Stretchy Twisted Bind Off for Ribbing

This is my latest favourite way to bind off for toe-up socks. There’s a spring built into this bind off that allows it to stretch over the heel when pulling on socks.

And I’ve got to say, I really quite like the zigzag effect when viewed from above.

Each stitch gets twisted before working the next step of the bind off and that puts a little extra spring in the edge, allowing it to stretch out nicely, but it’s still elastic enough to bounce back.

This bind off may be worked using either the English or Continental method of knitting with a minor difference. The following instructions are for the English method, followed by a note on working the Continental method.

When working in the round, it’s easier to use an empty double-pointed needle as your working needle.

Each time you bind off a stitch, and one stitch remains on the right needle, twist the stitch as follows:

Knit stitches are twisted counter-clockwise by rotating right needle so tip moves from left to right towards you (counter-clockwise), then continues around in a circle while ducking underneath the working yarn and back into the starting position. This also repositions the yarn to the front of the work, making it ready to work a purl stitch.

Purl stitches are twisted clockwise by rotating the right needle away from you, towards the back (clockwise) and all the way around to the front, coming to rest with the needle in front of the working yarn, basically shifting the yarn to the back of the needle so it’s ready to work a knit stitch.

Continental knitters: Twist the stitches in the same manner as for English knitters. Because the yarn is held in the left hand, it doesn’t move while twisting the stitches. Knit or purl as you normally would.

Bind Off Round: K1, p1, pass first st over second stitch, *turn double-pointed needle clockwise 360 degrees, k1, pass first stitch over second stitch, turn double-pointed needle counter-clockwise 360 degrees, p1, pass first stitch over second stitch; repeat from * until all stitches have been bound off.

The Stretchy Twisted Bind Off can be used for k2, p2 ribbing as well with a slight modification. After binding off the first knit stitch and twisting it, return yarn to back of work to repeat for second knit stitch. The same goes for the purl stitch, returning the yarn to the front before working the second purl stitch and twisting it.