Casting off or binding off essentially means to take the knitted stitches off the needles resulting with a finished edge.

Depending on what I’m knitting determines the bind off I use.  Sometimes this results in a TIGHT clean edge that does not stretch enough to go over heels, heads, or any other body part.

There are many other ways to bind off and I’m not going to go into those techniques but I will show you what was recommended on the Drinker’s Mitts.

Elizabeth Zimmermann’s sewn bind off:  Cut off a length of yarn about 3 times as long as the knitting and thread it onto a yarn needle. ( Seriously, the yarn should be at least three times as long as the knitting edge you want to bind off.  Don’t skimp on this!)

*Insert the needle into the first 2 stitches on the knitting needle as if to purl and draw the yarn through.

Reinsert the needle into the first stitch on the knitting needle as if to knit, draw the yarn through and slip the stitch off.*

Repeat from * to *.

This leaves a cast on row that looks very similar to a long tail cast on.  It is stretchy and looks even.

I still need to block these mitts and as soon as I have the other one finished, I will block them…and hope the wonky stitches relax and even out.