A step-by-step tutorial showing you how to bind off double knitting the most invisible way the easy way.
So, you just finished your first reversible colorwork project – well almost that is – and now you are looking for an invisible way to bind off double knitting, right? How do you do it? You tried casting off the regular way but it looked weird and not invisible at all.
Well, you did come to the right place. Because this tutorial will show you a very simple and easy way to finish your project. This method will create almost exactly the same edge as the invisible cast-on for double-knitting, so I do believe they are a match made in heaven.
And the best part, it’s actually remarkably simple. Because basically you just have to do a standard Kitchener stitch. And if you think about it, why should it be more difficult? Double knitting is, at its core, a technique to knit two fabrics at the same time. And how do you join two pieces together in knitting the invisible? By grafting stitches.
Sounds scary? Not at all. It’s quite easy to do once you get the hang of it. Oh, and don’t forget to check out my video on double knitting on youtube.
Let’s dive right into it, eh?
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How to do an invisible bind-off for double knitting
This method is, strictly speaking, not a regular bind-off but rather a way to close a seam by grafting stitches. That's because in double knitting you are knitting two sides at the same time and in knitting, grafting is the easiest and most invisible way to seam. As a result, you will need a tapestry needle and two double-pointed or circular knitting needles.
Tools
Instructions
- Slip the stitches in color to A and B each to a separate needle (doesn't have to be the exact same size, can be slightly smaller or bigger as well).
- Pick up color B and purl lightly all the way across the back needle. Just one row.
Note: You will be grafting one row of knit stitches in color A. So, to avoid creating a lopsided project, you have to add one row in color B here. - Cut off yarn A leaving a tail that is around 4 times as long as your project is wide and thread it on a blunt tapestry needle.
- Preparation step 1: Pull the yarn through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl.
- Preparation step 2: Pull the yarn through the first needle on the back needle as if to knit. Make sure that the needles don't catch the yarn; it always needs to stay below the knitting needles.
Note: You only have to do these two preparational steps once. - Insert your tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle knitwise (so from right to left), pull the yarn through, and drop the stitch off your needles.
- Go into the next stitch purlwise, pull the yarn through but keep it on the needle.
- Pull the yarn through the first stitch on the back needle purlwise (so from left to right), and drop it off the needles.
- Insert your tapestry needle into the adjacent stitch knitwise, and keep it on the needles.
- Repeat steps 6-9 until you come to the last two stitches.
- Since there are no adjacent stitches anymore, you just drop the last stitch on the front needle knitwise, and the final stitch on the back needle purlwise (so skipping steps 7+9).
Notes
After each stitch, pull gently on the tail. Don't pull tight. You are grafting stitches and you want these stitches to be a bit loose - just like a normal knit stitch. If you pull too tight, you will create knots and that's not what you want.
You can adjust the tension by going into each stitch after you bound off all stitches. If they are too loose, you can pull out any excess, and carry it to the next stitch, working your way all the way to the edges.
How do bind off double knitting using only one needle?
Now, maybe you don’t have a spare needle at hand. Can you do this invisible bind-off for double knitting on only one needle – instead of two – as well? Sure you can, it is a bit more complicated, though.
Step 1: Instead of purling across the back needle, you have to *slip 1 with yarn in back, purl 1* one row using color B.
Step 2: Cutt off color A, thread it on a tapestry needle and go through the first stitch in color A purlwise.
Step 3: Coming from behind, insert the tapestry needle into the gap between the first and second stitch, and then pull the yarn through the second stitch (should be color B) knitwise coming out on the backside. So you sorta have to go around in front.
Step 4: Go into the first stitch (color A) knitwise and slip it off the needle.
Step 5: Go into the next knit stitch in color A purlwise (so, that should be the second stitch).
Step 6: Go into the first purl stitch (color B; should now be the first stitch) purlwise and drop it off the needle.
Step 7: Insert the needle into the gap between the first and second stitch from behind, and pull the yarn through the next purl stitch (color B) knitwise.
Step 8: Repeat steps 4-7 until the end of the row.
I don’t think this method is much harder but probably a bit more difficult to coordinate for a beginner. Especially, as you do go around the stitches, so you need to take care that you don’t accidentally mess up your tension.
On a more positive note: Once you understood that this is basically just regular grafting, you can use this technique to basically bind off any other knitting stitch pattern as well. Maybe you are double knitting ribbing, etc. Then you can always bind off two stitches the way I showed you here, and two with the Kitchener stitch purlwise (assuming you are doing a 2×2 rib stitch) and so on.
Anyway, that’s how to do the invisible bind-off for double knitting. Comment below in case you still have any questions.
Where is the icon so I can print this as a ,pdf?
there is a big green/teal button.
Two things I’ve never seen in other tutorials for this method: the extra back row of purl stitches, and the one simple sentence that says you must do a Kitchener stitch with the tapestry needle *always beneath the knitting needles*. I can’t tell you how frustrated I was with Kitchener when I first started because I was sewing from the top. Instructors don’t realize that might be a way first-timers will naturally sew.
I also appreciate you giving instruction on doing this all on one needle. I usually do put it all on one needle, but again had never realized I should be adding that one extra purl row. Your photos make it simple to see how to do that.
I am double knitting a checkerboard pattern with no border. Your invisible cast on method worked perfectly for me, I just switched which yarn color was in front to achieve the alternating colors in the very first row. Now that I am trying to cast off following the same pattern, I can’t pearl an entire row of one color – this would ruin my checkerboard pattern. Is there an invisible method that will allow me to alternate colors to the very end? Thanks so much! Your videos are great, and your knitting is beautiful!
Hi, Is there a bind off method that corresponds to the “long tail cast on” in your tutorial (the second method in the video)?
That creates an opposing color border that I like, and I want to mirror on the bind off end.
Thanks for the help and all the wonderful tutorials!!
I am not quite sure what you are referring to? The video attached to this video only shows one version? If you want to mirror that you have to start with an italian cast-on.
There is no feasible way to mirror a longtail cast-on. YOu can bind-off alternating the colors (knit one in main color, bind off, knit one in contrast color, bind off, etc) but that will look differently
I think you might be wrong about this? Often the Longtail cast on, and a basic bind off, is good enough, they don’t look exact but pretty close right?
So you can do the same, with your longtail cast on, then do a basic bind off, except, for each stitch do the thing you would do for your double knitting, E.G, yarn in back knit with Color A, yarn in front, Purl with Color B, then those 2 stitches you do the bind off, take the first over the second and drop it, then repeat.
This looks fairly close, and matches the standard pair of longtail cast on, basic bind off.
BUT… if we take a tapestry needle, and we do a Longtail cast off **Google returns a few examples of this, basically you mimic the long tail stitches by going Knitwise, Purlwise, slip off, with a long tail of working yarn, This looks exactly the same *because it is the same* on single stitching. Well… If you do the same with 2 tapestry needles, one for each color, and you simply use Color B for a stitch with Color A ** like in the bind on. Then we get a matching result.
Does this make sense? **Sorry if I am not good at explaining this, ive only been knitting for like 3 weeks, but I am an engineer with adhd, so I may have stepped ahead of myself, ive been practicing little swatches following your stuff mostly and google.
here is a link to an example tutorial if that helps
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/long-tail-bind-off/?srsltid=AfmBOop-ScPRg6f-i0pC1EcK6IPvAPbL8Xn6OQFjVy3e1eLr8vYyp6j6
I just did what they did, but with alternating the colors and it works fine.
I think the basic bind off is easier and also looks fine though.
that’s basically a kitchener stitch and does not technically mirror a longtail cast-on at all.
My next project will be a double-knit vest and I wonder if there is an easy way to do a 3-needle bind off at the shoulders (or of course a kitchener stich seam?). Probably doing this in two separate steps, separating the two layers first? As you are my hero, you may know the answer before my head begins to hurt.
you can seperate the layers and do a kitchener stitch. That’s totally doable.
A three needle bind-off won’t work, however…or well, it’s typically done on the wrong side and you will have no access to the second wrong side, so there would be a welt/ridge on one side.
Terrific explanation!
Thank you so much.
I was hoping you could explain how to do this with one color double knitting. Since I’m using one strand of yarn, I can’t do the “purl row.” Thank you for your free blogs that are so helpful!