), ▁where ▁the ▁st itch es ▁are ▁created ▁by ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁loops ▁that ▁will , ▁when ▁kn itted , ▁give ▁a ▁very ▁loose ▁edge ▁ideal ▁for ▁" pick ing ▁up ▁st itch es " ▁and ▁kn itting ▁a ▁border ; ▁the ▁" double ▁need le ▁method " ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁" kn it - on " ▁or ▁" c able ▁cast - on "), ▁where by ▁each ▁loop ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁need le ▁is ▁then ▁" kn itted ▁on ," ▁which ▁produces ▁a ▁fir mer ▁edge ▁ideal ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁as ▁a ▁border ; ▁and ▁many ▁more . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁active ▁st itch es ▁remains ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁when ▁cast ▁on ▁unless ▁st itch es ▁are ▁added ▁( an ▁increase ) ▁or ▁removed ▁( a ▁decrease ). ▁ ▁Most ▁Western - style ▁kn it ters ▁follow ▁either ▁the ▁English ▁style ▁( in ▁which ▁the ▁y arn ▁is ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁right ▁hand ) ▁or ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁style ▁( in ▁which ▁the ▁y arn ▁is ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁left ▁hand ). ▁A ▁third ▁but ▁less ▁common ▁method , ▁called ▁combination ▁kn itting , ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁used . ▁ ▁Once ▁the ▁kn itted ▁piece ▁is ▁finished , ▁the ▁remaining ▁live ▁st itch es ▁are ▁" cast ▁off ." ▁Cast ing ▁( or ▁" binding ") ▁off ▁loops ▁the ▁st itch es ▁across ▁each ▁other ▁so ▁they ▁can ▁be ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁need le ▁without ▁un rav elling ▁the ▁item . ▁Although ▁the ▁mechan ics ▁are ▁different ▁from ▁casting ▁on ,