How to Knit for Beginners - The Easy Continental Way

Binding off - securing your stitches so they don't unravel

Binding off (also called casting off) is how you take your work off the needles safely.

• Step 1: Work two knit stitches as you have been doing. Both will end up on your right needle.

• Step 2: Take the left needle and insert it into the second stitch from the tip on your right needle. Push from left to right.

• Step 3: Gently lift that second stitch upward and over the first stitch (the one closest to the needle tip).

• Step 4: Let the lifted stitch fall completely off the right needle. You will now see just one stitch remaining on the right needle.

• Step 5: Knit one additional stitch in the usual way. This brings your right needle back up to two stitches.

• Step 6: Repeat the lifting action: insert the left needle into the new second stitch, pull it over the first, and drop it off. You are back to one stitch again.

• Step 7: Continue the cycle of "knit one, then lift the second stitch over the first" until only a single stitch is left on your right needle. Take your time - each repetition locks one stitch permanently.

• Step 8: Cut your yarn, leaving a tail about 6 inches long. Use the tip of your knitting needle to draw that tail through the final remaining stitch.

• Step 9: Pull the tail gently but firmly to close the stitch. You will see it tighten into a neat little knot.

Weaving in the ends

You'll have two tails - one from the cast-on and one from the bind-off. Thread each tail onto a yarn needle. Weave it back and forth through the bumps on the edge of your knitting for about an inch. Then cut the excess. This hides the ends and keeps your work from unraveling.

What to do next

Practice these three skills - cast-on, knit stitch, bind-off - until they feel comfortable. Don't worry if your first swatch looks uneven. Every knitter starts that way. Once you're ready, learn the purl stitch. With just those two stitches, you can make scarves, hats, and even sweaters. You've already taken the first big step. Keep your first little piece as a reminder of today - you're a knitter now.