It’s always a bit of a headache to bind off ribbing, because when you use the classic technique, it means to bind off stitches one by one as it is, it’s simple but the result is not pretty and lack of flexibility.

Otherwise you can bind off ribs with a tapestry needle, so you get a nice border with this technique, but it’s a long time especially when it comes to longer ribbing like the buttonhole band of a cardigan. In this case, it is not practical at all, because it is necessary to provide meters of yarn on your tapestry needle…

For all this, I show you a more efficient technique, which remains flexible and elastic for your ribbing. You do not need a tapestry needle, but simply knitting needles that you are already using.

1. purl the 1st st. (attention, the 1st st should be a knit st)

2. put this st from right needle to left needle, then take back this st on the right needle with yarn in back.

3. knit the next st.

4. pass the 1st st over the 2nd.

5. put this st from right needle to left needle, then take back this st on the right needle with yarn in front.

6. purl the next st.

7. pass the 1st st 2nd.

8. repeat steps 2 to 7 to end of your ribbing.

 

This method can fully adapt to all kinds of ribbings: 1/2, 1/3, 2/2, 2/3 … you just have to remember a rule: knit if the next stitch is a purl stitch, purl if the next stitch is a knit stitch.

It’s even better with a video!