Shoulder seams are often an important element of the structure of a sweater. After all, the entire weight of the garment hangs from the shoulders. A stable shoulder seam can help keep your sweater from drooping and stretching out of shape.
But many knitters struggle to sew smooth shoulder seams. The problem is often not with the sewing technique, but with the bound-off edges being sewn together.
Shoulders are shaped by binding off in steps. The instructions may say something like “Bind off 5 sts at the beginning of next 6 rows. BO remaining sts.” This produces shaping as seen in the photo below:
A traditional bind-off results in a stairstep edge that can be difficult to work with when seaming or picking up stitches.
The back neck edge is two rows higher than the lowest part of the shoulder, and each of those steps is two rows tall. No wonder you’re having trouble sewing a smooth seam! When a sloped bind-off is used, shoulders are easier to sew and so beautiful.
Click on the photos below to get a closer look at the smooth shoulder in Tayler Harris’s Rakaia Pullover.
Enter the Sloped Bind-Off
When those same instructions are worked using the sloped bind-off method, it looks like this:
The sloped bind-off creates an even edge that is attractive, simple to knit, and makes seaming and picking up stitches easier.
Those corners have been smoothed out, making it much easier to neatly sew the shoulders using mattress stitch.
Here’s How It’s Done
Begin by binding off 5 stitches in the normal way at the beginning of a right-side row. Knit (or work in pattern) to the end of the row. Bind off 5 stitches in the normal way at the beginning of the wrong-side row. Then:
Step 1 Purl (or work in pattern) until 1 stitch remains on your left needle.
Step 2 Turn the work so the right side is facing you and the unworked stitch is on the right needle.
Step 3 Slip the first stitch on the left needle to the right needle.
Step 4 Pass the first stitch on the right needle over the stitch just slipped and off the tip of the needle. That’s 1 stitch bound-off.
Step 5 Knit the next stitch.
Step 6 Pass the first stitch on the right needle over the stitch just knit and off the tip of the needle. That’s a second stitch bound-off.
Step 7 Bind off 3 more stitches in the normal way, then knit (or work in pattern) until 1 stitch remains on your left needle.
Step 8 Turn work so the wrong side is facing you and the unworked stitch is on the right needle.
Step 9 Slip the first stitch on the left needle to the right needle.
Step 10 Pass the first stitch on the right needle over the stitch just slipped and off the tip of the needle. That’s 1 stitch bound-off.
Step 11 Purl the next stitch.
Step 12 Pass the first stitch on the right needle over the stitch just knit and off the tip of the needle. That’s a second stitch bound-off.
Bind off 3 more stitches in the normal way, then purl (or work in pattern) until 1 stitch remains on your left needle.
Keep going until a total of 15 stitches have been bound off on each side.
Don’t forget to begin your final bind-off (“BO remaining sts”) with the sloped bind-off method.
Note that this example uses a swatch with 30 stitches, but the technique is easily adaptable to any pattern with a stepped bind-off.
Want to see the sloped bind-off in action? Check out this quick video tutorial so you can see the steps in real time.
Video by Pamela K. Schultz
Other Applications
The sloped bind-off can be used anywhere your pattern calls for binding off in steps, such as shaping armholes and sleeve cap shaping. Using the sloped bind-off to shape a neckline will also make it easier to pick up stitches for a neckband or collar.
Give the sloped bind-off a try on your next sweater project. You’ll be proud to show off your shoulders!