After learning about the tubular bind-off, I’ve been looking for a sewn bind-off that can be used on more than 1×1 ribbing. It turns out that Elizabeth Zimmerman created a sewn bind-off that is known for its stretch, can be used on any stitch pattern, and has the added bonus of looking similar to a long-tail cast-on for a nice symmetry. I was sold.

• Appropriate weight yarn
• Bent-tip tapestry needle

Tutorial by Andrea at Andrea Rangel

I really liked how simple this bind-off was, especially in comparison to some of the others that I’ve tried. So far, it seems to have all the stretch I needed for this test knit, and I’m so excited to show it to you in a few weeks. For now, you can enjoy this sneak peek of this gorgeous blue. There is a bit of a rib pattern underneath the bind-off and I still need to block it, but hopefully you can see a bit of the edge to get an idea.

I was also curious about who Elizabeth Zimmerman was, so I looked at her Wikipedia article and was amazed. She pioneered so much in the field of knitting, from advocating for knitting in the round to creating the i-cord technique. I wish I had heard of her earlier so that I could track down some of her books and read more about her techniques. While the Internet is great for free patterns, I’ve found that there are a few knitting books that really laid out the basics in a black and white way that the Internet hasn’t been able to do for me yet. So far, these include Vogue Knitting (honestly a knitter’s guidebook from beginner to expert) and Amy Herzog’s The Ultimate Sweater Book. Do you have books or websites that have changed the way you think about knitting/crocheting/crafting? I’d love to hear about them.

Until next time, happy crafting!