Cast on creates two loops instead of one on the needle

How-to Questions
1

Hello!

This is a great website & forum & I’m very excited to join it! :slight_smile:

I just started learing to knit yesterday I’m using videos on this site, videojug, and a vogue book.

I think I’ve learned how to make the long-tail cast on, it took me the better part of yesterday and I thought I was doing it right but every time I make a loop on the needle the loop is composed of two loops.

I mean, the yarn wraps around the needle twice for each loop.

I’ve done this again & again & it’s always the same result, but the tutorial videos always have the string wrapped around the needle once for each loop.

I’m attaching a picture that shows what I did… I know I can try learning a different cast-on but It took me so much time to figure out how to do this one & I (thought) I finally got the hang of it I was hoping someone would know why this happens…

Thanks for reading!

2

I pulled the knot through the loop on the thumb instead of under it…?

I think?

hope this at least helps people with the same problem…

3

[B]long tail cast on [/B]
Pull out a long tail of yarn, make a slip knot after the tail
(more on how long the tail should be at end)

Put slip knot on needle (held in right hand) and position yarn in left hand
(and yes, you can reverse hand–if you want/desire)

Set the yarn up in your left hand:

tail yarn is draped over your thumb, the ball of yarn is over index finger.
both yarns are held in palm of hand.

the needle (with the slip knot) is in the crotch that is formed by these two fingers.
the two fingers are in a sort of U (or perhaps like a fake “shoot 'em up” finger gun) position.

Pivot the needle tip to base of thumb

this causes the yarns to cross and creates a closed loop
(the loop looks like all those ribbons (pink-breast cancer/red-white-blue-patriotic)

slide the tip of the needle INTO loop.

With tip of needle Pick up a LOOP of yarn --grabbing the yarn held by the index finger.

[B]BACK the NEEDLE OUT OF the thumb loop[/B]

ONE loop on needle, (the thumb loop is below this)

Relax thumb, (letting loop fall of the thumb (but the loop is still wrapped around the [B]stitch[/B] the needle (both are loose)
1 Loop on needle, 1 loop (a simple twist) below.

pick up both yarns, and reposition on your hand, (tail on thumb, ball of yarn on index) and as you do, gently snug up both yarns. (do NOT OVER TIGHTEN)

1 stitch cast on.

repeat–again and again.
(so [B]YES[/B] you pull the ‘knot’ THROUGH THE LOOP (on the thumb) not under it.

4

Canimal,
With practice, you’ll be casting on like a pro before you know it. By looking at your picture, it looks like you’ve cast on very tightly, which is what most people do when first starting out. I guess the thinking is, the stitches won’t slip off the needle if they are tight. Unfortunately, trying to knit that first row will be very difficult and the chances of dropping stitches is greater when knitting too tightly. If you try to loosen up with your cast on (and your knitting) it’s a lot easier and a lot less risky. I know…I’ve been there, and I’ve been knitting for over 30 years. Stick with it…you can do it!

5

You might try casting on to a needle that is acouple of sizes larger than you’ll be using to knit your article. That keeps the cast on stitches from being too tight when changed to the smaller needle for knitting.