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How to knit: Cast on

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How to knit: Cast on
By Freddie Patmore 8 years ago

Knowing how to cast on is very important when it comes to learning how to knit.

The first step in any new project, casting on is the process of forming the very first row of stitches on the needle. In our handy tutorial video guide, our expert Freddie Patmore will talk you through the thumb and cable methods.

Casting on - thumb method

Easy for anyone new to knitting to master, the thumb method is often the go-to for those working on a pattern that requires a loose edge.

It's also good to use if your project requires a great number of stitches to be cast on before you can start knitting.

This technique is so simple that instructors often use it when they are teaching children the basics.

Teresa Conway - our head of knitting - is a fan of the thumb cast on method.

'I find it easier to keep an even tension with the stitches. I find it's less work and less strain on the hands and wrists,' she says. 'The only downside is having to guess the length of yarn you will need - just make sure you will always over compensate'.

Start by leaving a long end of yarn when making your slipknot. Hold this long end in your left hand and take your left thumb under the yarn, moving upwards and towards you.

Insert the needle into the loop that you've just made on your thumb.

Next, you take the ball end of yarn around needle and then bring the loop over the tip of the needle and slip off your thumb.

Gently tug the yarn end to tighten the stitch just made. Repeat these steps until you've cast on the correct number of stitches needed for your make.

Casting on – cable method

A benefit of the cable cast on method is that it will give your knits a neat edging and is suitable for most projects. It can also be used to add stitches in the middle of a pattern.

It's especially good to use when working on cuffs on jumpers and other tops.

Pull the yarn into a slipknot and hold in your left hand. Insert your right-hand needle into the front of the stitch, moving underneath the left-hand needle and away from you.

Take the yarn from behind it to bring it under, up and over the right-hand needle. Bring the yarn around the needle as before and pull the loop through to the front in the same way as before. Slip this loop on the left-hand needle.

Keep going until you have completed your desired number of stitches.

Posted in: How to knit