I have a book entitled Cast on, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting. It’s a fun book. I haven’t consulted it much. Most, if not all of the information in it I have in other books that I’ve been consulting for years, but it’s nice to have it all in one place. And I like the illustrations and photos.
BUT if I had been handed this book when I first started knitting (which would not have happened since I learned from Ma’s hands, but stick with me here) I would have run screaming away from the needles and yarn (even though I loved yarn even as a child). I would have been overwhelmed. I just wanted to get some loops on the needles and then make more loops.
If you have the time and inclination, I encourage you to play with bunches of cast-ons and bind-offs just because it’s fun. But if you just want to be secure in knowing that you only need a handful of them to tackle any knitting project with confidence, you’re in the right place. You already have the Long-Tail Cast-On well in hand. Today we take on Loose Ends.
Lace spreads like crazy when you open up all those holes (yarn overs) in blocking. You want to start with a loose edge that will spread with the body of your knitting, hence, THE LACE CAST ON (also can be used with other patterns that spread laterally).
Likewise, when you end a piece that spreads laterally, you want a loose bind-off. Here are two dandy ones.
A STRETCHY DECREASE BIND OFF
and a STRETCHY PASS OVER BIND OFF.
And there you have it! Loose at both ends. xo, ch.
I use a long tail cast-on for almost everything I knit (for over 65 years), and have no problem with too tight stitches — it’s the spacing between stitches that makes the difference. Every time I have been tempted to use the knit cast-on, it’s either too tight or too irregular.
I figured out the lace bind off using your method after about two stitches. Economy of movement is key, and moving stitches back to the left needle wasn’t economical. For me, however, the video was too long, with too much time spent describing other bind-offs. I would rather get to the meat of the issue. Otherwise, the technique was well presented.
The yarn-over bind off was a bit better in terms of general discussion. Economy of movement is my friend here, too.
Thanks again for more great videos! I especially love how Jenny’s Super Stretchy Bindoff works on ribbing. One could really get in a groove by moving the yarn then doing the YO as one continuous motion : )
You’re so welcome Kelly! She did a great job creating that bind-off!
Cheryl, you are such an awesome teacher!! Please tell me how do i get your books? Does the book “ sweater 101” includes CD’s also?
Hi Rose. Thank you!! I have only one book, Sweater 101, and it does not include a CD. It is available both as a hard bound book and as an eBook and it’s available at https://www.cherylbrunette.com/the-sweater-101-book/ Thanks for asking and I hope it helps you for a very long time, indeed.
Looking forward to practicing these stretchy bind-offs for my latest pair of socks.
Thanks again for your tutorials.
Hi Cheryl , I love your lace cast on. And want to learn more about knitting.
Wonderful Tahira! I think you will learn more about it through my work.
Cheryl, thank you for the cast on and bind off videos. I watched the stretchy bind off video several time to make sure I was doing it correctly for a ponch that a friend helped design/modify from a pattern she chose for her May birthday gift. It had a turtleneck and she wanted it to be quite loose, but not baggy. We had fun experimenting and I reknit that short neck portion twice to make sure it was loose enough before I used your stretchy bind off which finished it perfectly! She’s delighted and looks forward to cooler Oklahoma weather in the fall so she can wear it at the lake cabin.
One thing I’m so delighted to hear you say at the end of your videos is to “be brave and enjoy your knitting!” Modifying the poncho pattern was unnerving and challenging, but we bravely used your “more or less formula” and it helped so much! I hope other viewers make use of it!
Wonderful work as always Cheryl. I have been playing with the Italian tubular cast on lately and have learned to vary it according to my needs. i also use Jenny’s super strechy bindoff. Great technique. Everything takes practice and making swatches IS FUN and such a godsend at the end of the day – it makes for a better and more satisfying end result. I was playing with entre lac a few months ago and was not satisfied with all of the bumpy joins. Others love and patient publishing of this style of knitting solved the problem of bumps nicely – there ar so many way do do the same thing. Thanks for sharing Cheryl.
Fond greetings from Germany and thanks so much.
Thanks Hillary. It’s good to hear from you and from a fellow fan of swatching. I agree, it’s SO MUCH FUN! You get to learn a ton just by playing around. You are so welcome and I send fond greetings back to Germany, a place I love.
Hilary, I would love to know how to do Entrelac without the bumps. Working on my first (alas bumpy) Entrelac project now.
Hi Judy . . . what do you mean by bumps? Entrelac is sort of a “bumpy” fabric. 😀
Really love your 2 methods of stretchy bind off. Thanks
You are so welcome Karen. Thanks for commenting.
You are such a good teacher. I learn so much from your videos. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
You are welcome, welcome, welcome Elaine.
I love your videos and keep most of them pinned to my pinterest page for easy reference. They are so easy to follow and you seem to have one for all my needs. Thanks a lot.
You are very welcome Margaret.
How great is this!!!I’m just going to start a lacy pattern afghan,and I received your cast on for patterns needing a looser cast on.This is awesome.Thanks so much,the timing was impeccable. Geri
You’re welcome! Of course I timed it that way. 😀