The Draw-through Bind-off

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This tutorial describes the classic way to finish a vertically knit bottom up Hat. I realised recently that this method needed a name, and needed a tutorial somehow. I posted about it on Instagram to gather a few thoughts and think about what it should be called…

It seems that a lot of people know it as simply ‘finishing a Hat’, which doesn’t really carry much meaning outside of vertically knit Hats. Sideways is my thing, although granted I do have more vertical patterns than sideways, but still - it isn’t the only way of finishing a Hat.

Borrowing from methods of finishing I’ve learnt from loom knitters (including the gathered bind-off for which there’ll be a tutorial soon) I figured a draw-though bind-off described the process pretty well. That is, after all, how patterns instruct you to finish a Hat knit this way. It also helps distinguish a draw-through with crown shaping decreases, and a draw-through without.

Naming techniques after the process and not the context is so much more helpful, but I’ll waffle on about that another time ;)

1) This method follows on from your crown shaping, so decrease as far as the pattern tells you to go.

2) Break your yarn and thread it through a blunt needle.

3) Then thread the tail yarn through every remaining stitch by inserting the blunt needle in purlwise.

4) When all the stitches have been transferred from the needles onto the yarn tail, gently pull the yarn tail tightly to close.

5) Take your needle down into the centre of where the stitches now meet - this will take the yarn through to the wrong side so you can weave in the ends.

6) And there you have it - how to finish a vertically knit bottom up Hat with a shaped crown!

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If you’ve a question about this technique, pop it in a comment below or visit the forum! I’m unable to offer help with patterns or techniques via email.