The Italian Tubular Bind Off for Beginners – Video Tutorial
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The Italian tubular bind off creates an invisible edge where one side of the knitting merges seamlessly into the other side. It works best with 1×1 and 2×2 rib.
This bind off is not knitted on two knitting needles. Instead the stitches are sewn together with a tapestry needle.
The Italian tubular bind off begins with two rows of double stockinette stitch. This gives the bind off more stability. It also creates a small “tube” which is why the bind-off is called a “tubular” bind off.
Then the bind off is sewn using a four-step technique that’s repeated until all the stitches have been bound off. This four-step technique is used whether you’re binding off 1×1 rib, 2×2 rib or rib in the round. It’s incredibly versatile!
Helpful Tips Before Starting the Italian Tubular Bind Off
- This is an advanced technique, so if you’re just getting started with knitting, stick with the regular bind off first.
- Practice on a swatch before working the Italian tubular bind-off on your project. It takes time to perfect the technique and get the tension right.
- If you really want to be safe, insert a lifeline into the ribbing before you start working the bind off.
Materials:
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle (a blunt-end needle is best)
- Scrap yarn for lifeline (optional
Italian Tubular Bind Off Video
Italian Tubular Bind Off for 1×1 Rib Knit Flat
Knit two rows in double stockinette stitch as follows:
Row 1: *K1, Slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in front; repeat from * to end of row
Row 2: repeat Row 1
Measure out a length of yarn that is five times the length of the bind off edge. Cut the yarn loose and thread with a tapestry needle.
4-Step Bind-Off Technique:
1. Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch (a knit stitch) as if to purl. Pull the yarn through
2. Insert the tapestry needle into the second stitch (a purl stitch) from the back of the knitting as if to knit. Pull the yarn through.
Now repeat the following four steps across the whole row of stitches:
1. Knit Off (knit stitch)
Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch (a knit stitch) as if to knit. Then pull the whole stitch off the knitting needle. Pull the yarn through and ensure it’s snug but not tight.
2. Purl On (knit stitch)
Skipping the first purl stitch, insert the tapestry needle into the next knit stitch as if to purl. Pull the yarn through.
3. Purl Off (purl stitch)
Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch (a purl stitch) as if to purl. Then pull the whole stitch off the knitting needle. Pull the yarn through and ensure it’s snug but not tight.
4. Knit On (purl stitch)
Skipping the first knit stitch, insert the tapestry needle into the next purl stitch from the back of the knitting as if to knit. Pull the yarn through.
Repeat these four steps until all stitches have been worked. To see a demonstration of the four-step technique in action, watch the video above.
Italian Tubular Bind Off for 2×2 Rib
Binding off 2×2 rib is very similar to binding off in 1×1 rib. It requires an extra step where the 2×2 rib stitches are reconfigured into a 1×1 rib formation.
I like to combine this rib reformatting with double stockinette stitch:
Start by knitting 1, then inserting the right needle into the back of the next two stitches. Slide the stitches off the needle.
Transfer the two slipped stitches from the right needle back to the left needle. The order of the knit and purl stitches have now been reversed.
You can now work the first row of double stockinette stitch by slipping the purl stitch. Then continue in Row 1 until you hit two knit stitches:
Row 1: *K1, Sl1 purlwise with the yarn in front; repeat from *
When you encounter two knit stitches, it’s time to reconfigure the stitches as above. Work as established to the end of the row.
Row 2 is much simpler as you won’t need to reformat any stitches. The hard work has already been done in Row 1.
Row 2: *K1, Sl1 purlwise with the yarn in front; repeat from *
Now that two rows of double stockinette have been knit, follow the same instructions as Italian tubular bind off for 1×1 rib above.
Italian Tubular Bind Off in the Round
Knit two rows in double stockinette stitch in the round as follows:
Round 1: *K1, Slip purl stitch purlwise with yarn in front; repeat from * to end of round
Round 2: *Slip knit stitch purlwise with yarn in back, P1; repeat from * to end of round
Measure out a length of yarn that is five times the length of the entire bind off edge. Cut the yarn loose and thread with a tapestry needle.
Work the same instructions as Italian tubular bind off for 1×1 rib above.
When all the stitches are bound off, insert the tapestry needle into the two “legs” of the first knit stitch. Pull the yarn through to close the gap in the round:
Tips for a Successful Bind Off
- If you need to pause the bind off, circle the next step in the sequence so you can easily go back to it without forgetting where you left off. Undoing the Italian tubular bind off is a real pain, so take steps to prevent making mistakes.
- Practice on a swatch before working the bind off on a project. Practice will help you master the four steps and achieve an even tension.
- How tightly you pull the yarn will determine if the bind off is neat and stretchy or messy without any give. Observe how the knitting looks as you’re pulling the yarn. Give a slight tug so that the yarn is snug but not too tight. Tension is largely based on feel, so experiment on the practice swatch.
Hi Davina! I’m a combination knitter and I have a few thoughts about stitch mount for this technique. Full disclosure: I have not used an Italian tubular bind off yet, so I don’t have empirical evidence.
1. It looks like the tricky “knit on” maneuver guiding the tapestry needle through a purl would be made much easier if the purls were in Eastern mount. You’d be entering through the back loop, which is more accessible. That would mean the “purl off” would also have to change, but I don’t think it would become any harder.
2. You have a really clever way of reoganising the stitches of 2×2 rib to fit a k1 p1 pattern — no cable needle needed, stitches hanging midair — unfortunately it’s twisting some stitches. In your swatch you can actually see the top knit stitch in the left column of each rib has its legs crossed, on both sides of the fabric. You could avoid this by putting the stitches to be swapped in Eastern mount beforehand, say by individually slipping them knitwise and placing them back on the left-hand needle; that should also make the “slip two together as if to purl through the back loop” technique marginally easier. I admit that’s a bit of a hassle — I’m sure there’s an easier way to do the whole thing in fewer steps, I’ve just yet to find it.
Lovely video, great technique. I want to try it, but isn’t this technique challenging when working on the bottom of a top-down cardigan with over 200 stitches? Wouldn’t the yarn be worn thin from being pulled in and out of all those stitches?
Thank you.
Hi, apologies for the late reply! Yes, working 200+ stitches with this bind off is tedious. I’ve done it on two sweaters. The yarn gets a bit tangled and it’s worn a bit thin by the end. However, both times the yarn has held up fine – as in, it hasn’t broken down.
One idea I’ve had that I haven’t tried is to use a shorter length of yarn to bind off. Then join a new piece of yarn with the spit splice to complete the bind off. This would only work with yarns spun from animal fiber though. I would snip off half the plies from both yarn ends so that the join is less bulky. And I would overlap the join for 6-8 inches so that the yarn is truly joined. I haven’t tried this out yet, so I can’t comment on whether it would be successful, but it’s an idea!
Another Youtube knitter advises using a needle two sizes smaller for the last row of ribbing and the double-knitted rows. My pattern uses the same needle size for body, ribbing and double-knitting. The ribbing is flat, not “pulled in.”. Which do you advise?
Hi apologies for the late reply! I’ve never switched to a smaller needle size for the last two rows. If you’re knitting two rows of double stockinette stitch before working the italian bind off, that will naturally cinch in the ribbing.
If you don’t work the two rows of double stockinette then it makes sense to knit the last two rows of ribbing with a smaller needle to get the same cinched in effect.
Thank you so much for making this easy to see and understand. It was easy to follow and turned out great!
Hi, if binding off a cardigan hem how does one manage such a long piece of yarn as used on this method?
You can go really slowly and carefully. I’ve done it on cardigans and sweaters and it’s do-able but a bit tedious. Just settle in for a bit, put on some music and go slowly one stitch at a time. By the end the yarn tail may be a bit threadbare, but it should be ok. If it’s falling apart, use the spit splice to join it up with another piece of yarn.