Problems with casting on

#1

Hi!

I’ve only been knitting for a few weeks (but I’m catching on pretty quickly) and am teaching myself with the aid of some online videos, so I’ve come to you guys with a couple questions I can’t seem to clear up by myself.

Both of these regard casting on, but are pretty different…

First, when I do a long-tail cast-on, I end up with a loop at the beginning end that I’m not seeing happening in the videos I’ve watched. Am I doing something wrong? From what I can tell, I’m doing everything as the written instructions/video instructions say.

Second, I’m working on a project that involves casting on a bunch of stitches in the middle of the work. When I do this, I get kind of a similar problem–a stretch of yarn that just dangles in the middle of the work, a big loop about 3 inches in circumference (after casting on 24 stitches). I figure I can cut through the loop and tight it, but I’m worried about it being unsightly. Again, am I doing something wrong, or is this normal?

Thanks!!

-Krystina

#2

If I remember correctly, you can cast on stitches with the longtail cast on with 2 different techniques. One gives you an additional stitch at the beginning, which, in most cases is much looser than the rest of the stitches.
(You tighten a slipknot around the needle, then cast on, or you don’t and cast on as you would with slipknot)

As for casting on in the middle of the work, make sure your cast on stitches are tight, otherwise you could end up with a “dangle”. I have a video showing long tail cast on in the middle of a row.

You need a second ball of yarn, or at least a second strand of yarn to cast on with this method.

Does this make things any clearer?

#3

Long tail cast on can leave two loops in the beginning if you don’t use a slip knot. You count both as stitches and just knit normally.

To co in the middle of the row most people use either knitted cast on, backward loop or cable cast on.

All methods are under the cast on videos.