The Double-Pass Bind-Off (A Long Tail Cast-On Lookalike)
I learned this bind-off technique a while ago and can’t for the life of me remember where I got it or who introduced it to me. What I do remember is that it was taught to me as a way to mimic the long tail cast-on—and it really does. The finished edge has that same clean, kind of braided ridge, with a structure and stretch that feels like a natural continuation of your cast-on edge.
There is a bind-off out there that’s actually called the "long tail cast-off," but that one involves threading a needle and using a sewn bind-off method. This isn’t that. This is a simple, standard bind-off variation that gives you a similar look and feel to the long tail cast-on—no sewing required.
It’s the simplest way I’ve found to get a true match. I come back to it often when I want an edge that looks finished without feeling rigid—especially on projects where both ends matter visually or structurally. It has just enough elasticity to avoid the stiffness of a typical bind-off, but not so much that it flares out or sags.
When I tried googling it recently, I was surprised I couldn’t find much of anything—which is odd considering how popular the long tail cast-on is. I needed to call it something in my Bamboo Bloom Raglan pattern and ended up going with the double-pass bind-off. The name isn’t official or anything—it’s just a way to describe the motion. One stitch gets passed over, then another gets passed back to the left needle, then knit again. It’s not a double “pass over” in knitting terms—more like a literal pass back and forth between the needles.
So if you’ve been looking for a clean, no-sew way to mirror your long tail cast-on, this might be the one. Here’s how it works, written out step by step. I’ve also included close-up photos for comparison, and there’s a video at the end if you want to see it in motion.
How to Work the Double-Pass Bind-Off
1. Knit the first stitch.
2. Slip the next stitch purlwise with the yarn in back.
3. Pass the knit stitch over the slipped stitch (just like a standard bind-off).
4. Slip the remaining stitch (the one you didn’t bind off) back to the left needle.
5. Repeat from Step 1: Knit the stitch you just slipped back to the left needle, slip the next stitch purlwise, pass the knit stitch over the slipped stitch, then slip that stitch back to the left needle… and so on.
![]() |
Long Tail Cast-On |
![]() |
Double-Pass Bind-Off |
If anyone happens to know an official name, please let me know—but I wanted there to be at least somewhere on the internet where this version exists. I use it often enough that I needed a post to point to when I include it in a pattern.
Comments
Post a Comment