How to bind off in the middle of a row

Gingerella72 · 02-11-2013, 03:12 PM

The dog sweater I'm working on has a section for creating the leg openings that has me stumped, for it requires binding off in the middle of a row.

There are 48 stitches on the row.

Knit 5, then bind off the next 4 stitches, then knit 29, then bind off the next 4 stitches, then knit across.

When finished with the row, I'm supposed to have 5 stitches at the beginning, 5 stitches at the end, and 30 stitches in the middle in between the bound off openings.

I can't get the numbers to come out right. When I bind off the first stitch, I have to knit 2 first, just like any other bind off, right? Doing so leaves me with 5 stitches, 4 bound off stitches, and 1 stitch on the other side. Do I count that 1 stitch as stitch number one when I knit the 29? And at the end of the 29 stitches, I have to knit 2 again to start the last bind off section....this continually leaves me with 6 stitches at the end instead of 5.

Help!

mojo11 · 02-11-2013, 03:20 PM

I always have trouble with this too, but if I'm remembering it right, the one you end up with after the BO isn't counted in the 29 you're supposed to knit next. So after you k29, you should have the 30 sts you're expecting.

I think. But you might wanna wait for a more informed opinion.

Gingerella72 · 02-11-2013, 03:51 PM

I tried that and still came out wrong. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

mojo11 · 02-11-2013, 04:03 PM

Well, when they show up, the Wise Ones will no doubt ask if you can post a link to the pattern, so that might be the best next step. If you can't do that, then a few lines detailing from it the section that's causing the problem.

suzeeq · 02-11-2013, 04:27 PM

Yes, you have to knit 2 more stitches so you can BO 1 st, and don't count how many sts you knit as the BO, just how many you lift over the next stitch.

So knit 5, then knit 2 more, lift a stitch over; k1, lift over, k1, lift over, k1 lift over and that's 4 sts bound off. You still have a stitch on the R needle from the last bound off one which isn't part of the 29 sts. K29 then 2 more and repeat the BO sequence. That will leave you with 5 sts at the beginning, 4 bound off, 30 sts in the middle, 4 bound off and 5 sts at the end of the row.

mojo11 · 02-11-2013, 04:57 PM

What she said ^^

Gingerella72 · 02-11-2013, 05:51 PM

I will try this again when I get home, thank you! I'm glad I made the decision to make a practice swatch so I could figure out how to do this section right, before doing it on the real sweater!

Gingerella72 · 02-11-2013, 11:04 PM

Yay, I did it right, thanks to your help.

I know I'll have more questions before this sweater is done!

GrumpyGramma · 02-11-2013, 04:12 PM

Knit 5, then bind off the next 4 stitches, then knit 29, then bind off the next 4 stitches, then knit across.

Knit 5. Knit 2, bind off as normal, count the stitch you passed over as 1, count a total of 4 stitches the same way, the loop on you needle counts as 1 of 29, for the next BO knit 2, count 4 passed stitches as before, you should have 1 loop on you needle and 28 remaining to knit.

You can place a marker after the first 5, then after 4, 29, 4 stitches to help you see where your bind off begins and ends. I have a hard time with this too, I'm not one of the wise ones, but have found ways to get the count to come out right. HTH but if not, someone will come to your rescue.