by Toni McKilligan

Created on: August 29, 2008

There are several different methods of casting on stitches and each one has creates a different edge finish to the piece being knit. In some cases, the cast on is intrinsic to the success of the pattern. For the most part, though, a basic method will suffice.

Beginners are often taught the back loop method of casting on. This requires only one needle and one strand of yarn. Make a loop in the yarn, leaving a tail several inches long, and slip it onto a needle. Hold that needle in your left hand and hold the yarn loosely in your right hand. Next you will make a loop around your right thumb by moving your thumb over top, to the back and then under the yarn. The yarn leading to the needle should be above the yarn leading back to the ball or skein. Now take the needle in your left hand and slip the tip into the new loop on your thumb. Transfer the loop to the needle by removing your thumb and pull the yarn until the loop is snug, but not tight, on the needle. Continue in this manner until the desired number of stitches has been created.

The drawback to the back-loop cast on is that as you knit the first row, large gaps begin to develop between the stitches. The more stitches you are working with, the bigger the gaps become. If you have used a slip knot to create the original stitch, you can pull the extra yarn out and add it to the tail after completing the first row of knitting. Any other knot will prevent you from being able to get rid of that extra yarn and you will have a large loop, which will have to be worked in later.

A much more favourable technique is the knitted cast-on. This will create a nice, even row of stitches to begin knitting with. You will need two needles and a single strand of yarn for the knitted cast-on.

To begin, make a loop in the yarn you are using and slip it onto a needle. Leave a tail, several inches long. Hold the needle with the loop in your left hand. Hold the other needle in your right hand and wrap the yarn once around your right pinkie finger to create tension. (In knitting, tension is a good thing!) Slip the right hand needle into the loop on the left needle so it ends up behind the left needle. Wrap the yarn around the right hand needle only from the back so that it lies between the two needles and heads back toward your right hand. Carefully, extract the right hand needle, catching the yarn that you have wrapped around it as you do to make a new loop. Transfer the new loop back onto the left hand needle and then repeat this

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