In knitting, casting on puts your first stitches on the needle. The long-tail cast on is a good all-purpose start.
Steps
- Pull out a tail about three times the width of your project. Make a slip knot there and put it on the needle.
- Hold the tail over your thumb and the working yarn over your finger.
- Take the needle under the thumb strand, over the finger strand and back through the thumb loop.
- Drop the thumb loop and tighten gently.
- Repeat until you have enough stitches.
Tip
Do not pull tightly. The edge needs to stretch with the fabric.
Common mistakes
Running out of tail is common. Allow more yarn than you think, as a short tail means starting again.
When to use it
This cast on suits scarves, blankets and hats because the edge stretches with the fabric.