Making my first top-down sweater (Felix pullover) but stuck on which hem BO to use. Pattern says “sewn tubular bind off method of preference” but there are so many!
How do you manage such a long piece of yarn with fiddly 4 step processes with so many stitches? I’ve got 168 on body and am working with lofty but sticky/splitty (at times) yarn, which makes “do-overs” difficult.
When I have a long sewn-type bind off, I “load” the tapestry needle:
I fold the tail over, leaving 18" of single strand, then fold it again and thread the needle.
This shortens the draw, and even though it looks too fat, it will sew through.
1 Like
Thanks Nell, I’ll try that. Any recommendations for online instructions or video on doing a sewn bind off in the round? Some have setup rounds, some do not, others split the knits and purls onto different needles. It got confusing very quickly.
Also, this pattern is boxy in shape. Any recs for a regular knit BO that might work as well?
Thanks again for your help!
I think that binding off loosely in the knit 1, purl 1 pattern will work perfectly, especially with “lofty but sticky/splitty” yarn!
You’re right that there are several approaches to the tubular bind off, I don’t have a favorite recommendation though - but I will look at a few when I am at my computer.
I recently finished a Felix cardigan, and I thought Andrea Mowry’s YouTube tubular cast off tutorial was really helpful and clear.
3 Likes
Try Purl Soho instructions for that. Here’s the link: Long Tail Tubular Bind Off | Purl Soho
I just finished a top-down and wanted a really stretchy bindoff for the bottom of the sweater. It was fiddly, but not as much as I’d feared, even with a couple hundred stitches on the needles.
I think setup rows were pretty easy, like Row 1, knit knit stitches, slip purls; Row 2, do the reverse. You end up with the stitches separated so you can then easily slide them onto two needles, put those side by side and then graft, which was easier than I thought it would be. I also ran the needle down the thread until it was almost doubled, worked fine.
Good luck.
3 Likes
Thanks for your suggestions—it came out great. Used video linked by Andrea Mowry. Slow and steady won the race
7 Likes
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely beautiful!! It came out great 
1 Like