Long-Tail Bind Off

[@purrlgurrl3061]

You've changed my knitting life with this. This bind off was totally new to me. Long-tail cast on is my favorite and I use it regularly. But the fact that none of the bind-off techniques I know can mimic the appearance of the cast on has always bothered me. The difference in appearance can be noticeable on items where both the cast-on and bound-off edges are visible, like scarfs or cowls knit in the round. Tonight I used this long-tail bind off for the first time to finish a scarf and I almost cried tears of joy that my cast-on and bound-off edges looked as identical as yours do in the video. You've restored symmetry to my knitting world. Thank you so much for posting this.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Thank you for this lovely comment Purrl Gurrl, and you are so welcome. You have joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com already, haven't you? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters.

[@AnItalianKnitter]

Oh my God! I had searched for “long tail cast off” almost as a joke to see if there was something similar as the long tail cast on, but as a cast off, and you just made my day. Probably my week. Thank you so much

[@JanetJenkins]

Me too, I just finished a dishcloth with the regular bind off and I'm tempted to tink it out and try this!! LOL but I'm going to try this on the next one I knit. I'm going to have to watch it a few times first!

[@nobleelf]

This was perfect for my scarf bindoff!🥰 Your directions are clear, as are your video. Thank you!

[@marindy1]

Perfect bind off for the long tail cast on! Thank you so much for the easy to follow instructions.

[@ninagoins8046]

This is by far the best yet for a cast off. I have found others way to stretchy and bellowing. Thank you!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome Nina!

[@bethshandling981]

As with all your tutorials, this one is clear as a bell. Thank you, Cheryl!

[@cebrengirinis]

Thank you so much for this! Usually the bind-off isn't so noticeable in what I'm working on, but my most recent project used two strands of chunky (no. 5) yarn held together and the difference in edges was SUPER evident. This made it look so much better. Thank you again for videos that make the techniques so easy to understand!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

+cebrengirinis You are so welcome! Thank you or watching and commenting. Have you signed up for my free email newsletter yet at cherylbrunette.com? Please consider it.

[@cebrengirinis]

+Knitting with Cheryl Brunette I have now! Thanks again. :)

[@melatina66]

Thank you thank you thank you! This was just what I was looking for. My bind off isn't going into a seam so I wanted it to look just like the cast on! This was perfect!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are welcome, welcome, welcome. I hope you'll come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you haven't done so already. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.

[@mattiejam]

Just completed the first knitting project I've ever finished with this

[@mchogan1]

THANK YOU! I was having the hardest time finding the right/matching binding for the scarf I knitted! The ends now match!!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome Christine! Thank you for watching and commenting. I hope you'll come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters. I want you in the loop.

[@nancyrainey9453]

Nice demonstration. I’ve seen some that make this technique seem like brain surgery. Much appreciated.

[@terrymartin3118]

Thank you! Perfect bind off for my prayer shawls where I’ve used a long tail cast on and great instructions!

[@KnitsNMore]

Your video on doing the long tail cast off is fabulous. Very clear and easy to follow. I've been looking for an identical bind off for squares that are going to be made into a lap robe and your method fits perfectly. The central part of the squares will be done on my bulky knitting machine with manual ribbing on the two sides. At least that's the plan. LOL. THANK YOU so very much!! I've subscribed and am now off to view all of your videos.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Marge Parker You are so welcome Marge. And thank you for watching and commenting.

[@euniceglushefski4804]

thank you so much, I told my knitting group (addi knits and looms) about your Kitchener stitch video, it was the easiest i found after hours of video and trying to do it. THANK YOU AGAIN

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

+Eunice Glushefski You are so welcome Eunice! Thanks for sharing it. Have you joined my newsletter group over at www.cherylbrunette.com yet? I don't send out that many emails but I like to think they are worth reading. That's where I connect to knitters in a closer way and they get to tell me what they need. Please join us.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Thanks once again dukeofpurl and you're most welcome.

[@1959GreenGables]

Thank you for this video. I was knitting in the round and did it! Looks great.

[@rmonas1]

Thank you for this new bind off. I'm going to try it on the scarf I'm making now And I love the outtakes at the end of your videos - very funny!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome, and thank you for watching and commenting. I like the outtakes too. They help keep me entertained.

[@rebeccaparsons7540]

Things I learned when I tried the long tail bind off: 1. This is now my go to bind off 2. The smallest possible darning needle is best 3. It takes longer than other bind offs 4. The stretchy ness is the same as the long tail cast on 5. And the 4X tail length is good - I added a couple more because I was scared Thank you for this great video!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

And thank you for this great comment Rebecca! Perhaps you would like to sign up for my newsletter. You can do it at cherylbrunette.com or howtoknitasweater.com. I keep in closest touch with knitters there.

[@susanjean9982]

Thank you so much, Cheryl! This was just what I needed to complete the hem of my sweater!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Mary Greenwood, I can't reply directly to your comment so I hope you see this. I found the pattern and it's cute! And I think your problem is not uncommon. I see it in my own knitting sometimes as I switch between columns of knits and purls that surround a cable, for example. I have a theory as to why this happens to knitters who hold the yarn in their right hands and knit English style. I'm not sure about Continental. I would have to play with that When we go from a purl to a knit the yarn goes all the way to the back and we are pulling it in the direction it needs to be. When we bring the yarn to the front, it really doesn't come all the way. Some of the yarn is still behind the needle unless we consciously tug it all the way to the front before we make the purl st. That extra bit of yarn makes the gap. Can you visualize this and play with it? It might be worth a video.

[@neh214]

Hi Cheryl. I'm not sure how I feel about the long tail cast off. I followed your instruction, but, my long tail cast on & cast off do not look exactly alike. The method I use is to purl my cast off row. To each their own. However, I do enjoy you & your KZbin posts. I find that you have a gentle nature & your instructions are always clear & concise without any superfluous BS. Thanks!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Hi Nancy. You are so welcome. I do all different types of cast-offs depending on what I think works best for a given project. Thank you for commenting and have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please consider joining us. I couldn't find your name on it when I searched. You'll get lots of good information.

[@dianerodriguez2950]

Hi Cheryl, I think this is the way to match an Alternating Long-tail Cast on: In my example, I have a rib pattern that starts with 80 stitches of 8 knits, 8 purls, 8 knits, 8 purls, etc. To match it when I bind off, I make certain I am binding off so that the knit section comes first. I put the piece onto needles two sizes smaller before beginning the sewn bind-off. It just makes it easier when dealing with the purl sections. I follow your method, until there is one knit on the left needle, followed by the purls. I turn the piece around, and put the needle in between the second and third stitch from the right, through the work, to in between the two purl stitches on the front (you have to turn the piece back again). So, the reverse of what you'd done--then after snugging up the yarn, I put the needles through the the first stitch on the left hand needle knitwise. (If you do this incorrectly, you will twist the stitch.) Then I continue until there is one purl left on the left needle and my knit section begins again. Then I use your instructions and start again. The transitions may need refinement. You decide if I have that part right.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Gosh Diane, thanks for sharing this. I'll have to sit down and physically do it to see if it works . . . but it sounds good.

[@salliebradshaw7436]

Great cast off for sock tops on 1 x 1 rib done with the wrong side facing. Very stretchy. Thanks for posting

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are certainly welcome Sallie. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters and I give out a ton of good information.

[@malabanerjee8424]

I was v. much eager to get just opposite of long tail cast on. Got it with out any efforts. Thank you madam.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Heather Perry . . . of course you can use it for a blanket. I don't know why I can't reply directly to your comment so I hope you read this.

[@meval1765]

Thank you your demonstration was very easy to follow!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome. Thanks for commenting.

[@sara5363]

Thank you so much for the clear and concise tutorial!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

+Sara Bourassa Thank you for watching and commenting Sara and you are so welcome. Have you joined my newsletter group over at www.cherylbrunette.com yet? I don't send out that many emails but I like to think they are worth reading.

[@MaryVivit]

Slick! I've used this a couple of times (without knowing the official name of it). And I totally missed the resemblance to the long-tail cast on. Thanks again!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I'm not sure that's the official name of it Mary but I wanted to call it SOMEthing. You have lots of skills it sounds like, and I really appreciate how often you comment. Thank you.

[@MaryVivit]

Knitting with Cheryl Brunette You're very welcome! Skills picked up with many years of practice have been augmented by generous folks, like yourself, sharing their own tricks and ideas. Thank you again!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Mary Vivit My pleasure. :)

[@Aromagirl70]

Thank you! I've never seen this technique. I'm doing a one row scarf and am getting to the end thinking "Hmmm... and how will this be cast off?". I'm going to try this!!

[@dukeofpurl]

Excellent tut - as usual ! Thanks

[@JS-wg4px]

I knit a lot of headbands. I like that it is not adding bulk to the bind-off like some of the other "stretchy" bind-offs and that the top and bottom of the work match. I am wondering if this "long tail cast-off" is as stretchy as the long-tail cast on. This is such a huge issue with headbands.

[@MaryCochrane]

Hey, Miss Cherly. You snort when you laugh, just like me! This is a great looking bind off. I'm going to give it a try.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Silly us! That's the kind of thing that I would be too embarrassed to share when I was a young woman. Age has it's advantages!

[@sarahbethw8050]

Thank you so much for a succinct video on this skill!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome Sarah. Thank you for commenting. Are you on my email list yet? You can sign up at cherylbrunette.com or howtoknitasweater.com I'd love it if you joined us. Probably cherylbrunette.com is the better one for a new knitter.

[@76suezq]

We can't be the only persnickety knitters. Who among us does not appreciate mirror images? I have been searching for so long for an answer to this challenge, and the headband/earwarmer I was making for my granddaughters was on hold because I thought it would be unacceptable to have the two edges different. Then lo and behold I found your/this video. Although my first attempt was not up to my expectations (even though I checked it often, my CO and BO are not identical - yet) my youngest granddaughter will not mind being my guinea pig. And now I will duplicate my pattern for my 14 and 11-year-old granddaughters, and I am sure my finishing will be a little better. I tightened my stitches a little too much, so my BO was not as casual and pretty as my CO. Any suggestions Cheryl on how to really refine the process? Thank you! I am off to view some of your other videos!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Practice, practice, practice . . . on swatches with different yarns and different gauges.

[@ICanCraftThat1]

Great and simple. Like a Kitchener stitch modified

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Glad you like it. Thanks for commenting. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters and I give out a ton of good information.

[@stayathomedaughter13]

Omg this is amazing!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I'm glad you found it helpful Savvy.

[@heatherperry2544]

I used a long tail cast on for a blanket and I was wondering since you said that this bind off would be for a seam if it would be okay to use it for the blanket or not?

[@batya7]

Very nice tutorial, as usual. Apart from looking like the cast on row, does this bind off have any special structural properties? My long tail cast on tends to be unyielding so I prefer stretchier methods.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Thank you. No, not really. It's not especially elastic, just like the long-tail cast on but if you get the gauge right (as in it matches the fabric you're making with the edge you want for it) it's sturdy and handsome. Did you watch "Improve Your Long-Tail Cast On"? Improve Your Long-Tail Cast On

[@ruthbomback7245]

Thanks for the video Cheryl, I would like to know where the pattern is for your cowl that your wearing.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

SETZER by Jared Flood. It's a bit of a tricky knit but I love it.

[@marygreenwood5256]

Hello Cheryl. I am a big fan of yours and am hoping you can answer help me with a problem I am having. I am trying to knit the Reversible Square-In-A-Square blanket and when I go from the knit stich to the purl stitch in this pattern it creates a separation. But when I go from the Purl stitch to the Knit stitch it does not. Any ideas on why this is happening and how I can stop it. Thank you.

[@JonTalcott]

Will this be any different when binding off from a knit row or a 2x2 rib?

[@snk1619]

Hi Cheryl This video is really helpful, thank you so much! I was hoping you might help me with a question I have - you used this cast off after a purl row. Can it be used after a knit row, that is, will the effect be the same? Thank you!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

SN K You're welcome and I'm glad it helped. Sure it can be done after a knit row though I'm guessing it will look a little different. Try it and see how you like it. Also . . . the effect depends on the piece itself, what the pattern stitch is, etc. Play with it. That's always the most informative way to learn something.

[@estidchan5743]

Thank you for your demonstration. Could I know how to apply the long tail bind off in k2p2 ribbing？

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You're welcome Estid. I will put this on the list for a future video but I don't know when I'll get to it.

[@savtasunny7815]

This was fantastic! Thank you!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome and thank you for commenting. Have you joined my email newsletter group at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, please join us.

[@Katrv10]

Love this,’thank you!

[@turnercht1]

It is perfect. Thank you.

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

You are so welcome Cory T.

[@dianerodriguez2950]

Hi Cheryl, I want to match an Alternating Long-tail Cast on. My pattern that starts and ends with 80 stitches of 8 knits, 8 purls, 8 knits, 8 purls, etc. The Alternating Long-tail cast on looks great, but the normal in pattern bind off does not match it (as you say in your video). So thanks to your video, I know what to do for the knits, but how do I handle the purls? Thanks!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I'm not sure how to do that Diane though I'm pretty confident that one could figure it out if one fiddled with it long enough. I can put it on a list of possible videos but it would be some time before I get to it, if ever (I've slowed down recently). You might just sit and play with it. I'd try turning the work around though that means you'd be going in the other direction but it doesn't hurt to try it and it will teach you a lot. I hope you'll come to cherylbrunette.com and join my email newsletter group if you haven't done so already. That's where I'm in closest touch with knitters.

[@annotlewski1104]

This is a great CO, but how would you judge how much yarn to cut off to complete a long CO row?

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I don't know but I think I'd start with 4 times the width, which will make it really long. Then you run into the problem of it tangling while you work. You can also try doing 10 sts, then undoing them and measuring how much yarn it took and multiply to get the length you need.

[@soostark3719]

hi cheryl, great video very clear. just wondering if it can be done in garter stitch? and also i use the long tail cast on but the method of where it is stretchier, so is this cast on strechy, if not and i wanted it stretchy like the cast on how would i do that. is it all in the tensiion kind of thing? many thanks x

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I don't see why not. I would try a sample and see how you like it. It IS all a tension kind of thing. Pull the stitches on the knitting needle fairly widely apart and don't snug up on your working yarn. And let me know how it works. Have you joined my email newsletter tribe over at cherylbrunette.com yet? If not, I hope you'll consider it. That's where I keep in closest touch with knitters.

[@rachaelmorrison2625]

Hi, is there a version of the long tail bind off for finishing on a rib row please or is it just the same?

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

I played with it a little by reversing the direction of how I picked these up but didn't work it out all the way. I suspect it can be done in a way that matches a knit and purl cast on. Do you do your long-tail cast on with mixed knits and purls?

[@marypfeffer997]

Perfect!

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Thanks Mary. Glad you like it.

[@Essenceofme]

Thank you! I wish I had this a few days ago. Oh well...its in my favorites now. :o)

[@CherylBrunetteTV]

Glad it helps Dana.

[@tracyroberts6800]

Mine looked nothing like the long tail cast off. Looked messy and not neat at all.

[@mozartpaiva1]

Oops! You forgot thank you in Portuguese! OBRIGADO

[@poornonroubychinniensevath4771]

Broder