Today you’ll learn how to cast off knitting once you’re finished your project. How exciting!
At this point, you’ve got some rows of knitting under your belt. You should be very proud of yourself! You’ve used two sticks to transform a loose bundle of string into a knitted rectangle. Now it’s time to get your knitting off the needles.
Cast Off Knitting Video Tutorial
A cast off (also called a “bind off”) creates an end to your knitting. It’s a safe and neat way to seal off the stitches so that they don’t unravel.
To cast off knitting, start on a new row, and knit two stitches loosely. It’s important to keep the stitches loose so your cast off edge will remain stretchy.
Cast Off Knitting Photo Guide
Some tips: When casting off, remember that you always need two stitches on the right needle. No more and no less. Casting off is a game for two (stitches). Also remember to keep a loose hand when you’re casting off.
Once your cast off is secure, you’re done! Now your project is complete. It’s all grown up and ready to enter the real world *sniff* They grow up so fast!
In this tutorial, I’m using Lion Brand’s Hometown USA in color Fort Lauderdale Coral and 8mm bamboo needles (similar).
Are You New to Knitting?
I’ve made a detailed guide for new knitters! It covers the very basics: cast on, knit stitch and cast off. These three techniques are the backbone of knitting. Master them, and you’re officially a knitter. Check out the guide by clicking the image above!
Hi
I just wanted to let you knowthat your tutorial is the easiest and most helpful one that l have found.
Thank you for helping me get my knitting off the needles!!!
Hi I get more stitches thab when I started. Why is this happening?
After you knit the first 2 stitches and put one over the other you only knit one after that because you have a stitch on the right needle. At least that’s what I got from the tutorial.
Love your instructions and videos. So easy to follow. I am left handed but I found it was quite easy to switch hands.
Finished my first project, a knitted band to hook face masks to so I don’t have to hook them behind my ears! (During covid19)
Thank you
Great and easy example. The tail I have seen in other videos is threaded into the finished project with a tapestry needle then snipped off correct?
Thank you so much for sharing. I am just now getting back into knitting after about thirty years, but couldn’t remember for my life how to cast off. Have interchangeable hooks and needles, so I was just crocheting them off but decided that I needed to do the correct cast off.
Thank you! I needed a refresher! Really appreciate your neat tutorial.
These are the best and “clearest to follow” instructions for knitting. THANK you! Since the pandemic, thanks to you and your wonderful sheep and stitch website, I have made eight blankets!
I am completing my 1st knitting project in about 15 years. Your bind off/cast off instructions were easy to follow. Thank you for the step-by-step pictures, very helpful!
Thank you for your tutorial ❣️
ello!
Hoping this thread is still live!
I am about to cast off a 70 stitch row using 20ply wool. Each row uses roughly 300cm of yarn. I was going to do the basic cast off (knit two, bring the back stitch and pull over the front stitch to cast off, knit one stitch, cast the stitch off).
I have left two row-lengths of yarn (600cm) to cast off but have read on the internet that you need minimum three lengths. Does this type of cast off require this much yarn and if so do I need to unknit a row? Many thanks for your reply!
My answer may not be that helpful, because it depends! It depends on how loosely you’re casting off. My gut instinct is to say that two rows worth of yarn is enough for the standard cast off. Stretchy cast offs will require more yarn.