Decorative Three Needle Bind Off

Riverside Knitting Guild had a wonderful meeting today. Being a first Saturday, we did have that business stuff to get out of the way. But then one of our members gave a mini lesson on a more decorative three needle bind off that is meant to be seen on the public side.

Imagine a standard three needle bind off with stitches on two needles and a spare ready to work the magic. Live stitches (or picked up stitches if that is what you are doing) are held wrong side together. Of course there must be the same number of stitches on both needles - that part is standard for a three needle bind off. Then comes the difference. With this version, the goal is to have the seam actually show on the right side.

Let's pretend that you want to join two pieces worked in stockinette. Remember to hold the two pieces in the left hand with wrong sides touching. On the left front needle, which presents to you as knit stitches, k2tog. Then on the back needle, which presents as purl, simply p2tog. (yes, the yarn must be positioned correctly) There are now two stitches on the right needle. Pass the first worked stitch (the one from the k2tog) over the just worked stitch (which is the stitch resulting from the p2tog).

There will now be only one stitch on the right needle. So, it is time to return to the left front needle and k2tog. The result will be two stitches on the right needle once again. Pass the old over the new! And what do you know? All is ready to p2tog from the back needle.

Keep up the k2tog 0r p2tog appropriately, each time passing the the old stitch over the new one on the right needle. A lovely raised seam that looks much better than this fuzzy, but excitedly photographed, first effort will appear.

Already I am imagining seaming a patchwork blanket this way. Or the front and back of a pillow and doing the decorative three needle bind off in a contrasting yarn. Oh, the possibilities! Yep, this decorative seam is a keeper.