Tips and Tricks for Casting Off (Binding Off)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-christine-redfern-cardigan

I took advantage of a tight castoff to help make the collar roll properly on the cardigan pictured above. That's not the only technique I used, but it does make a difference.

So your cast off is too tight when you don't want it to be? 

First, a little analysis as to why. Are you using an inelastic yarn? Is it your technique? Are you an especially tight knitter? Do you tension your yarn around several fingers?  If you are really tight you can try loosening on purpose by not putting any tension on the yarn and unwrapping it from around more than one finger.

Recognize that casting off moves the stitches so they lay sideways across the top of the knitting. Knit stitches are wider than they are tall. Stitch gauge and row gauge aren't the same for this reason. The ratio varies depending on the knitter, the yarn and the stitch pattern used.

The simplest solution is to cast off with a larger needle. The actual size can be determined either on your swatch or your project as long as you are willing to tear back if it's not working. I usually start 2 needle sizes up using metric sizing in full millimeters. I like this method because my stitches stay very even.

If you think it's too loose, it's a really good idea to at least steam block the edge before moving to a smaller needle.

And for another post on the dreaded band flip with more blocking tips, go here.

Tips and Tricks for Casting Off (Binding Off)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-barbara-franklin-cardigan

The standard cast off is where most knitters start. It creates a chain edge which looks very similar to a crochet cast on but different to most commonly used cast on techniques . I won't cover the basics here since you can find those instructions in any knitting how to guide. 

Some knitters like to leave a long tail when they cut the yarn to secure through the last stitch to use for seaming. It does save on ends to weave in during finishing. I don't like to do that. I prefer to seam with a separate length of yarn. I like to be able to pull the seaming yarn out of my work if the seams don't line up exactly the way I want them to. A separate piece can be tugged out but an attached one takes more work to remove. I'd rather weave in more ends and be able to correct my seam if necessary. Remember there are no knitting police, choose your method accordingly.   

There is a category of casts off which incorporate decrease stitches such as knit 2 together instead of the more standard passing a stitch over a stitch method. I think the most common one here is:

Step 1 K2tog through the back loops. 
Step 2 Pass the stitch just made from the right hand needle back to the left, maintaining stitch orientation, repeat Step 1.
Step 3 Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.

There are variations on this using SSK or purl 2 together (for the purl side of the work) instead of K2tog through the back loops.

Some knitters find these methods to be a little looser than the standard cast off. 

The edge of the cardigan pictured above is finished with two rows of knit and then the standard cast off done evenly on the straight sections and loosely on the curved part of the collar.

My next post on cast offs will be about what to do when your edge is too tight. Part 1 is here.

A blog reader and happy knitter of my patterns recently asked if there was anything she could do to help me. (As usual I'm astounded by the kindness of the knitting community.) The answer is yes! In our online world favoriting and queuing my patterns in Ravelry means more knitters see them and hopefully buy them.

Tips and Tricks for Casting Off (Binding Off)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-sylvia-dering-infinity-scarf-and-gloves

 
Casting off, is a group of methods for ending stitches. It stops stitches from unraveling at the edge of the knitting and removes them from your needle. We may cast off internally in the work for other reasons, for example buttonholes. We might also be creating an opening in the work for various purposes such as an slit to thread the end of a shawl or a belt through. Some stitch patterns call for stitches to be cast off as part of their formation. Casting off is usually considered to be the English and Canadian term while binding off is the American version. Some say the difference allows for abbreviations to be CO for cast on and BO for bind off.

I've always liked cast off because it seems logical to me that the mirror of casting on should be casting off. It is all however semantics, so the words are less important than the understanding. In truth the edges of cast ons and offs don't actually mirror one another. I've been told that's the reason Japanese patterns so often start with provisional cast ons, so the knitter can finish all edges with a cast off. I'm personally quite happy using a crochet cast on in cases where both edges are visible after completion. I use that method on scarves and cowls. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-lady-in-waiting-scarf

Learning to cast off effectively is a little like learning to make good pastry. It takes experience and practice because the knitter needs to know when it feels right. It's crucial to the final result and in bottom up garment making is frequently seen at close quarters by others. Sometimes it needs to be loose. Accessories like shawls need edges which won't interfere with the drape of the fabric. Shawl collars should be loose to allow the collar to spread fully. 

I'll be doing a few more posts on this topic. 

Part 2 is here.

Here's some links to older posts on casting off:
 
http://knittingrobin.blogspot.ca/2014/01/how-to-create-smooth-cast-off-corner-3.html

http://knittingrobin.blogspot.ca/2009/10/three-needle-bind-off-on-two-needles.html

http://knittingrobin.blogspot.ca/2014/07/the-best-loose-cast-off-ive-found-is.html