Cast On, Bind Off (8 page)
Authors: Leslie Ann Bestor
CHARACTERISTICS
⢠Edge is elastic and attractive
⢠First row begins with wrong (private) side of work
GOOD FOR
⢠Any stitch pattern and any project
Measure out a tail of yarn using whatever method you prefer (
page 13
). Make a slip knot and place it on the needle.
Hold the needle in your right hand. Create a slingshot with the tail end of the yarn over your thumb and the working yarn over your index finger.
Using the needle, reach under and into the loop on the left thumb.
Go over the yarn on your left index finger and bring that yarn through the thumb loop.
Drop the yarn off your left thumb and gently tighten (not too tight!) the loop on the needle.
Repeat steps 4â6 for the desired number of stitches.
Since this cast on makes the first row of knitting, you are ready for a wrong-side row when you begin knitting. In stockinette, for example, you work a purl row.
Getting It Right
To make the first row a little easier to work into, cast the stitches onto a needle one or two sizes larger, or even hold two needles together and cast on. For a project with many stitches to cast on, use two balls of yarn (see
page 13
).
This is a variation
of the Long-Tail Cast On that is easier for some folks than holding the yarn in the traditional slingshot position. The result is the same as the standard Long-Tail Cast On.