Hi! I know about EZ’s cast off for avoiding “steps” when casting off on the back, for the armholes. I’ve tried both. (her technique if you don’t know it, is to k2tog when approaching the armhole, then only cast off 3 instead of 4) Well, it always says cast off 4 each end, then cast off another 4 each end again, totaling 8. But I still have this bump I don’t like. Oh, it’s a vest btw. So, why can’t you just cast off 8 to begin with so there isn’t that bump, or step in the middle? I guess I should try it but wondering if anyone has any preferences?
Why can't I just cast off 8 stitches instead of 4, then 4 again on the armhole?
I’m saying this not seeing the pattern, but I wouldn’t do that. When you cast off gradually, you’re getting more of a curve up the armhole. If you do it suddenly, all 8, you don’t get that, and the armhole will be a completely different shape. Now, it’s a vest, so you don’t have any sleeves to fit into the armhole, so I guess there’s nothing really wrong with it. But the ascent will be far less graceful. The armhole will come out as an L, instead of a slope, and then if there’s a band of ribbing around it, that will fold or pucker because of the corner created by the right angled L.
Here is another way to deal with the steps that I learned here from Cam.
Don’t work the last st on the row before the bind off, instead slip it purlwise. Turn, slip the unworked st along with the next st to the RH needle, then work one less bind off stitch than it says to.
I had used the EZ method, but this is even better.
Oh Sandy, yes of course! I didn’t think that through at all and now I see exactly what you mean.
Merigold, I’m going to try that today. Thanks much!
I don’t think you’d start with a k2tog, but maybe a ssk, then you can bind off the other stitches. Or just BO the number called for. On the second set of sts you can slip the first st then k1 and pass the first st over, which is like a skp.