch of needle. Repeat explanation 1) and 2) until the binding off is completed. We use the yarn DROPS Snow in the video. You can find patterns where this technique can be used by clicking the pictures below.

Patterns using this technique

DROPS 244-30

DROPS 244-30
DROPS 245-15

DROPS 245-15
DROPS 243-8

DROPS 243-8
DROPS 245-1

DROPS 245-1
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Video #1516, listed in: Learn to knit, Bind off, Italian bind off

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Country flag Delphine V wrote:

Merci beaucoup pour ces explications écrites extrêmement claires et la vidéo ! Ça m'a permis de comprendre enfin ce rabattage

08.02.2025 - 16:17

Country flag Carine Pattyn wrote:

Ik brei de boordsteek 2/1. Kan ik deze techniek daarvoor ook toepassen of is er een andere techniek mogelijk om de boordsteek 2/1 netjes en soepel af te kanten (voor onderkant trui).

13.02.2024 - 09:19

Country flag Lies Schotman wrote:

Kan ik ook ol deze manier afkante. als ik een boord van 2 recht ,1 averechts heb?

02.02.2024 - 20:56

Country flag Ingrid Törnquist wrote:

Jag har samma problem som Louise Åkerman ovan som ni inte svarat på. Hur gör jag när jag avmaskar en resår med 2 r 2 a?

30.10.2022 - 13:48

Country flag Hansson wrote:

I andra instruktioner läser jag att Avigmaskan ska träs in från Höger för att sedan lyftas av, även sett en del olika filmer på YT. Vilket är det rätta, kan man göra detta på olika sätt? Tack än en gång för era fina beskrivningar som gett mig en ny hobby🙂

22.09.2022 - 11:22

DROPS Design :

Hei Hansson. Det gjøres nok på forskjellige måter. Anbefaler deg å gjøre det på den måten du syns fungerer best for deg og som du syns blir penest :) mvh DROPS Design

26.09.2022 - 08:36

Country flag Gudlaug Sigurborg wrote:

Can this approach be used for only knitted stitches?

08.12.2021 - 18:07

DROPS Design :

Dear Mrs Sigurborg, this video shows how to cast off knitted stitches with a sewing needle, it might help you. Happy knitting!

09.12.2021 - 07:50

Country flag Marthe Brekke wrote:

Dette er feil. Vrangmaske skal felles av vrang, ikke rett. Forøvrig svært dårlig video også, med mye knoting.

08.10.2021 - 15:38

Country flag Annika Eksmo wrote:

Det blir inte snyggt som videon visar. När man syr av den aviga maskan ska man väl sticka genom nålen som man stickar en avig maska, innan man lyfter av den?

29.09.2021 - 08:45

Country flag Louise Åkerman wrote:

Om jag stickar i dubbel resår, 2 av, 2 rä, etc hur stickar jag då dubbel italiensk avmaskning ?

07.09.2021 - 00:19

Country flag Sophie wrote:

I am knitting a top down jumper in Drops Air. Would this method be suitable for this yarn? I'm worried it will fray and break before I manage to sew all the stitches to bind off!

05.05.2021 - 08:46

DROPS Design :

Dear Sophie, you can use this cast off technique with any yarn, just make sure to pull out the yarn carefully. Happy knitting!

05.05.2021 - 12:04

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