Usually worked on 1x1 ribbing, the Italian Tubular Bind Off allows you to graft live hem stitches into a neat & stretchy finished edge, without having to separate your stitches onto two needles (as with a standard tubular bind off).
The method we show here allows you to work the Italian Tubular Bind Off on 2x2 ribbing, with no rearranging of stitches required!
This bind-off can be worked directly from your ribbing, or after working tubular rows/rounds (see our Italian Tubular Cast On tutorial for instructions.)
Written Steps
This bind-off can be worked after knitting tubular rows or rounds (where every other rib column is slipped); it can also be used without working tubular rows beforehand. As always, follow your pattern’s instructions. These instructions are written for beginning with a column of 2 knit stitches, so if your stitches start differently you’ll want to adjust them to get to a knit column first on the left needle.
Break yarn leaving a tail approximately 3 times the length of the edge to be bound off. Thread tail onto a tapestry needle.
Set Up: Insert tapestry needle through the first knit stitch as if to purl. Leave the stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn through and snug gently at the end of each pass throughout.
Go behind the next two knit stitches and insert the tapestry needle between the knit and the purl stitches from back to front.
Insert tapestry needle through the first purl stitch as if to knit from front to back.
Step 1: Insert tapestry needle through the first stitch on the needle as if to knit, then drop the stitch off the left needle.
Step 2: Insert tapestry needle through the second knit stitch as if to purl but leave it on the needle.
Step 3: From the back, insert tapestry needle from back to front through the first purl stitch as if to purl.
Step 4: Insert tapestry needle through the second purl stitch as if to knit from front to back.
Step 5: Insert tapestry needle through the remaining knit stitch as if to knit and slip it off the left needle.
Step 6: Bring tapestry needle to the front, skipping two purl stitches, and insert it through the next knit stitch as if to purl.
Step 7: Drop the first purl stitch off the left needle (it has already been secured in step 3).
Step 8: Insert tapestry needle through the remaining purl stitch as if to purl and drop it off the left needle.
Step 9: Go behind the next two knit stitches and insert the tapestry needle between the knit and the purl stitches from back to front.
Step 10: Insert tapestry needle through the first purl stitch as if to knit from front to back.
Repeat Steps 1 - 10 until all but the last two stitches have been bound off. If the final two stitches are a knit column, insert your tapestry needle through the first as if to knit and drop off the needle, then into the next as if to purl and drop off. If they are a purl column, insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch as if to purl and drop off the needle, then into the next as if to knit and drop off.
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