CONFUSED---Long Tail Cast On

How-to Questions
1

This morning…I was watching a rerun of Knitty Gritty from 06’. They were making a camo ski cap with ear flaps worked in stockinette stitch. The young girl on there used the Long Tail Cast on. While she was casting on… Vickie Howell said, " The cast on row counts as the 1st row… that’s what happend with the long tail cast on."

My question is… is this always the case with the LT cast on? I always try to use the LT cast on, but I don’t ever count it as my first row. I always cast on… then start my 1st row.

My only thought is that maybe… since they are doing stockinette stitch… knit/purl… that maybe why it counts as the 1st row…

What is the correct way? I am confused now!! I am getting ready to start some new projects and I want to make sure that I can still use the LT cast on… but I don’t know if I should count the CO as my 1st row or not?

2

Some people call it `the first row’ because it’s sorta like using the thumb loop CO and knitting a row, but it’s sorta not like that either. It’s a CO and people don’t count it as the first row. If doing something in stockinette many people do purl the actual first row instead of knitting it. It just all depends on what you want the edge to look like.

Don’t be confused, just continue the way you always have.