Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 47 minutes ago
You might not have a tapestry needle handy when you get to the bind-off on your top-down socks. This video shows you how to do Kitchener stitch using a spare knitting needle instead of a tapestry needle so you can wear your top-down socks without waiting another minute!
My tip for understanding this bind-off without having to learn a "new" technique:
- To feed the yarn through the stitch knitwise, purl. Pull the yarn through.
- To feed the yarn through the stitch purlwise, knit. Pull the yarn through.
Watch the video to see what I mean.
To prepare:
- Cut the yarn tail as for normal Kitchener stitch (3x the width of stitches to be bound off, plus 6 inches for weaving in).
- Tension the yarn tail in your fingers as for knitting (American or Continental style).
Setup: Work steps 2 and 4 below once.
Repeat:
1. Front needle: Purl the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Take the stitch off.
2. Front needle: Knit the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on.
3. Back needle: Knit the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Take the stitch off.
4. Back needle: Purl the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on.
To finish: When you have 1 stitch left on each needle, work steps 1 and 3 above once.
For a step-by-step photo tutorial of Kitchener stitch, a downloadable cheat sheet, and lots of Kitchener stitch tips and tricks, see our Complete Video Guide to Seaming Your Knitting With Kitchener Stitch (knitfreedom.com/blog/kitchener-stitch-video-instructions-complete-guide).
To watch this video on KnitFreedom, go to:
knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/kitchener-stitch-without-a-tapestry-needle
--- ABOUT KNITFREEDOM'S KNITTING SUPERSTAR UNIVERSITY ---
Trying to learn and master knitting on your own is frustrating. Knitting Superstar University is a video knitting school that teaches you everything you need to know so you can knit any project with confidence. Get instant access at knitfreedom.com
You might not have a tapestry needle handy when you get to the bind-off on your top-down socks. This video shows you how to do Kitchener stitch using a spare knitting needle instead of a tapestry needle so you can wear your top-down socks without waiting another minute!
My tip for understanding this bind-off without having to learn a "new" technique:
- To feed the yarn through the stitch knitwise, purl. Pull the yarn through.
- To feed the yarn through the stitch purlwise, knit. Pull the yarn through.
Watch the video to see what I mean.
To prepare:
- Cut the yarn tail as for normal Kitchener stitch (3x the width of stitches to be bound off, plus 6 inches for weaving in).
- Tension the yarn tail in your fingers as for knitting (American or Continental style).
Setup: Work steps 2 and 4 below once.
Repeat:
1. Front needle: Purl the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Take the stitch off.
2. Front needle: Knit the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on.
3. Back needle: Knit the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Take the stitch off.
4. Back needle: Purl the first stitch and pull the yarn through. Leave the stitch on.
To finish: When you have 1 stitch left on each needle, work steps 1 and 3 above once.
For a step-by-step photo tutorial of Kitchener stitch, a downloadable cheat sheet, and lots of Kitchener stitch tips and tricks, see our Complete Video Guide to Seaming Your Knitting With Kitchener Stitch (knitfreedom.com/blog/kitchener-stitch-video-instructions-complete-guide).
To watch this video on KnitFreedom, go to:
knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/kitchener-stitch-without-a-tapestry-needle
--- ABOUT KNITFREEDOM'S KNITTING SUPERSTAR UNIVERSITY ---
Trying to learn and master knitting on your own is frustrating. Knitting Superstar University is a video knitting school that teaches you everything you need to know so you can knit any project with confidence. Get instant access at knitfreedom.com
![[KnitFreedom] 3 Tips Every Knitting Superstar Needs to Know: Free Webinar](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/glmnExHLLKw/mqdefault.jpg "[KnitFreedom] 3 Tips Every Knitting Superstar Needs to Know: Free Webinar
https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/3-tips-every-knitting-superstar-needs-to-know-free-webinar/
Become a Knitting Superstar: https://www.knitfreedom.com/shop/knitting-superstar/ This webinar replay features video knitting coach extraordinaire Liat Gat showing you the top three tips all knitting superstars need to know.
Make sure you watch for the special webinar-only discount at 41:23.
You can knit anything your heart desires, especially with Liat’s support!
Read the blog to see whats coming up next: https://www.knitfreedom.com/blog/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glmnExHLLKw")
![[KnitFreedom] Fixing A Dropped Cast-On Stitch - When You Drop A Cast-On Stitch](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jImFC4yxXgc/mqdefault.jpg "[KnitFreedom] Fixing A Dropped Cast-On Stitch - When You Drop A Cast-On Stitch
https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/fix-a-dropped-long-tail-cast-on-stitch/
How many times have you dropped a stitch out of your cast-on as you are knitting the first row? And started over, right?
Well, now you dont have to take the cast-on out and start over. Just carefully re-work the dropped stitch, following the technique in the video.
This cast-on trick is a small part of the video knitting course, The KnitFreedom Video Guide To Cast-Ons: https://www.knitfreedom.com/shop/cast-ons/
Leave a Comment
Have you run into this problem before? Think this will clear it up? Leave a comment and let me know!")
![[KnitFreedom] How To Turn A Heel: Toe-Up Faux Heel Flap Socks](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jUSBUiSERNg/mqdefault.jpg "[KnitFreedom] How To Turn A Heel: Toe-Up Faux Heel Flap Socks
https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/faux-heel-flap-for-toe-up-socks/
http://knitfreedom.com/blog/turn-heel-worsted-toe-up-heel-flap-sock-pattern Wait — heel flaps are BACK? I thought we got rid of heel flaps when the world discovered the no-holes Fleegle heel!
Nope — turns out we just took a breather while a newer, better heel flap was in the works.
Its not that I dont love the Fleegle heel, but my lovely readers and I kept bumping into a few problems with it.
Three reasons why the (beloved) Fleegle heel is not necessarily the best and only way to turn a heel:
1) You cant adjust the heel for a high instep.
2) You cant do the heel in a different color if you want two-tone socks.
3) You cant add fun heel-flap patterns like the eye-of-the-partridge heel.
But a traditional top-down heel flap isnt perfect either, because...
1) You have to knit the sock top-down. Ugh.
2) Its hard to know when to start the heel flap.
3) You have to pick up stitches.
Isnt there some way to turn a heel on a toe-up sock that solves all of these problems?
Well, it was mighty hard to find good toe-up heel-flap sock patterns on the web, so, with the help of Miriam Feltons tutorial, I created a basic pattern that we all can use.
Im not afraid to call this heel flap perfect! It really does solve all the problems listed above, and I teach you how to do it on todays video.
The beauty of this heel flap is that you can add a pattern to the heel, even make it in a different color if you want, and never have to pick up stitches or guess when you should start.
You can easily adjust it for a high instep or a really high instep and never have socks that are too tight around the ankle.
There are no seams, no holes, and its really fast. So fast, in fact, that it only takes a 12-minute video to do the entire thing, and thats with me explaining each step carefully.
Excited yet?
But wait! Theres more.
You know I never like to pass up an opportunity to challenge you, dear viewer, to use all your skills.
Another reason to love this toe-up heel-turn technique is thats its basically a compact little exercise for practicing many of the skills youve learned while following this blog.
In fact, while making the video I started to sound like a commercial for some sort of KNITFreedom app store — theres a video for that! Theres a video for that too!
Any of these sound familiar?
Knitting fast
Reading pattern abbreviations
Recognizing when its time to increase
Counting your stitches fast
Wrapping and turning
Picking up and knitting wraps on the purl side
Purling backwards
Reading your work
These are the skills and tricks that youll use, time and time again, on complex projects, and we are going to practice all of these in the video. All in 12 minutes.
Download the free pattern for these toe-up heel-flap socks here: http://knitfreedom.com/blog/turn-heel-worsted-toe-up-heel-flap-sock-pattern
Sign up for the video newsletter here: https://www.knitfreedom.com/newsletter.
Happy knitting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUSBUiSERNg")
![[KnitFreedom] Judi J.s Transformation As a Knitter](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kz6VbR_0hMk/mqdefault.jpg "[KnitFreedom] Judi J.s Transformation As a Knitter
https://www.knitfreedom.com/premium
It is just SUCH A BENEFIT.
In this short video you will discover where KnitFreedom Premium student Judi J. was in her knitting before she found KnitFreedom, and where she is now.
Im a very... sporadic knitter, explains Judi, a retired knitter from a tech family who loves going on cruises. I learned to knit and purl in the third grade, and I made one scarf and put knitting away until I was married.
When I got married a made one sweater, I have no idea how, since I had no [knitting knowledge]. I then put knitting away until now [that Im retired].
I realized that I want to do a lot more things, but I have no idea how. I went to take a [private one-on-one] knitting lesson at my local yarn store - that cost $30 an hour. So my first lesson ended up being $75! I went one other time, and then though, I cant afford this!
So I started looking online and I found your site, KnitFreedom. I didnt know what that was so I checked it out and found the Premium program. I started doing the math and realized, Wow, this is cheap! I wanted the whole program and I thought, This works out to less than $15 a month!
So I did it and I can tell you I have not regretted it one bit. I can look so many things up, and on my own time, too, which is, more often than not, at two oclock in the morning. Im not a regular 9-5 person.
Ive now done two pairs of socks, and I never thought I could knit socks! Ive also done two sweaters. When I had a problem on one of my sweaters, I contacted KnitFreedom and they walked me through the whole thing.
Im so happy with the program. One thing I love is theres no pressure! When you listen to Liat start the class, she just speaks so calmly, and Im like, Okay, wheres the pressure? But theres no pressure.
Sometimes, and I think she may do this on purpose, she makes a little mistake and then just says, Thats ok, Im going to walk you through how to fix that! I love that.
And those are some of the reasons why I am so happy with and wholeheartedly recommend the Premium program. Its just such a benefit.")
![[KnitFreedom] Tension Trick - 3 Arms Lengths of Yarn](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m9WvXjD3Nnc/mqdefault.jpg "[KnitFreedom] Tension Trick - 3 Arms Lengths of Yarn
https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/tension-trick-3-arms-lengths-of-yarn/
Have you experienced this in your knitting, where you can feel the yarn ball tugging at the yarn on your hand and you kind of just ignore it?
Ive developed a good tension habit that I wanted to share with you that has helped me knit a lot more comfortably (and faster).
Every time you feel tension in your yarn coming from the yarn ball, slide your hand down the working yarn out to arms length, THREE TIMES. Thats right, pull three arms lengths worth of yarn out of your ball before starting to knit.
You can do this at the beginning of every round or row or anytime you feel your yarn getting tight again.
Are you going to try this habit next time you knit? Let me know in the comments!
For more tension and knit faster tricks, explore https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-topic/knit-faster")
