Maeve Shrug & How To Do The Sewn BO

Now I'm finally ready to show you the second of my summer knitting projects this year: Maeve Shrug!
The pattern uses super stretchy and easy to do sewn bind off on its big collar, so I'd like to show you in a little tutorial how to do it - because it's so great!

A little while ago I've already shown you some WIP pictures from this shrug. And if you follow me on Instagram you're always seeing what I'm up to anyways :)
So, after Route 1 sweater, I started Maeve Shrug by Carrie Bostick Hoge.

And I am absolutely amazed by how well it turned out! I so so love the drape of the collar! It just feels like wearing a little cocoon.
Also the design, depending on how you style it, is both casual and chic at the same time. And I'm always a fan of  items that are versatile.

For this cardigan I used double held Drops Lace because I wanted a really light garment that's just perfect for the transition period between summer and fall. And that's exactly what I got! :) It's super light and airy yet warm, even with a little wind breathing through it, because of the alpaca content. (which is one of my favorite animal fibres)

For the body I used two strands of lace yarn in color light camel. I made the body on my knitting machine because it's simple straight knitting with some increases and decreases at the sleeves.
A little bit of calculation with my machine gauge and not even two hours later the body was already blocking! :)

And after seaming the sleeves, the hand knitting part could start. I started with the cuffs using 3,5 mm needles and holding one strand in light camel and one strand powder pink of the same lace yarn together. I had the powder pink sitting in my stash for quite a while. Remember my Frost Flower Shawl? I bought two skeins of powder pink lace yarn that time but then only used one for the shawl. And the powder pink looked so very pretty together with the light camel, so I decided to make Maeve in those two colors! :)

However, Maeve's cuffs went rather quick. I knitted the garter stitch back and forth to be even quicker (and isn't this the best part of garter - only knit stitches, and not knitting in the round alternating a knit round and a purl round like the pattern suggests).

The collar however really took some time to knit. But since it was back and forth garter stitch, this made the perfect not-thinking-while-relaxing-in-the-sun and knitting-while-watching-tv in the evening project.

The pattern uses Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off for the collar (and of course the cuffs as well). I had never done this bind off before but let me tell you it's so easy! It takes a little time though. But the patience is definately well invested. It gives a very nice and extra flexible edging. And of course, it fits the garter stitch just perfectly! And as stretchy as it is, it would be suitable for any edge that needs to be flexible, like necklines, cuffs or socks.
So, let me show you how to do it!

Tutorial - Sewn Bind Off

 

What you need:

- your knitted piece that you want to bind off
- scissors
- tapestry needle

1.
Cut the yarn from your knitted item three times the length of the bind off edge.

2.
Thread the yarn in into tapestry needle.
Then put the needle into the first two stitches as if to purl.
Pull yarn through.

3.
Then put needle into the first stitch on your knitting needle as if to knit.
Slip this stitch off of the knitting needle and pull yarn through.

Then it looks like this. Congratulations! You've bound off the first stitch! :) Easy, isn't it?!

Continue repeating steps 2 and 3 until there's only one stitch left on the knitting needle to bind off.

Don't pull the yarn through too tight when doing this bind off. Otherwise it won't be as flexible and not as pretty.

4.
When you've reached the last stitch, simply put the tapestry needle into this stitch as if to purl, slip stitch off of the knitting needle and pull the yarn through. And that's it! All stitches are bound off.

Sewn bind off gives a very nice and neat edging that's super flexible.

Here you can see the bind off a little from the top.
I think it fits just perfectly for items knitted in garter stitch, but goes well for other patterns like ribbing as well.
Because of its flexiblity, this bind off is great to use on all edgings that need to be able to stretch, like collar or neck edgings, cuffs, mittens or socks.




One last thing: After finishing Maeve, I blocked only the collar again, because I wasn't satisfied with the look of the unblocked garter stitch. This definately made some difference! So, I would recommend to do that.
I love my new favorite shrug for this year's fall season! ♥

And I hope you like the tutorial and it may inspired you to trying a different bind of for your next need-to-be-flexible-edge ;)

You can find this project on Ravelry or have a look at some other Maeve shrugs by browsing the FOs on Ravelry or searching for #maeveshrug on Instagram!

Love,
Stefanie