knitting Knitting is a method for production of textile Knitted fabric, fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done Hand knitting, by hand or Knitting machi ...

, binding off, or casting off, is a family of techniques for ending a column (a wale) of stitches. Binding off is typically used to define the final (usually upper, taking the cast on edge as the lower) edge of a knitted

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is no ...

, although it may also be used in other contexts, e.g., in making

button A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...

holes. In principle, binding off is the opposite of casting on, but the techniques are generally not

mirror image A mirror image (in a plane mirror) is a reflection (physics), reflected duplication of an object that appears almost identical, but is reversed in the direction perpendicular to the mirror surface. As an optical phenomenon, optical effect, it r ...

s of one another. Sometimes, however, they can produce a mirror image appearance.

Techniques

Binding/casting off generally involves passing the final loop of a wale over the loop of an adjacent stitch. Techniques differ, however, in how this is done: ; Simple bind/cast off : Involves simply passing each loop over an adjacent stitch. (The yarn is passed through the final loop to secure the whole chain.) This technique produces a tight edge with little elasticity. Its advantages are that # it does not flare as many bound/cast-off edges do; # it will retain its length, even under tension (good for

shoulder The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder m ...

seams); # it does not require that the knitting

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. '' Thread'' is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern ...

be nearby; # it can be done in any direction. ; Knit bind/cast off : Involves knitting each loop before passing it over the next loop. The start is made by knitting two stitches as normal, then pulling the first knitted stitch on the right needle over the second knitted stitch on the right needle, knitting the next stitch on the left needle, and continuing to the end. This can be done tightly or loosely, depending on the tension of the knitter. To ensure that the bind/cast-off edge is loose, one method is to use a needle at least two sizes larger than the project needle size. ; Purl bind/cast off : Involves purling each loop before passing it over the next loop. This is simply the purl version of the knit bind/cast off. This can also be in patterns, such as a rib pattern. ; Decrease bind/cast off : Involves iterative decreases, e.g., "k2tog, return loop to left needle". ; Sewn bind/cast off : This involves the use of a

tapestry Tapestry is a form of Textile arts, textile art which was traditionally Weaving, woven by hand on a loom. Normally it is used to create images rather than patterns. Tapestry is relatively fragile, and difficult to make, so most historical piece ...

needle with an extremely long tail of the yarn. Using this long tail, pull the needle through two front loops as if to purl, then back through the first stitch as if to knit. Drop the first stitch off. Repeat to the end. There are several variations, but this is the most well-known. ; Three needle bind/cast off : This bind/cast off is used for joining two pieces of knitting, such as the front and back of a

sweater A sweater (North American English) or pullover, also called a jersey or jumper (British English, Hiberno-English and Australian English),

by binding/casting off their stitches together to create a seam. For this bind/cast off, the two needles (in the case of a sweater, each may hold the shoulder stitches) are held

parallel Parallel may refer to: Mathematics * Parallel (geometry), two lines in the Euclidean plane which never intersect * Parallel (operator), mathematical operation named after the composition of electrical resistance in parallel circuits Science a ...

with the right sides of the knitting facing each other. Binding/casting off as with the knit bind/cast off, each stitch is the result of knitting together one stitch from each needle (i.e. pass needle through first stitch of first needle, first stitch of second needle, wrap yarn, pull through, and drop both stitches) ; Tubular bind/cast off : A stretchy bind/cast off used on a ribbed edge; most helpful for sock and

neckline The neckline is the top edge or edges of a clothing, garment that surrounds the neck, especially from the front view. Neckline also refers to the overall visual line between all the layers of clothing and the neck and Shoulder, shoulders of a per ...

edges.

Techniques

References

Further reading