{spend time idly}

need advice

if you’ve done the tubular bind-off please raise your hand.

i need some help. i looked up the tubular bind-off on google and in the montse stanley book yesterday and i’m a bit confused about the double knitting one is supposed to do before doing that kitchener type bind-off with the needle. according to this source and the book, i’m supposed to do at least two rows of “double knitting” before the bind-off but i’m not sure if the directions are given for a garment in the round. i will be starting on my 1×1 ribbing on green gable tonight, so if someone can help me, please pipe up in the comments. i would greatly appreciate it!!

This entry was posted on Friday, June 2nd, 2006 at 11:27 AM and is filed under green gable. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

8 Responses


  1. Stacey

    I’ll be interested to hear! I have only done the tubular cast on…..good luck!

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 11:50 AM


  2. Stacey

    I just saw you are/were reading the “his dark materials” series! I just finished The Amber Spyglass! They get better with each book!

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 11:51 AM


  3. Stephanie

    Yikes. That sounds confusing. Have you tried Vogue Knitting? Or the Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques? I sometimes have to look at multiple resources and then just follow the step-by-step instructions and see how it works. Good luck.

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 1:03 PM


  4. jess

    crap, it ate my html! teach me not to preview. :)

    neither one of these mentions the double knitting (and I’ve done the tubular bind off on toe-up socks without double knitting):

    http://www.tradewindknits.com/tbtubbnd.html

    http://www.socknitters.com/toe-up/lessonsix.htm

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 1:55 PM


  5. jody

    i did a tubular bindoff on a pair of socks recently. in Montse Stanley it says the plain knitting before binding off is optional. i chose not to do it and they turned out great. here: http://www.savannahchik.com/2006/03/fo_india_socks.htm

    i actually have a tutorial post in the works for this technique but some of the pics weren’t as clear as i had hoped and i haven’t been able to update them. i’d be happy to talk you through any questions you have though. once you get going with it i think you’ll be fine.

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 1:55 PM


  6. Veronique

    Yes, Jody and Jess are right.

    Once I’m done with the 1:1 ribbing, I do the tubular bind off right away. In fact, I just checked the Montse Stanley book, and she says “work at least 2 rows in tubular st. In single ribbing this is *not necessary*”.

    Also, since you have so many st, I recommend you sit down in a comfy spot while listening to soothing music. Here’s another trick of mine: I put ~10 purl st on one dpn and ~10 knit st on another and work in small chunks.

    In my opinion, the best explanation is in Nancie Wiseman’s book (which I have, let me know if you want a look at it!).

    Good luck!

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 10:21 PM


  7. Jackie F.

    Here’s a link to “Casting Off in Rounds – Italian Fashion:”

    http://www.lanagrossa.com/service/stricktipps/stricktipp_italienischabketten.html

    Scroll down and read after the pictures and steps for ITR instructions. This method uses two prep rounds. It’s very similar to the tubular/kitchener BO, but not quite.

    I have the Nancie Wiseman book and the Margaret Radcliffe book (The Knitting Answer Book). Both of these author’s explanations don’t require prep rounds of slipping stitches. It’s just an option, and I’ve seen that you can do either 2 or 4 rounds of slipping stitches.

    If you try the traditional tubular bind off, you could do the instructions for the Italian version for the slipping stitches part, then switch back to the instructions for the traditional tubular bind off.

    Also, you don’t have to divide the stitches onto two needles if you don’t want to, although for many people this makes the process less stressful. As long as you can say the mantra “knit purl purl knit” while working stitches 1, 3, 2, and 4 (in that order), you can keep all your knit and purl stitches on the same needle while binding off.

    Jun 02, 2006 @ 11:38 PM


  8. gleek

    thanks everyone for your advice!! after reading all the material on the tubular bind-off, i decided to save it. i know i know. i asked you all and you guys really delivered! thanks! but i finished the ribbing last night at 11PM and really just wanted to bind-off. i’ve got an itchy trigger finger! i think that this method will work really great though for a stretchier yarn with more wool content. i’ll be saving all of your links for the future.

    GG is almost done! i should be able to finish it this weekend and start blocking. it’s too bad it’s so humid though. it may never dry! *EEK* but i do have a dryer so the delicate setting may come in handy :)

    Jun 03, 2006 @ 11:22 AM