Going Up a Needle Size to Bind Off

Once the knitting is complete on a project, it’s time to bind off. If you have a hard time creating a loose bind off edge, in this video Jen Lucas demonstrates how to use a larger knitting needle to work the bind off.

Jen begins with a small swatch of Stockinette stitch that she knit on a US Size 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needle. To bind off with a larger needle, she brings in a knitting needle that is 2 sizes larger. She uses a US Size 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needle to bind off. The larger needle is used in her right hand, as the working needle.

The basic bind off is worked knitwise with the larger needle in the right hand, as follows:
1. Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches on right needle)
2. Insert the left needle into the first stitch (the right-most stitch) on the right needle
3. Pass the first stitch over the second stitch (1 stitch remains on right needle)
4. Knit 1 stitch (2 stitches on right needle)

Repeat steps 2 – 4, ending with step 3 with one stitch remaining on the right needle. Cut the yarn, leaving an approximately 6-inch tail. Fasten off by pulling the yarn through the final loop.

Working the bind off in this way allows for extra yarn to go into that final edge, which makes the bind off looser.