Learn how to bind off your knitting (also known as cast-off or casting off your knitting) with this informative post. We will also address how to weave in the ends of your yarn. Still photos, written directions, and a video explain every step of this basic knitting skill.
So, you’ve successfully cast on, knit, and purled and now you want to get your knitting off of those needles! Luckily, binding off is a very easy procedure.
What’s the difference between casting off and binding off?
Not a darned thing! They mean the exact same thing.
So, what does it mean to ‘bind off?’
Binding off is the process of safely getting your knit project off of your needles. I use ‘safely’ because the last thing we want is for our beautiful knit project to start unraveling, AMIRIGHT? This cast-off method produces an edge that is slightly elastic and very secure.
How to Take Your Work off of Your Needles, Step-by-Step
Knit a stitch
Knit a second stitch
You now have 2 stitches on your right-hand needle
Put the point of your left needle under the first stitch you made.
Pull that stitch over the second stitch you made.
You now have one stitch on your right needle.
Knit another stitch so that you have 2 stitches on your right needle.
Put the point of your left needle under the stitch closest to your right hand.
Pull that stitch over the other stitch…
leaving one stitch on your right needle.
Continue on for the rest of the row…
until you have 1 stitch left.
Cut the yarn about 6-8″ from your knitting and pull that yarn through the last stitch.
Snug it up.
Weave in Your Tails
With a crochet hook similar size to your knitting needles…
push through along the side of your work, a row or two down from the tail.
Grab the yarn with the crochet hook
and pull through the stitches along the side
Repeat a row or 2 down again
and pull the yarn through
Continue for several rows
You can see the entire YouTube video here.
Tips For Binding Off
- Make sure you aren’t binding off too tightly.
- This process works for both knit bind off and purl bind off. For purl bind off, you would simply purl off where in this video it shows knitting off.
- Snip off the remaining yarn after weaving it through several times.
If you want to learn how to knit or are looking to brush up on your knitting skills and knowledge, pop over to the How to Knit page, which houses all of the posts that teach knitting skills. Or, you could go ahead and visit each one by clicking the links below.
All About Knitting
- All About Yarn, including different fibers and weights, how to read a yarn label and a Yarn Weights Chart
- All About Knitting Needles, including material, sizes, styles and a Needle Conversion Chart.
- How to Cast On Using the Long-Tail Method; including how to calculate how much yarn is needed to cast on and how to make a slip knot.
- How to Knit the Knit Stitch
- How to Knit the Purl Stitch
- How to Bind Off; including how to weave in your loose ends.
- How to Read a Knit Pattern; including a Common Knitting Abbreviations Chart.
- This simple Garter Knit Dishcloth will let you put all your new skills to good use!
- How to Block Your Knitting.
- Common Knit Errors; How to Prevent or Diagnose and Fix Them
- Join yarn using the Russian Join
- How to seam pieces of knit fabric with the Mattress Stitch (for sweaters, tops, pillows, etc…)
- Organize Your Knitting with these free printables.
- Check out our Gift Ideas for Knitters.
To refer back to this post on Binding Off, bookmark this page or pin the following image.
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Hi there, I’m Lynn and I’m in my happy place when cooking, baking, creating, crafting, diy-ing or gardening. You too? We should be friends! Reach me at [email protected] Read more about me here.
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