40 Ways to Cast On & Bind Off

Class Preview

Choose and use the best cast-ons and bind-offs for every knitting need. Start and finish all your knitting with a look you love and the perfect amount of stretch.

Introduction

Meet Aurora Sisneros, your instructor and owner of Fabric Bliss in Denver, Colorado. Aurora goes over what you’ll learn and how to use your class as a reference. You’ll be able to learn or review the techniques in any order and as often as you like. You’ll see each technique in the English and Continental styles, both right-handed and left-handed.

Basic Cast-Ons

If you’ve always done a backwards loop cast-on, it’s time to give the more flexible long-tail a try. Or maybe long-tail frustrates you with its guesswork — check out the knitted, purled and cable cast-ons. These traditional cast-ons can be your go-to’s for any project calling for a stable edge.

Ribbed Cast-Ons

Any top-down sock or bottom-up sweater is likely to start with ribbing. Aurora shows you how to cast on so that your cast-on stitches match the pattern of your ribbing, whether 1×1, 2×2 or 4×4. Learn the long-tail, alternating cable, tubular and Italian tubular cast-ons. One is sure to strike your fancy!

Stretchy Cast-Ons

Even if your project doesn’t have a ribbed edge, you can achieve a stretchy cast-on using one of the techniques Aurora demonstrates in this lesson. Take a European tour of the German, Estonian and Italian methods, or try an innovative super-stretchy slip-knot cast-on. Use it on a cowl or a crew-neck sweater.

Provisional Cast-Ons

Provisional cast-ons are used when starting socks from the toe up, knitting a cowl flat with plans to join the ends later, or adding decorative edging to a shawl or hem. Learn the needle-wrapping figure-8, Turkish or magic cast-ons, or pull out your crochet hook and give the simple crocheted and crocheted chain cast-ons a go.

Basic Bind-Offs

When your knitting project is on the last row, consider giving it a finished edge that matches your cast-on. Try the traditional bind-off or explore the slightly more flexible crochet, Russian or decrease bind-offs. If you’re joining two pieces of knitting together, such as at a shoulder seam, the three-needle bind-off might be just the ticket. Aurora also shows you the Kitchener stitch for grafting two pieces together seamlessly.

Ribbed Bind-Offs

If your work ends with ribbing, bind off in pattern for a professional finish. The bind-offs in this lesson match the ribbed cast-ons in Lesson 3: traditional, Russian, tubular and Italian. You’ll learn how to bind off using your knitting needles or with a tapestry needle in a sewn bind-off that duplicates your knits and purls.

Stretchy Bind-Offs

Stretch your bind-off horizons with Aurora’s guidance. Use a tapestry needle to sew a stretchy finish, or try the surprisingly stretchy or Icelandic bind-offs to give your project all the room it needs need to flex and grow, whether it’s the cuff of a toe-up sock or the edge of a neck-hugging cowl. Aurora’s got you covered!