# Help casting off Pom Pom Wool



## Samsmummy (Apr 9, 2012)

Hi all,
I've just knitted a large Pom Pom blanket for a friends baby, but when I try and cast off the usual way it pulls really tight. Does anyone know the best way to cast off? I cast on using the thumb method which looks nice and neat so would like the cast off edge to match. 
(Tried youtube but nothing that helped)
Thanks


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## californiasissy (Jun 14, 2013)

Try knitting 2 stitches together and putting the new stitch back on the left needle. Keep going until you are done with all stitches. This method allows you to bind off as loose or tight as you want.


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## Belle1 (May 20, 2012)

I had the same problem when I did a blanket. I had used 2 stitches between each pompom. So when when I was ready to cast off, I passed the first stitch (unknitted) over the second, then did a cast off just using the remaining stitch. That gave me more length between pompoms and was a lot looser. But even at that there was a very slight pulling in. I hope you get some other answers, but I've made several things with this yarn and that seems to be the biggest challenge. And I have more yarn to use up.


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## oddball (Jun 10, 2012)

I cast on and cast off with an ordinary yarn of same colour. Then crochet a border round the whole blanket.


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## mac.worrall (Jun 24, 2011)

oddball said:


> I cast on and cast off with an ordinary yarn of same colour. Then crochet a border round the whole blanket.


That is a very good hint.


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## rosemarya (May 25, 2013)

I had to give the pom pom yarn away. I started to crochet when I was five and knit when I was twenty but I could not work with this yarn. I do have arthritis in both hands but I've never had this problem before. Is it me or the yarn?


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## Samsmummy (Apr 9, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses, I am now going to sit down and try some different casting off methods and see what works best - ill let you know!

To Rosemarya - It may depend on what pom pom wool you used because I bought a mini type from yarn paradise and found it fiddly and scratchy but the one I'm using is much bigger and very soft and a dream to knit with.


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## TRINITYCRAFTSISTER (Sep 28, 2011)

I am not much help. I still have three unused balls that I haven't been able to cast on..


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## doris2 (Jul 5, 2013)

I cast off with another strand of yarn too and it does help. Casting on with another strand is a good idea too but I have not tried it.


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## fatkitty (Jun 23, 2011)

oddball said:


> I cast on and cast off with an ordinary yarn of same colour. Then crochet a border round the whole blanket.


I found this was the easiest and neatest way to use this yarn, especially if using the yarn with a small gap between bobbles.


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## Aunt Nay (Nov 25, 2011)

rosemarya said:


> I had to give the pom pom yarn away. I started to crochet when I was five and knit when I was twenty but I could not work with this yarn. I do have arthritis in both hands but I've never had this problem before. Is it me or the yarn?


I vote for the yarn.  I've only been successful using my loom. Even then I end up with what looks like netting on one side and plush on the other. Nice for a scarf, but...


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## Aine090676 (Jan 18, 2014)

I am knitting a baby blanket for a friend of mine using pom pom yarn but I've noticed a stray pom pom at one edge of the blanket what would have caused this and can it be hidden?


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## mac.worrall (Jun 24, 2011)

cut it off and tie a knot?


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## colourbug (Jul 6, 2011)

I've only just caught up with this issue, having been given some yarn from a friend's stash.
I've searched the net and I found this site which I found really the best available.

http://www.hulucrafts.co.uk/blog/2010/12/knit-rico-pompon-yarn/

My scarf looks fine. the ends aren't exactly identical but I'm happy with the result.

Other sites I found helpful included one in which the poms were carefully cut off before attempting to cast off. But I thought the result was a bit "clunky".

Another idea which I did like was to cast on only 2 sts. increasing each end until you had the desired number of sts. Then when you came to finish you decreased each row till there were only 2 sts. left.
The scarf looked attractive with a large pom pom sewn to both ends!


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## colourbug (Jul 6, 2011)

I should have sai d that you do have more pom poms on your cast off row than your cast on with this method- but I can live with that. It looks neat.

When I cast mine off I did knit only one st. per space in the yarn as she showed and I brought the pom pom forward before knitting the second st. each time. So I didn't poke it through as the video I mentioned recommended.


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## Katt66 (Mar 13, 2017)

I found a way of casting off with smaller spaced pompom yarn. I knit the first stitch as normal, then I make a "bridging" stitch by simply twisting the yarn (in the next gap) straight onto right hand needle without knitting it. I then pass the first knitted stitch straight over the top of the 2nd bridging stitch. I then knit the next stitch and pass the bridging stich over that one ...and keep repeating the process till the end of the row. The twisted loop also works perfect for casting on (as you just twist the yarn straight onto needle without knitting the cast on stitches till the next row). Hope this helps ????


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