This article will discuss all about cast offs, both how to perform them and advanced methods you can utilize to make them better. This said, let us discuss what a cast off is. Cast off means getting rid of the piece from the needles, and this should be done cautiously. Knitting involves a series of loops held by other loops which can be best illustrated as a pyramid. If you remove the needles from the piece, the result would be a complete disaster; thus, a cast off is important.
To prevent this from happening, you need to know cast off knitting prior to the finishing steps.
• Knit two stitches of your finished piece.
• Insert the tip of the left needle into the first stitch (the one closest to you) from top to bottom and towards you.
• Pull the needle over and push a stitch off the left needle. At this point, you have made a cast off stitch.
• Knit one more stitch. Pull it over the other stitch similarly to the one from step 3 where you insert the left needle from top to bottom.
• Continue this until all but one stitch is off the needle. Create the loop of the remaining stitch a little bigger, and then cut the end of the yarn. Slide the remaining stitch off the needle and poke the cut end of the yarn through the loop.
This is how a knitting casting off is done.
Though it is good to familiarize yourself with the basic cast off method, one still has to learn the more advanced cast off methods that can be utilized for a variety of different purposes. Some of the most popular advanced methods for cast offs are listed below:
Two Row Cast Off – Utilized for tubular fabrics, this cast off is helpful on fringed and ribbed edges. First, do the first row of cast off in a single rib, passing the knit stitches over the purl stitches and off the needle as you would in the basic cast off method. Don’t pass the purl stitches over the knit stitches. This will leave you with half of the original stitches. Then, cast off the residual stitches by slipping every stitch onto the right hand needle purl wise. Next, slip the first over the second. Work in this way until you have one leftover stitch. Finally, cut the yarn; go through the last loop, and pull to tighten.
Decrease Cast Off – Useful for ribbing, decrease cast off provides an ornamental edge to the regular ones. This can be done through knitting two stitches together. Then, pass the stitch on the right hand needle back onto the left hand needle. Next, repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have one stitch remaining. Lastly, cut the yarn; pass through the final loop, and pull to tighten.
One Over Two Cast Off – This technique is utilized for twice knit and tubular work. First, work on the three stitches. Then, pass the first stitch over the second and third, and bring it off the end of the needle. Thereafter, repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have only one stitch remaining. The final step requires you to cut the yarn, pass it through the final loop, and pull to tighten it.
Picot Cast Off – The last, but not the least, cast off method is the picot cast off that creates a lovely decorative edge. This is usually used for bags and shawls for a great finish. This can be done through casting off two stitches, first utilizing a basic cast off method. Pass the stitch on the right hand needle back to the left hand needle. Next, cast on two stitches. Third, cast off five stitches utilizing the basic cast off method. Repeat steps 2-4 until you have one stitch remaining. Finally, cut the yarn, pass it through the final loop, and pull tighten it.
Knowing more about cast off methods will enable you to utilize various decorative options. Use these methods in practical situations for various garments, and see how it works wonders.