I-Cord Bind Off

This tutorial covers an I-Cord Bind Off (or Cast Off). It is also known as Applied I-Cord.

You start with the stitches you want to cast off. Begin by casting on three stitches with a cable cast on. If you were casting off in the round, you could begin this by provisionally casting on three stitches and working it that way.

Knit the first two stitches. Knit the next two stitches together through the back look.

Slip the stitches back onto the left hand needle, slipping the stitches purlwise.

Knit the first two stitches again, and knit the next two stitches together through the back loop. Slip the stitches back to the left hand needle, slipping the stitches purlwise.

Keep repeating these steps. You will get a beautiful edge to your knitting.

Repeat until you reach the last three stitches. Slip them from the right hand needle to the left hand needle. Knit the three stitches together through the back loop and cut you yarn, pulling through.

If you were knitting in the round, to finish you would graft the last three stitches together with the first three stitches, creating a seamless join to your I-cord.

The edge lays flat, with a firm tailored look.

18 comments

  1. Hi Kelly from Melbourne

    Thanks for including the tutorials! It makes the process so easy, seeing you actually knitting the details.

    Robyn Matthews

    Reply

  4. I have had 3 needles stuck around the sleeve of my pride and joy, a classic no-seams man’s jacket from The Knitter, and your elegant tutorial has enabled me to finish it after a 4-week break. Thank you so much for clear instructions. Elaine from Rochdale, Lancs.

    Reply

  5. Being a left handed knitter I was wondering if this should be started on the front side of the work. Is there a different look?

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  9. Thank you for a beautifully laid out tutorial and the finished product is so lovely, I will use it straight away.

    Reply
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  14. Thanks for your wonderful tutorial. Your pictures are great and using the different colored yarn really shows the technique well. If I’ve provisionally cast on the first three stitches, how do I join the last three live stitches with the provisionally cast on live stitches?

    Reply
  15. Pingback: I-Cord Bind Off | Louise's workshop / L'Atelier de Louise

  16. I am a novice knitter and want to use the icord bind off on a baby blanket i have knitted. The border has been knitted in the round. Can you please explain the process of grafting the last 3 stitches to the first 3 stitches that you mentioned at the end of your tutorial. Thanks so much.

    Reply

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