How to: Bind off with a Latvian braid
Latvian braid bind off is the last post about these pretty braids, at least until I get a new idea on the subject 🙂
This pretty bind off creates a braid on the right side and from above it looks like a chain of stitches.
If you’re familiar with the Latvian braid cast on, it looks the same. But for the cast on you have the chain of stitch at the bottom of course!
You can find the earlier posts about this obsession of mine here:
––> Latvian braid cast on for knitting flat and in the round
––> Latvian braid worked flat
––> Latvian braid worked in the round
Match up your braids
This is an example of how it can look like when you match the bind off with other braided elements.
This sample is worked in the round and I have used three variations of braids.
I have started at the bottom with the Latvian braid cast on.
In the middle you see a Latvian braid and at the top it’s bound off with the Latvian braid bind off.
A little tip on the way
In the sample above you can see that the bind off edge want’s to fold over to the right side.
This is because I have done the bind off directly on a piece of stockinette stitch.
To avoid this it’s clever to knit a garter stitch ridge on the right side directly before binding off. The ridge supports the braid and holds it in place.
Video tutorial: Latvian braid bind off
I think it’s so much easier to learn by watching someone doing it, that’s why I make these short knitting videos. I hope that some of you are like me in that way 🙂
But if you like written instructions more, just scroll down and you will find them there!
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And here comes the written instructions!
The Latvian braid bind off is very like a regular bind off. You alternate knitting a stitch and passing the previously knitted stitch over the one you just knit.
The difference is that you use two strands of yarn and twist the strands before every stitch. The twisting is what creates the braid effect.
In this braid we’re going to hold the yarn strands behind the knitting and bring the new strand OVER the old strand for every stitch. If you twist them the other way it’s not going to work.
Lavtian braid bind off
Knit 1 (K1) with your main color (MC)
*Bring your next strand (contrasting color, CC) OVER the strand you just used (MC). K1 with (CC), pass the first stitch over the second stitch, bring MC over CC, K1 with MC, pass stitch over*, Repeat *–* the rest of your round (or row)
Tips for binding off in the round
When you’re knitting in the round you’ll want to end with your contrasting color.
If it doesn’t add up, just pick upp a stitch between the last and the first stitch and bind it off.
To finish this off nicely we are going to sew the last stitch in place before weaving in the ends.
Cut the yarn and pull out the last stitch. Thread the tail on a wool needle and use it to pull the tail through the first stitch of the round, from front to back, and then back into the same place where the tail came up.
Now you have joined the bind off in the round and it’s going to be hard to see where the join is.
Go ahead and weave in all your ends and try your knitting on!
Your next read:
––> 4 ways to knit neat edges
––> How to knit a baby blanket without a pattern
––> Best journals for knitters
