Casting on in the middle of a row

#1

hello there!

i’d just like to say first of all, that as a new knitter, this site has helped me so much! it is so wonderful to have a resource with such wonderful information and videos. thanks to everyone who has contributed!

ok - here is my question:

i’m down to the last 3 rows of these adorable baby booties. i’m creating the straps (sort of like a mary jane).

row 26: k11, bo 23, k11 - [I]got this part (thanks to this forum!!!)[/I] :woot:

now the pattern calls for you to start the right strap

row 27: k11, co12 using longtail cast on and second strand as the thumb strand, cut strand leaving 8" tail.
row: 28-29: k23
row30: bo23

i knit the first 11 stitches which put me to my co area. i cast on my stitches using a second strand and longtail cast on. now do i knit with the second strand? why doesn’t the pattern tell you how long to actually “make” the second strand so that you have enough to knit with for the last 3 rows? is this just something you would know as an experienced knitter?

thanks so much for any offerings of help. :muah:

i was going to try to post a link to the pattern but since i’m a new member, it won’t allow me to. if you are interested, just google “saartje’s bootees”.

cheers,
sarah
[I]mydogwontbite[/I]

#2

Hi!

when I cast on in the middle / at the end of a row, I do not use long tail. But that pattern called for it. Well, so it is good that you did that (turns a little more stretchy than e.g. a cable cast on, so it may be needed…)

Now comes the second part: No, you do not knit with the tail end that the pattern calls for.

The pattern even says that, but don’t worry, a lot of people will not see that.

Your pattern says:

co12 using longtail cast on and second strand as the thumb strand, cut strand leaving 8" tail.

The thumb strand is the key to this:

after doing long tail cast on you NEVER knit with the thumb strand. But you knit with the strand that went over your index finger (and to the ball of yarn).

Lots of people have done this wrong at one occasion or another and then seen in shock that their “working yarn” ended after a few inches. (me included! :smiley: ) But no, that is not what is supposed to happen.

Just keep on knitting with your working yarn.

I do not know if there is any action with those 8 inches of yarn. Maybe it is just a very generouse end for weaving? mabe it will be needed for some sewing up later? Maybe it is just that knitters habit to leave 8’’? I just don’t know.

But you do not knit 3 rows with 8’’ anyways, that much is relatively sure. :smiley:

Edit: I did find it on google. Her idea is not bad at all:

you are supposed to use the yarn ends at the end of the straps (those 8’’ ends) to create button loops at the end of the straps. There is a picture of it right with the “finishing” instructions.

Here is the link, by the way: http://members.home.nl/tdpj/Patronen/Bootees/Saartjes%20bootees.pdf

#3

I’d use a cable CO instead, but since you did it with the long tail, cut the second strand, make sure you used that as the thumb yarn though, and continue knitting with the original yarn.

#4

that’s what i would have done, too. But the cast on with the extra tail is actually used in the end.
That does not say that I would not do it in a different way :slight_smile:

3 knitters, 7 ways, one goal, like always :slight_smile:

#5

good morning! thanks to everyone for your responses! :thumbsup:

i’m still not quite sure i understand. should i have cut my working yarn BEFORE i did a long tail cast on? i had read somewhere else (that of course i can’t find now) on the web regarding this pattern to reserve a length before you start the project for the long tail cast on.

so, if i don’t cut the working yarn, it’s right in the middle of the 11k and the newly co sts.

thoughts?

sarah

#6

you use a new strand that you add to your work. Reason is that you use a long tail cast on and that takes 2 strands of yarn.

So take the yarn, do your cast on, then cut it off (the extra yarn). The tail end that you should leave AFTER you cast on the stitches with this string as thumb string should be 8 inches.

do you have a second ball of that yarn? Then I would just use the string of the 2nd ball as thumb string and cut the 8inch tail after you are done.
Or can you pull your coil from the center AND outside? Some coils are like that. Then work with that end for the spare end… cut it when the cast on is done.

you can see in the pattern that she makes the little loops the buttons go through at the ends of the straps. For those loops she uses the 8 inches.

Of course you can just use another cast on (for example cable cast on that would be my choice, video on this page in the video-section!). If you use a cast on like cable then you do not need any extra yarn, no thinking, measuring and so on. The only issue with your pattern is then that you need to add that loop for the buttons with a different method (that you should have no problem with, just do whatever you like).

do not worry to change a pattern. You are not competing in a look-alike or even do-alike contest. There is not even a knitting police!

Just if you do not understand why a certain thing is called for, you may do harm to your work if you replace it. Once you know why you should do something, you can think your way around it easily. I do that all the time.

so don’t worry much. Knit.

#7

i took your advice and just went for it. i did what made sense to get the rows knit and it worked beautifully. one more strap to go and i’ll have one finished bootie! thank you so much! cloud9

#8

glad I could help. Do you show us pics of the booties when they are done?