How to Knit Round & Stretchy Edging

Ensure a snug fit on your hat with a stretchy edge stitch.

Finishing a knitting project with the wrong edge can lead to disaster and a lot of wasted time. When the edges do not have enough stretch, the wearer may not be able to get his head or arms in the sweater or his foot in the sock. By binding or casting off with a stretchy bind-off in the round, a flexible edge is formed on all openings. Hats fit better, heads can fit through necks and gloves are snug around the wrist. This technique is not much different than a regular bind-off and can be done in the same amount of time.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn
• Circular needles
• Scissors
• Yarn needle

Instructions

1. Finish your last row of stitches according to your knitting pattern. Cut the yarn, after leaving a tail that is three times the length of the area you will be binding off.

2. Thread the tail onto the yarn needle.

3. Insert the yarn needle into the first two stitches closest to the point of the left circular needle. Draw the yarn through the two stitches like you are going to purl. Pull the yarn snugly with the yarn needle.

4. Pass the yarn needle into the front of the first stitch on the right, as if to knit. Pull the yarn snugly with the yarn needle.

5. Slip the first stitch on the right off.

6. Repeat Steps 3 to 5 until you have bound-off every stitch. Insert the yarn needle into the stitches at the beginning of the round needles as you did in Step 3. Slip the yarn needle back into the stitch from the front, and weave in the loose end to secure.

References

• Knitty: Techniques with Theresa