How to Do a Knitting Bind Off and Cast Off

Once you've finished your knitting project, you'll need to know how to remove it from the needles by casting or binding off the stitches. This is a way to secure the last row of knitting so it won't ravel or to shape an armhole or neckline. There are several different ways to cast off, often determined by the pattern you're using. Once you understand the most common form, you can apply it to other techniques.

Instructions

1. Knit the first two stitches onto the right needle.

2. Use the left needle to pass the first stitch over the second stitch on the right needle. As you pass the stitch over, allow it to drop off the needle, allowing the second stitch to remain on the needle.

3. Repeat the process of knitting a stitch, passing the first stitch over the second stitch and dropping it off the needle. Notice how you're creating a finished edge as you continue binding off.

4. Keep on binding off until you remove the required number of stitches from the left needle. Unless you're binding off to shape an armhole or neckline, you'll probably have one stitch remaining on the right needle and can continue to the next step.

5. Cut the yarn from the skein, leaving a tail for weaving or sewing purposes.

6. Loop the yarn over the right hand needle and use it to bind off your last stitch. Do this by looping the cut end of yarn over the right needle. Use your fingers or the empty needle to pass the remaining stitch over the loop. Pull the right needle up to finish drawing the cut end of yarn all the way through.

7. Pull the yarn gently to tighten and secure the last stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the most common problems knitters encounter is binding off too tightly. To avoid this, bind off using a needle one or two sizes larger than the needle you used to knit the piece.

• The steps are the same for binding off purl stitches except you purl instead of knit.

• When you bind off ribbing or another pattern, always bind off in the pattern stitch unless otherwise instructed.