Draft
Bind Offs for Garment Finishing
Bind offs that match a cast on, lie flat, or stretch with a cuff.
These are the working bind offs, the ones that solve a problem on a garment. The sewn bind off is the stretchy one, worked with a tapestry needle, and it is the match for a long tail cast on, so a sock cuff or a sleeve can stretch the same at both ends. The interlock bind off gives a neat, stable edge. The bias bind off smooths the stair steps that shaping leaves on a collar or an armhole. The one over two bind off gathers an edge in on purpose, for a flare or a pleat.
Choose by what the edge has to do, and match it to the cast on at the other end where you can.
The methods, side by side
| Method | What it gives you | Good for | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Sewn Bind Off | A bind off sewn with a tapestry needle. Stretchy, and a match for the long tail cast on. | sock cuffs, matching edges | 4 min |
| Interlock Bind Off | A bind off with interlocking stitches for a neat, stable edge. | 8 min | |
| 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. | sweater collars, shaped edges | 7 min |
| One Over Two Bind Off | A bind off that passes one stitch over two to gather the edge in. | gathering an edge, flaring edges, pleated cuffs | 3 min |
