3 Needle Bind Off

3 Needle Bind Off on Right Side of Work
Figure 1: 3 Needle Bind Off worked with WS together – Front View

The 3 Needle Bind Off is used to join two sections of live stitches and requires 3 needles. It results in a chain ridge on the front side (Figure 1) and purl stitches on the back side (Figure 2). It can be worked with Wrong Sides together or Right Sides together, depending on the final look desired. Figure 1 and 2 show this bind off worked with WS together.

Figure 2: 3 Needle Bind Off - Back Side
Figure 2: 3 Needle Bind Off worked with WS together – Rear View

Seen from above, the bind off looks like Figure 3.

Figure 3: 3 Needle Bind Off seen from above
Figure 3: 3 Needle Bind Off seen from above

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This bind off can also be worked with RS together for an almost invisible seam as shown in the hat crown (Figure 4).

3 needle bind off RS facing
Figure 4: 3 needle bind off RS facing

Here’s How It’s Done:

First, make sure you have the same number of stitches on each needle.

Step 13needle_bindoff_Step1

Step 1

Lay the 2 needles containing the live stitches one on top of the other, right sides (or wrong sides) facing. Hold the third needle in your right hand.
 Step 23needle_bindoff_Step2 Step 2Insert the third needle (red) knitwise into the first stitch on the front needle AND the first stitch on the back needle.
 Step 33needle_bindoff_Step3

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3needle_bindoff_Step5

 Step 3Knit the first stitch on the back needle

and

continue pulling the yarn (on the red needle) through the first stitch on the front needle (basically knitting these two stitches together)

Slip each stitch that has just been knit from the left needles ( 1 from the front needle and 1 from the back).
 3needle_bindoff_Step63needle_bindoff_Step7

 

 Step 4Knit the first stitch on the front needle and the first stitch on the back needle together as before.
 3needle_bindoff_Step93needle_bindoff_Step9-1

 

 Step 5Using one of the left hand needles, lift the right-most stitch on the right needle over the stitch just worked and off the right needle to bind it off.

One stitch remains on the right hand needle.
 3needle_bindoff_Step9-23needle_bindoff_Step9-4

 

 Step 6Repeat Steps 4 and 5

= 2 stitches cast off
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until the desired number of stitches have been bound off.If

  • an entire seam is bound off, pull yarn tail through last stitch
  • a partial seam is bound off, bind off required number of stitches; continue in pattern

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