Having designed a shawl or two, we’ve had to do a lot of binding off. This is our preferred bind-off for shawls, giving enough stretch to block lace out nicely while still leaving a nice clean edge. When binding off for shawls, it is important to balance having enough stretch to block the lace out nicely and creating a clean edge. This method that I use has proven to be effective for me.
For example, let’s say you have just finished knitting a beautiful lace shawl. Now it’s time to bind off. You want to ensure that the bind-off edge is not too tight, as that could distort the lace pattern and make it difficult to block the shawl evenly. You don’t want the bind-off to be too loose, as that would lead to a sloppy edge.
If you find you’re a rather tight knitter, or bind off tightly, going up a needle size or two when binding off can also help. By going up a needle size or two, you can compensate for being a tight knitter or having a tendency to bind off tightly. This change will give your shawl the stretch for blocking, ensuring that the lace pattern opens up beautifully.
Remember, the key is to find the right balance for your knitting style and the specific shawl you are working on. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different needle sizes to achieve the perfect bind-off for your shawls.
Abreviations
Dec: Decrease.
K2tog-tbl: Knit 2 stitches together through the back loops. (1 st dec.)
K: Knit.
St(s): Stitch(es).
Directions for this Stretchy Bind-off
Setup: K1.
Step 1: K1, take the left-hand needle and put it through the front of the 2 previously worked sts on the right-hand needle, k2tog-tbl.
Repeat Step 1 until you’ve worked all your stitches. Pull yarn through the last stitch and weave in your end. With your tapestry needle, weave in all ends.
Need a visual? Check out this slow-motion tutorial from Very Pink Knits.