Kitchener Stitch Ending

Hi all!
I’ve been looking around this forum for a while now and figured it’s about time to register.
Hopefully you can give me some helpful pointers on my problems with the kitchener stitch.
The kitchener stitch itself is not that hard, it’s the ending that confuses me. When there are only 2 stitches left (1 on the front, and 1 on the back needle). At this stage, I insert the needle knitwise and slip the front stitch of; then I insert the needle purlwise on the back stitch and slip it of as well. After this, I tighten the yard. However, somehow, the back stitch never really tightens and sort of sticks out. How do I fix this?

I go through the front stitch knitwise but I dont slip it off and then go through the back purlwise. Maybe that will help you’re problem. Also I always stick the needle through the fabric and pull the tail of the Kitchener stitch down into the inside of whatever it is. Hope that helps, and Welcome to the board :slight_smile:

Oh, thank you. I was so depressed when I wound up with only 2 stitches left (after working my first and only Kitchener stitch row). Didn’t know what to do. I’ll try what you said – insert the needle kw through the front stitch and slip off; then pw on the back stitch and slip it off. If you learn any better method, please let me know. My project is a hat with a cabled band of only 17 stitches, using provisional cast-on and then grafted using Kitchener. Then you pick up stitches and knit up. I’m so happy. Two new techniques. Wow, but did they take a lot of time (and time on the knitting websites). Thanks again.