This is just a regular cast on right? The same as if using a regular needle. Can I use the long tail CO for this or do I need to learn another type. I am making a baby/toddler hat for my grandson.
http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/baby-child/puffin-child-hat.html
If I need to learn another style of CO, which is preferred for circs?
Andi
Sure, you can use a long-tail cast on. One neat trick is to cast on one more stitch than the pattern calls for. Then when you join to form a circle, slip that extra stitch to the other needle and knit 2tog to join. This makes a smoother join with no bump where the join begins.
Thank you Tinker. The extra stitch sounds great but I can’t use it for this pattern since the first 8 rows are knitted flat. This is a new avenue I have come to in my journey through the world of knitting.
Andi
Ok, if the first 8 rows are knitted flat, you can still use a long-tail cast on. Leave a tail long enough to sew that 8 row seam (if the pattern wants you to do that). Then just start knitting with your circular needle and when you come to the end of the row and the straight needle falls away, just keep on knitting around (without that k 2tog business I mentioned). Hope this helps!
Andi, I don’t think the first 8 rows are knit flat. You purl one row and then join. That’s just because it’s a bit easier to make sure your stitches aren’t twisted around the needle if you already have one row done. You can join right after cast-on if you want, just be careful to keep the stitches straight when you join. Then you can do the k2tog suggestion if you want.
Yes, you can use any Cast on (except backward loop) for knitting on circulars. I use Long Tail most of the time. Abbily’s right, you purl only one row, then join, but you can join right after the CO and begin.
Thank you for the explanation and the clarification on when to join. Somehow I missed that little sentence.
Now I come to another confusion, should be easy to see but I am not seeing it. I can figure out the harder instructions but the easy ones escape me.
In the pattern directions it says to place a marker after I join.
First part of pattern:
“Using circular needle, CO 84 sts. Do not join into rnd.
P1 row; join being careful not to twist. Place marker.
K brim; K for 5 rows, which will form a tightly curled edge.
P3 rnds.
Begin Staggered Rib
Staggered Rib Hat Body
7 rnds: K2, P2 around. Rep for 6 rnds. P1 rnd.
7 rnds: P2, K2 around. Rep for 6 rnds. P 1 rnd.
7 rnds: K2, P2 around. Rep for 6 rnds. P 1 rnd.”
The part I don’t understand is the marker. Is this marker placed at the end of the purl row or does it travel around as I knit the next part of the pattern. I am confused because of an instruction several lines down where it says,
"Hat Choices: At this point, the hat is ~ 3 in. from rolled up edge. If a longer/taller hat is desired, work 1 or 2 more sequences of the staggered rib, [B]remembering the P rnd separator[/B].
If the hat shape suits you, P1 rnd.
K rnds for 1 inch [6-7 rnds]. Begin hat shaping.
You can read the entire pattern @ the link above.
Andi
The marker is placed where you join–between the last and first stitch of your round. It will travel with you and tell you when to start the next round.
As for the highlighted part, they want to make sure that you purl the rounds called for in the pattern if you make it longer.
The marker stays on the needle and travels around the circle. When you come to it again, it’s the beginning of the next round.
The purl round separator is the one round of all purl stitches that you do in between each set of 6 rib rounds. That instruction has nothing to do with the stitch marker. I can see why that’s confusing, though! 
My mind tends to over complicate things to the point that simple things send it into a tailspin. Thanks for all the explanations.
Andi