Cast off: Figure of 8

Figureof8a, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

Figureof8b, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

Knit last row as normal.
Needles in WP.
*Knit nd1 back by hand to make loose stitch. Bring needle out to Holding, Fig A, insert transfer tool from back to front towards yourself, turn transfer tool round, and leaving stitch on 1st needle, hang loop on transfer tool onto needle 2.* Two loops on needle 2. Rept. from*

You have total control over slackness of loop.

Useful for full needle rib cast offs, also useful to bind two edges together where stretch is needed.

Thanks to Alison Lee for sending this!

Transfer tool cast off, in pictures.

Transfer your stitch...


...in front of the gatepost


...behind the gatepost and...


...lay in new yarn and knit back by hand.

This is my favourite method of casting off, after latch tool - one in front, one behind, repeat. Not as stretched out as behind all gateposts, and not as tight as in front of all gateposts.

Cast off: around ribber needles

If you do not have gateposts on your machine, but you have a ribber, this is an alternative to the "around the gateposts" cast off, and the result is the same.

Shown on a Passap E6000

ETA: Method

If you are right-handed, start on the right, or vice-versa. This also means your carriage should end on the right.

If you are casting off around ribber needles, set the ribber to half pitch and push all ribber needles the length of your knitting fully forward.
Transfer rightmost stitch to transfer tool, put needle out of work. Transfer stitch left onto next needle, in front of the gatepost/ribber needle. Pull this needle fully forward (it should have two stitches on it). Using main yarn from carriage, knit this stitch back by hand.
Transfer the newly-created stitch onto the next needle on the left, knit back by hand as before. Repeat until all stitches knitted back. Break yarn, pull through last stitch and tighten.

Cast off: in front of gateposts

Done using the transfer tool. Makes a slightly tighter cast off.

Cast off: behind gateposts

Cast off using the single transfer tool and putting all loops behind the gatepost. Makes a loose cast off

Cast off: tapestry 2

bindoff-tapestry2, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

(1) Take the work off the machine by knitting several rows of waste yarn

(2) Thread tapestry needle with 3 times the width of the knitting.

(3) Sew up 1st, down 2nd, up 1st, down 3rd, up 2nd, down 4th etc

Cast off - tapestry needle 1

bindoff-tapestry, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

This is cast off as follows:

(1) Thread up a needle with three times the width of the knitting (done here in a contrast colour).

(2) Sew up through 1st st, down through 2nd, up 1st, down 3rd, up 2nd etc.

Cast off: latch tool

bindoff-latchtool, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

Cast off by knitting last row at a looser tension and then binding off with a latch tool. My favourite cast off method.

Cast off: Brother linker

bindoff-linker, originally uploaded by steel breeze.

I've never really got on well with this device, it only ever seems to want to work on samples and always goes wrong on important work. Of course, your mileage may vary - some people swear by these things! Mostly I just swear *at* mine! :)