Casting on in the middle of the work? Is that right?

General Knitting
1

I am a fairly new knitter and I am working on my third project. The directions indicate that I should “cast on three stitches using the backward loop method” and the proceed into the standard i-cord directions. But I’m a bit confused? I just decreased by fourteen stitches, so why am I now casting on three more? And do I cast onto the empty needle or the needle with the working stitches? And what is the “bakward loop method” anyway?!?

:??

I am so confused!

2

I just had to do this with a project I’m working on (a sweater on circs). My best guess is that you would have to cast on to the needle with all the stitches already on it, and then work the cast-on stitches when you start the next row.

Here is a link to the KH video for the backward loop cast on: http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/index.php

3

When you do an i-cord, you start with three stitches. The cast-on ones are your three.