Tag: cast off

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Crochet Chain Cast Off

Crochet chain cast off is a versatile and attractive scooped edging to finish a lacy knitted shawl. You do not need to be able to crochet to work it, although familiarity in handling a crochet hook will come in handy.

Tools required are just a crochet hook of an appropriate size, i.e. the same size in millimetres as the knitting needles used for the project (or as directed by the pattern). I used this cast off for my Lughnasadh shawl; the knitting needles used were 4 mm and so I used a 4 mm crochet hook for the edging.

The shawl ready to be cast off, crochet hook at the ready
For this particular pattern I work an ssk on the first two stitches
I place the resulting stitch of the ssk onto the crochet hook
For this pattern I begin with chain 4; all chains hereafter will be chain 3
Put the crochet hook through the next two stitches on the LH needle, as if to knit 2 together, wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through the two stitches
I now have 2 stitches on my crochet hook
Pull the stitch nearest the hook end through the first stitch, leaving one stitch on the crochet hook
Chain 3
Repeat the knit 2 together using the crochet hook on the next 2 stitches
Pull the stitch nearest the hook end through the first stitch on the crochet hook, as before
The two completed loops; in total 4 stitches have been cast off, not including the first 2 stitches of the row which were processed by ssk
The completed edge, showing loops positioned at the end of the columns of yarnovers.

The pattern for Lughnasadh will be available on 1st August 2025.

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I-Cord Cast Off

I-cord makes a stretchy and effective edging to a shawl, especially when it carries on from an i-cord edge along one side of said shawl. I use this bind off in my Samhain shawl/cowl, and I like the way it curves around to blunt and shape the corner of the shawl. Samhain is a double-layered accessory and for the cast off, in order to avoid flaring, the two layers are treated as one.

This is how it is worked

Knit the first two i-cord edge stitches, slip the third i-cord edge stitch knitwise
The three i-cord edge stitches are now on the RH needle. The next stitch is a knit, so I will slip that also knitwise.
The third i-cord edge stitch and the first (knit) stitch have been knitted together through the back loop – a standard ssk
Pass the three stitches from RH to LH needle without twisting them
Knit the first two i-cord edge stitches again, slip the third knitwise, then treating the next two stitches as one unit, slip them also knitwise
Knit the three slipped stitches together through the back loop
The three stitches on the RH needle are now the i-cord cast off, and the curve of the corner is already evident
Pass the three i-cord stitches back to the LH needle
A few more stitches cast off and the corner has taken shape with a smooth curve
The end of the i-cord, the yarn has been broken and threaded through the last stitches
At the end of the i-cord, break the yarn, secure the last stitch, and thread a darning needle. Work a mock knit stitch over the corner and weave the end in to the i-cord and between the layers of the fabric.
The completed i-cord cast off