All I know right now is long tail cast on, and I’ve already estimated wrong twice and pulled out more than 150 stitches of the 206 I’m trying to cast on. So I’m looking at something else! What method would you recommend so I can go and look at Amy’s videos? At this rate I might be here all night, and possibly all tomorrow night too if I can’t figure out a better cast on method, lol!
Best Cast On Method For A Lot of Stitches
It’s not one of Amy’s videos, but KnitPicks has a cast-on method that I’ve been using, knitted cast on. It gives you a stretchy edge, it’s fairly easy and I really like it a lot.
So the drawbacks of using this method are that it can stretch out of shape if done too loosely, this can be remedied by knitting into the back of the stitches on the second row, also can use a smaller needle for the cast-on row. I knit my cast-on edge a bit tightly so this is not an issue for me.
You can use two yarn ends, either from two balls or the inside out outside of one, and use them to do a long tail cast on. You clip on yarn and go merrily on your knitting way.
Cast On Long Tail with Two Tails Extended Version
Alternatively, you could use a provisional cast on, I use this one, put the stitches back on the needle and bind off.
When I use a knitted cast on I do the cable cast on (Amy does have a video) and there are others that don’t require a long tail that’s too short or way too long at the end.
So…what’cha knittin’?
Knitting Help does have a video for the knitteed cast on as well as several others.
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/cast-on
Personally I think I’d use long tail with two ends…either the two ends of one skein or two skeins.
I don’t think I’m ready for anything too complicated yet so I’ve gone for the knitted cast on and have about 50 stitches done so far. I’m calling it a night as I have to be up early and my eyes are now getting tired. I’m also fighting with the circs, this is my first time using them and I’m not used to holding both needles and trying to tension the yarn at the same time, I’m definitely all fingers and thumbs at the moment. For those about to ask, I always poke the end of one needle into my belly and tension the yarn with my right hand, just steadying the top of the needle as I wrap the yarn! Whatever works right!
As to what I’m knitting, maybe nothing! It’ll be this if I can master the needles and this poxy cast on stuff!!
A CO similar to the one on the video is who I was taught.
It’s fairly simple to do. I’ve tried other CO on methods, but this seems to be my favorite.
The backward loop cast on shown in the video can be hard to knit into and usually doesn’t provide a very nice edge for most people. I use it for a few stitches if I need to add them, such as for a thumb for a mitten. Otherwise (as I’ve learned from reading here) I use another method. Almost always when someone asks, why do I have this long string between stitches? it’s because they used this cast on. However, all that said, if you like it, use it!