All knitters should update their repertoire of knitting techniques frequently. This way we can discover better ways of doing what we already do. Have you ever wondered if there was another way to cast off on the bias to create an even edge? When we cast off stitches at the beginning or end of a row over multiple rows we get little “steps” between one row and the next. This is perfectly normal, but has a problem: irregular borders that make it more difficult to seam to other pieces of your project later.
In the following video we are going to show you a different way to cast off stitches so the edge of your garment comes out even rather than staggered, you’ll notice the difference especially when seaming (it’s the perfect technique for shaping the neck and other pieces of sweaters). Pick up your needles and your favorite yarn and hit play.…
In this video tutorial we show you how to do the bias cast off when casting off stitches at the beginning of a row (or at the right edge of your work), but don’t worry, we’ll show you how to do it on the opposite side of your project soon, so your project comes out just right.
The materials used in this video are Pima cotton in salmon and US size 8 needles, but you can use this technique for any project or material.
To cast off stitches this way follow these instructions:
Row 1 (wrong side): purl until there is 1 stitch left on the left-hand needle. Slip this stitch purlwise to your right-hand needle. Turn your work.
Row 2 (right side): slip the first and second stitches purlwise to your right-hand needle. Now pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch as you usually do to cast off 1 stitch. Continue casting off stitches in the usual way as indicated in the pattern.
Incredible what a slipped stitch can do, the difference is so noticeable you’ll never do a staggered cast off again. Now you can try out this method on one of our kits! How about a sweater?
2 comments
Thank you, easy and gives a smooth result.
I just used this method on a sweater at the shoulder. The pattern design had the seams reversed, so the edges looked neat on the outside. It took a few times to do the mattress stitch around the slipped stitches. I would love to see a tutorial on how to sew these bind off stitches together. Thanks!