The difference a slipped stitch makes

I’d meant to do this post last week, but thought I had deleted the photos from my camera before uploading to the computer. But lo and behold, when I went to download photos from our trip to the seaside this weekend (more on that later), there they were!

So here, somewhat delayed, is something I meant to highlight visually for those of you out there that might not yet have encountered the wondrous Bias Bind Off!

My Relax was a pleasant, quick knit and all that stockinette moved along so effortlessly that I got to the bind off on the back of the neck in no time. I was blithely knitting away as per the pattern instructions and was almost finished, when I woke up out of my blissful knit coma and  realised how jarring the plain bind off was turning out. You can see the stepped effect below between the rows and the way some of the stitches are pulling out of shape between them.

This is when I had my ‘doh’ moment and remembered the amazing Bias Bind Off technique that I first tried out on my Audrey a few months ago. I’d like to say that I frogged back and redid the neckline…but I didn’t as it was the back of the neck and I am too damn lazy! However I did dig out the instructions for the Bias finish for the front and this is the difference below – a clean sloped edge that creates a smoother join when you are picking up for the neckline.

If anyone hasn’t already tried this bind off, it is super simple and just requires a slipped stitch to be worked at the beginning of each ‘tier’. You can see the written instructions and a video on the technique at New Stitch a Day.

It is definitely a keeper for the technique file! You could use this stitch for a raw edge on a neckline and not have to add an edging it is so clean!