Weave in Bind-off Tails in the Round

A standard bind off in the round will leave a yarn tail and a small jog where your knitted row ends. As you weave in your bind off tails in the round, you can use the yarn tail to close the gap and make a seamless, smooth edge.

In this lesson, I will show you how I weave in my yarn tails at the thumb and fingertips of fingerless gloves. This method will also help you finish headbands, ear warmers, leg warmers, cup cozies, and any other items you’ve finished with a standard bind off in the round.

After perfecting the glove edge, I tie in the loose ends with two small, interlocking knots. This tiny, nearly invisible knot anchors the yarn tail in place. Then, it hides itself among your stitches.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 1:

Thread the loose end through the eye of a darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 2:

Pick up the work so that the bind-off edge is facing you.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 3:

At the edge of your work, you will see “>”-shaped stitches. Locate the stitch just next to the yarn tail, on the other side of the jog left by your bind off. Insert the tip of your darning needle under both legs of the “>”-shaped stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 4:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 5:

Locate the stitch from which the yarn tail started. Insert the tip of the darning needle down and through the center of that stitch, ensuring your needle tip goes under the leg of the stitch toward the inside of the project.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 6:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch only tightly enough to match the pattern at the edge of the work.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 7:

Rotate the work so you can see the inside of the project and the yarn tail. At this point, a small hole will remain just next to where the yarn tail comes out of your work.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 8:

Locate the purl stitch on the other side of the hole. Insert the darning needle tip down and through that stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 9:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 10:

Locate the knit stitch just to the left of the purl stitch you just worked into. Insert the darning needle tip down and through that stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 11:

Pull the needle and the yarn tail through the stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 12:

Remove the tail from the darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 13:

Inspect your yarn tail by untwisting it a bit, near your work. Identify the individual yarn plies and count them. Use the tip of your darning needle to help you split the plies into two equal sections. With the four-ply yarn shown, the plies should be split so there are two on each side.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 14:

Gently separate the two halves of the yarn with your darning needle by sliding it out toward the end of the tail. Take care not to break the strands by pulling too quickly or roughly.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 15:

Once the tail is split in two, set one half aside and thread the other half through the eye of your darning needle.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 16:

With the darning needle, sew this half of the tail around the knit stitch that it is coming out from under. Do this by bringing your needle tip under and through the other side of the knit stitch.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 17:

Pull the tail through, only tightly enough to match the pattern of your knitting. Do not pull too tightly.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 18:

Remove the tail from the darning needle. Lay the halves of the yarn tail out in opposite directions. One side should point right, the other should point left.

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 19:

Tie two small interlocking knots. (See this link for more specific instructions.)  

Weave in Bind-off Tail in the Round, Step 20:

Using the sharpest scissors you have available, clip off both halves of the yarn tail, one at a time, as closely as possible to the knot, without cutting the knot itself.

After you weave in the bind off tails in the round, one last tail will remain at the base of your glove thumb. In the next lesson, I will show you how to use that loose end to close the gap at the base of the thumb.