Long tail twisted cast on method and improved first cast on stitch 😍

This way of doing a long tail twisted cast on was tricky for me to learn. I think it might be easier for someone who uses the English, two hands method. Even if I use another cast on I think I’ll still do my first stitch the way she does it. I’ve attached a photo showing how it worked for me in the round without doing anything to minimize the big gap or jog; I just started knitting. What looks like a big sloppy loop at the join is just the tail hanging out in the back. With a standard long tail cast on I prefer to skip the slip knot but that leaves me with a big, ugly, sloppy first cast on stitch. This got rid of it! If someone uses a knitted cable cast on a lot they might want to try starting it with the first stitch done the way she does it. I will try it eventually but now I’m more interested in working on my wrist warmers and using leftover yarn. :heart_eyes:

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Mods, if this should be in a different place please move it.

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@GrumpyGramma, does it also work better at the end of the cast on to secure the last stitch?
I always have trouble with joining LTCO in the round. The last stitch loosens or comes out during the join. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

I was amazed. When I joined in the round doing nothing special the alignment was great and no loose stitch! Working into the loop formed opposite the way ltco is usually done made all the difference. It creates a stitch worked into the loop and not just a loop. I did need to pull the tail yarn through the last stitch worked to close up the tiny space but there was no trying to make it look right other than that. I admit, getting it to work right took trial and error but it was worth the effort. I don’t know that I answered your question. If not try again and maybe I’ll get it.

I just now tried this start for a knitted cast on and it worked great. I’m thinking of doing some entrelac that will require a knitted or cable cast on so I was motivated to find out. I’d been trying to work out how to start a cast on, long tail or other, with an actual stitch and found the solution when that video popped up and I though OK, German twisted cast on, been there done that, guess I’ll watch it anyhow, and found this little gem. I like this way of doing the twisted cast on because the tail yarn doesn’t untwist but I don’t know how to do it in pattern. I bet there’s a way but I may not be smart enough to figure it out. If someone does figure it out I might not have the dexterity to do it!

And I thought it was just me this happened to, being relatively new knitter (1yr). I thought I was doing something wrong, it would just come undone.

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I thought it was just me for over 10 years! I’m glad you found out now. If you find you have loose gauge when you do pick up and knit, that’s not just you either. You should not have to wait as long as I did to find that one out either.

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