Casting off in pattern

It's easy to get carried away when you see the light at the end of the knitty tunnel but don't be tempted to rush the casting off; you don't want to end up with a too tight neckline that you can't fit your head through or something loose and straggly which is really noticeable. As with casting on, which we discussed last issue, there are several different ways of casting off and each one creates a different edge.

Step 1: k two sts as normal. Use the tip of your LH needle to lift the first st worked over the second and off the end of the RH needle. This is called casting off kwise. You now have one st on your RH needle.

Step 2: with yarn in front p the next st, * take the yarn back between the needles and use the tip of the LH needle to lift the first st worked over the second and off the end of the RH needle as before. P the next st and rep from *. Cont in this way, maintaining the k2, p2 rib patt.

More from "Casting Off":

• Three needle cast off
• Slip stitch crochet cast off
• Picot edge cast off