Casting on/Knitting with DPN's...Help!

I just started knitting about a month ago but now I’m moving onto DPN’s and I have tried casting on but it’s not working I don’t know what I’m doing wrong I desperately need help starting it off.

I find it easiest to cast onto one needle and then distribute the sts onto 3 or 4 needles. Once distributed you can join in the round. There’s a video under the Free Videos tab at the top of the page, Advanced Techs, Small Diameter knitting, that may help.

I do it the same way salmonmac does. If I try to cast on to separate needles the places between the needles can be weird. If I have more stitches than I can comfortably fit on one dpn I cast on to one needle then move some of the first stitches cast on to another needle being sure to leave some on the original needle, then keep casting on, always on the needle I started on.

Hello. I literally just got started in knitting. I’m sitting here looking at any video I can find to learn how to start the most simplest of projects. I am not even sure I have the cast on right. Any help? I looked at the videos on here and found one on youtube that I followed to cast on. Just about 3 hours into when I first picked up needles for the first time. …I’m a little discouraged =(

Oh I see okay yeah I mean I have watched like at least 10 videos on how to do it. But just casting on those stitches it doesn’t look the same as the way people do it in the videos. And I know there are different ways to cast on but they don’t show it is this different than regular knitting?

(just curious…is this Amanda? bc this is Sam!) lol.

Nope I’m new to this website…

ok. sorry. Yes I’m new too! Just picked up supplies yesterday and starting today! I am lost already ha.

Oh I see okay yeah I mean I have watched like at least 10 videos on how to do it. But just casting on those stitches it doesn’t look the same as the way people do it in the videos. And I know there are different ways to cast on but they don’t show it is this different than regular knitting?

There are a lot of different ways to cast on, but none (none/never is a strong word, and there may be one that it, but not to my knowledge) is specific to double pointed needles or any other kind of knitting in the round.

Casting on and working the knit and purl stitches are not the same thing. There are a couple of cast ons that use the knit stitch. They have videos for them on this site. One is the cable cast on that knits up stitches between loops on the needle and puts the new stitch loop on the needle. The other I think is called the knitted cast on. To do it you basically knit into a stitch and when you pull up the loop instead of letting it go onto the right hand needle you transfer it back on to the needle in your left hand and then on the next cast on stitch you knit into that new loop and do the same thing. Watch the videos. Either one of those knitted type cast ons would be appropriate to get you started with most knitting projects. If it is for a cuff be sure you do it loosely so it will stretch enough to go on.

Here is a link to a video for how to do a long tail cast on by what is called the thumb method. I learned this way years ago and continue to use this method most of the time. It makes exactly the same cast on as shown on this site on their long tail video, but I think it is easier to learn. And I like it. :slight_smile: It begins with a slip knot on the needle. The gal on the video doesn’t go into how to do the slip knot much. She indicated that she had shown that before, on another video I guess. She does one a pretty slick way, but any way you know or can learn to do a slip knot on the needle to get started will work. I don’t do mine the way she does.

The text above the video and the gal says this makes a “tight” cast on. I wouldn’t say that necessarily. It is the most common, standard cast on and will work in most circumstances. Don’t do it too tightly, in other words when you pull the yarn in your left hand to tighten the stitch don’t pull it too hard. You want the resulting edge to stay even too and you can see how it is coming with each stitch and you can take out part of them (or all) and do them over if you want.

If you find that as you knit your first little swatches that the cast on seems to pull in a little you may be doing it too tightly. One thing I do commonly is to cast on on a bigger needle (or hold 2 needles next to each other as one to cast on–I find this awkward though) and then start knitting with the smaller needle. But many times you don’t need to do that, just don’t pull the stitches too tightly as you go.

LINK TO VIDEO

Okay, Thank you very much for the info and the link! :slight_smile:

Oh Nice! Yeah I struggled at first and had to start over a lot but after awhile it’s so fun and easy! :slight_smile:

I agree, the ‘thumb’ version of LT cast on (or 2 handed version is what I call it) isn’t tight at all. It just depends what you’re used to. It’s the way I figured out how to LT cast on because I couldn’t do it the one handed regular way. It all takes practice - cast ons, knit and purl sts and all the rest.

It’s almost always a struggle at first and if not at first, then at second. Remember that there’s often more than one way to do whatever you want to so: cast on, knit, purl, etc. Try different ways until you find something you like or that makes sense to you.

I agree, probably the easiest way is to cast all the stitches onto one of the dpn, then distribute the stitches to the correct needles. You’ll get the hang of it, it gets easier with practice!