Draft
Bind-OffsBind Offs for Garment Finishing
Bias Bind Off
Shaping that is bound off over several rows leaves stair steps. A slipped stitch at each turn smooths them into a slope.
7 min videoGood for sweater collars, shaped edges
The bias bind off is for shaping that is bound off along an edge over several rows, like the collar of a sweater. Done the normal way, each group of bound off stitches sits a row higher than the last and the edge looks like stair steps.
This bind off smooths those steps into a slope. The only change is at the turns: you slip the last stitch of each wrong side row instead of purling it, then slip two and pass one over at the start of the next right side row.
How many stitches you bind off at each turn is up to your pattern, and the spacing between turns sets how steeply the edge climbs.
1 Bind off the first group
Start with a normal knit bind off. Knit two, pass the first stitch over the second, knit one more, pass it over. Do that until you have bound off the number your pattern calls for. Here it is five.
2 Knit to the end and purl back
Knit to the end of the row. Turn the work and purl back. The number of stitches depends on your pattern and how big the piece you are shaping needs to be.
3 Slip the last stitch purlwise
This is the key to the whole bind off. When you get to the last stitch of the wrong side row, do not purl it. Slip it purlwise onto the right needle. That carries the stitch up to the next row.
4 Slip two and pass one over
Turn the work. Slip the first two stitches purlwise, then pass the first of them over the second. That counts as one stitch bound off.
5 Bind off the rest of the group
Carry on with the normal bind off for the rest of the group. Having passed one over already, you bind off one fewer than the number in your pattern. Here that is four more. Then knit to the end of the row.
6 Then repeat the sequence
Purl back, slip the last stitch purlwise, turn, slip two, pass one over, bind off the group, knit to the end. Keep going until the shaping is done. How many stitches you bind off each time sets how fast the edge turns up. The slipped stitches at each turn make the steps almost invisible, so the edge tapers instead of jumping a row at a time.