ON YOUR WAY TO THE MASTERS Crafting Cast Ons by Mary Forte Take advantage of the cast on row for making your garments com- same width as the interior rows with the same number of stitch- fortable and showing off your expert hand crafting. One goal with es. For stretchy edges in the hats, vest and sweater, also look for a your Master’s swatches is to have a straight edge with stitches all comfortable, elastic cast on. Sometimes just recognizing the prob- about the same size. Another goal is to have the cast on tension lem, and adjusting how tightly or loosely you form the stitches, match the tension of the rest of the knitting: not too tight, not too will improve the cast on. Also consider the following strategies for loose (See Figure 1 on page 6). In projects, especially garments, improving cast on tension: you also want to choose an appropriately elastic or inelastic cast on depending on the use. Change needle size. Cast on with smaller needles if the tension is too loose or larger needles if the tension is too tight. Cast on with two needles held together. This is a good technique to use Starting SUGGESTIONS if your cast on is so tight the first row is hard to knit. Remember to Slip Knot: To make the slip knot easy to tighten after the first remove one of the needles before you start knitting the first row. row, make sure it’s the tail yarn that slips, not the ball yarn. No-Knot (Twist): Hold the yarn as for a long tail cast on. Adjust the number of cast on stitches (not for the Master’s swatches). Take the needle over the top and snag a loop by moving the Practice swatches will help you determine the correct number to cast needle tip in a clockwise motion (See Figure 2 on page 6). on and then the number of increases or decreases needed in the next row. Experiment with techniques. If elasticity is a problem, choose a more Spotting THE Problems appropriate method of cast on (next section). Learning what to look for is one of the most useful strategies for improving knitting. Along with making sure the stitches are con- USING COMMON CAST ONS sistently sized, evaluate the following in your cast ons: Knitting reference books offer many options for casting on. See the bibliography at then end of this article for publications detailing You can determine that the cast on is too loose if you see flaring or the following common techniques: over-large stitches at the bottom edge. The corners may slope up towards the selvages, giving the bottom edge a U shape. The bottom Long-Tail Cast On may flare and wave as you knit up the piece. Also look for spaces in The long-tail cast on is probably the most common. It involves the first row of fabric that are larger than the spaces between the scooping a loop of yarn first off the thumb and then off the index stitches in later rows. Those holes tell you that the cast on is trying to finger. It is also called double cast on, half-hitch cast on, German pull the first row stitches further apart from each other because the cast on, and probably other names. You can use this cast on for tension doesn’t match (See Figure 3 on page 6). sleeves, sock tops, waistbands, or anywhere you need a durable elastic edge. The cast on is too tight if you see the bottom corners drawing inward and down in an inverted U. The stitches may be leaning away from Keeping appropriate tension: When forming stitches, experiment the center towards the outside edges. You may also find the first few with how tightly you snug up the loops. Try keeping your fingers rows puckering (See Figure 4 on page 6). closer to the needle for more control. Another cast on problem is inappropriate elasticity for the use of Pros: Long-tail stretches and rebounds nicely. It creates the first row the piece. A cable cast on may make a beautiful edge, but may not of regular knitting at the same time as the cast on, making the next expand enough to allow a sock top to fit comfortably around the row easier to knit off. wearer’s leg. A long-tail cast on may allow the edge of a bag to droop open. Cons: In its most common form, the long-tail cast on leaves you with the purl side facing for the first row. If you want the stockinette side FINDING THE Solutions facing, you will have to purl a row. However if you don’t want that For the Master’s swatches, aim for a cast on edge that measures the extra row of purling, there is a solution, the reverse long-tail cast on: 66 Cast On • August – October 2009 Switch hands for the cast on – needle in left, loops around thumb and fingers on the right –the rest of the technique is the same and Figure 1 the stockinette side will be facing you for the next row. You can also use the reverse long tail to place the purl side out when knitting in the round. A challenge of the long tail method involves estimating the cor- rect amount of tail yarn. Some sources recommend measuring out three times the anticipated width of the piece. But if you are using larger yarn and needles, you will want to measure out more. You could also try wrapping the yarn around the needle for 10 wraps (not too tight), noting that length of yarn, then measuring out those increments for the rest of the stitches. For example, if you need 100 stitches, and 10 wraps gives you inches; then 100 stitch- es will need 0 inches. You will end up with a generous tail since the tail yarn actually wraps the base of the stitch rather than the Figure 2 needle. You might also like to add extra length for seaming. Always err on the side of more length. Finally, remember to add at least 4 more inches for weaving in ends. You can also use these strategies for estimating intarsia lengths and figuring out if you have enough yarn left to finish a row or section. Thumb Cast On The thumb cast on is also called single cast on, simple cast on, e- loop cast on, and probably other things. It involves looping the yarn over the thumb and scooping it onto the needle, making a series of twisted e-shaped loops. Keeping appropriate tension: On the first row after the cast on, keep needle tips close together to avoid stretching the stitches. Figure 3 Pros: The thumb cast on is easy to learn and is quickly done. Cons: This cast on is difficult to keep even. It is often too loose, and it can be very difficult for a beginning knitter to knit off the first row as it slides off the needle quite easily. Because this cast on is so difficult to keep even, it’s best used for quick (not Master’s) swatching or edges that won’t show at the end of the project. Some knitters use it for the follow-up row of a two-row buttonhole, but a cable cast on will make a sturdier buttonhole top. Cable and Knitted On Cast Ons The cable cast on involves drawing up a loop between previous stitches and placing it back on the same needle. The knitted cast on only differs in that the loop is drawn up out of the last stitch. Figure 4 Keeping appropriate tension: For the cable cast on, make sure you draw out the yarn far enough for each loop, often over half an inch. Pros: Cable cast on produces an attractive twisted edge. It is very useful for buttonholes, purse openings, pocket edges, and any other edge that needs to be firm and stable. continued on page 68 www.TKGA.com 6 continued from page 67 Cons: It is difficult to make a cable cast on elastic enough for some applications. While the cable cast looks neat and attractive with rib- bing, it doesn’t really allow the ribbing to stretch These are only a few examples of cast on methods. Consult knitting reference books to find many other options. They are fun to experi- ment with and worth your time to explore so that you can craft the most attractive and comfortable choices. Bibliography Buss, Katharina, Big Book of Knitting, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, 1999. Hiatt, June Hemmons, The Principles of Knitting, Simon and Schus- ter, 1988. Stanley, Montse, Reader’s Digest Knitter’s Handbook, Reader’s Digest, Pleasantville, NY, 1993. Swanson, Meg, “No-Knot Start,” Vogue Knitting, Winter 2004/2005, pg 30. Vogue Knitting, Butterick Company, Inc., 1989. Wiseman, Nancie M., The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques, Martingale & Company, Woodinville, WA, 2002. Special thanks to Kathy Mates, Sylvia Willoughby, Binka Schwan and Cindy Nelson for their help on this article. leisure arts ad 68 Cast On • August – October 2009.