Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™
Become a Knitting Superstar™

Become a Knitting Superstar™
Start Your Knitting Superstar Journey
Become a Knitting Superstar™
GET INSTANT ACCESS

Fixing a Dropped Long-Tail Cast-On Stitch

Fixing a Dropped Long-Tail Cast-On Stitch

Liat Gat - Founder

May 7, 2013

"You are simply amazing. In five-plus years of knitting, I have never even considered replicating a dropped cast-on stitch; I would always just start over. This video makes the actual construction of the stitch so clear and simple that all I can say is, 'Why didn’t I think of that?!' " – Brian M.

Share

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Print

How many times have you dropped a stitch out of your cast-on as you are knitting the first row? And started over, right?

Well, now you don’t have to take the cast-on out and start over. Just carefully re-work the dropped stitch, following the technique in the video below:


How To Fix A Dropped Long-Tail Cast-On Stitch
How To Fix A Dropped Long-Tail Cast-On Stitch

This quick cast-on trick brought to you by…
Cast-Ons Ebook on Presale This Friday

This cast-on trick is a small part of the upcoming video knitting course, The KnitFreedom Video Guide To Cast-Ons, on sale this Friday, May 10th. Watch your email inbox for the presale info!

Leave a Comment

Have you run into this problem before? Think this will clear it up? Leave a comment and let me know!

Picture of Liat Gat - Founder

Liat Gat - Founder

Hi, I’m Liat! If you’ve ever felt stuck, confused, or frustrated by knitting patterns, you’re not alone – and I can help.

My mission is to make you a Knitting Superstar: confident, capable, and proud of every project you finish.

Here’s how:
✔️ 40+ free beginner patterns to master foundational techniques
🎥 500+ step-by-step videos (students say they’re the clearest on the web)
💬 Individual support — I answer your knitting questions within 24 hours

✨ Explore all my classes →
✨ Unlock everything with Membership →
✨ Meet knitters just like you →

When I’m not knitting, I’m geeking out designing task management systems in FileMaker (yes, really!). I’m so glad you’re here — welcome to KnitFreedom!

Hi, I’m Liat – your knitting coach! I help knitters go from confused to confident with 500+ step-by-step videos and personal support. Learn more →

Recent Posts

View all blog posts »
Top Ten 10 Mistakes All Self Taught Knitters Make 3D Book Cover 10 2 21 fully transparent 5 cropped mid 2
FREE

Fix Knitting Mistakes Fast — Free Video Guide

Learn how to avoid the 10 most common beginner mistakes and knit with confidence.

  • Rescue dropped stitches without panic
  • Stop knitting too tight
  • Fix ribbing, gauge, and bind-offs like a pro
  • Knit confidently, knowing you can fix mistakes fast

51 thoughts on “Fixing a Dropped Long-Tail Cast-On Stitch”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Ann Cude

    Yes, I have taken out a whole cast-on because of a dropped stitch and I KNEW there had to be easy fix because, come on, but I just kept making a mess. THANKS!

    Reply
  2. Sophie

    :00000
    I didn’t know there was a way to do this, but I’m so glad that I found your page! It’s a much better feeling to be knitting my first-ever sweater now that I didn’t already mess up in the first row. ;)
    You are officially amazing, thank you so much for this tutorial!

    Reply
  3. Shannon

    Just had to say “THANK YOU” for this! I was already about 100 stitches into my first row, and was just about to give up and re-cast them all when I thought I’d Google it first… and your instructions came right up!

    Many, many thanks!

    Shannon

    Reply
  4. ann snow

    Great to know how to do this right! I’d been faking it before and it worked out kinda good, but the added twist makes all the difference. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. elaine

    Liat, Why is the first row after a long tailed cast on usually a purl?
    Thank you for making easy to understand videos to save me when I am sitting alone at home, with my knitting in a mess, and don’t have a clue what to do! I feel like you are my private instructor!

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Aw, thanks, Elaine!

      The reason the first row after a long-tail cast-on is a purl (more accurately, it is a wrong-side row) is because when you do any kind of long-tail cast-on you are creating the first right-side row at the same time. Cool, huh?

      My new video course all about cast-ons explains this concept well and also shows it in a video. Check it out here: The KNITFreedom Video Guide to Cast-Ons. It’s on sale this weekend – I highly recommend it.

      Reply
  7. Dina

    i cant tell you how many years I have been knitting but the long tail cast on has made me pull out my hair just recently with a sweater with almost 400 stitches to cast on. I wish I had seen this video before I unravelled and put away for another day lol I am excited to start a new project today using your method. thank you so much Liat

    Reply
  8. Kathy S.

    Hi Liat! Wow! Your understanding of knitting is complete and througho (sp?) and amazing! I hope to understand how these stitches and needles work through your videos over time. I can replicate the motor patterns very slowly, and then eventually the comprehension follows. The videos and your instruction are the ticket to learning knitting. Thank you for the teaching and the use of all these various types of technology to access them. You’re doing a phenomenal job of juggling the many aspects involved in getting it all done for students to access online. Keep it up! We need you!

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Thank you Kathy!! You make me SO happy – your comment is so encouraging! I am definitely juggling… I hope to someday divide these tasks so that I can spend more of my time making knitting videos… Thanks for your kudos! :)

      Reply
  12. Marci

    Life altering. I am about to cast on a project with over 300 stitches. This will give me more confidence that I won’t have to start over if I drop one. Thank you!

    Reply
  13. Michelina

    OMG thanks for making this video, you would not believe how many times I accidentaly dropped a stitch and unravel the cast on to start over. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

    YOU ARE AWESOME

    Reply
  15. Kim Borsgard

    so clever, and glad to know how it works, like the above comments, I have knitted and had this problem and just started over! countless times! looking forward to the Friday special :)

    Reply
  16. Shirah

    Heck, I didn’t even know that you’re supposed to pearl the first row of the long-tail cast on! I’ve got my credit card all warmed up for Friday!

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Hooray! See, you learned something new already! Now your projects won’t have a row of purl bumps along the front from the cast-on.

      By the way, I didn’t learn that for the longest time… to be honest, until I did the research for this ebook. ;)

      Reply
    2. James

      If you switch hands (hold the needle with your left and do your long tail cast on with your right), you can knit the first row without purl bumps (yay!). The first time feels a bit awkward, but it’s nice to have options.

      Reply
  18. Sande Francis

    I’m gobsmacked! I have never been able to save a cast on once I’ve dropped a st. Always had to start over. I’m so pleased to have seen your remarkable idea!

    You make it look so easy, too. Now here’s a challenge for you – can you do this with a Twisted German (long tail) cast on? I think this might also be called a Norwegian Cast On. That’s the one I always use for socks now when I’m knitting cuff down.

    A lot of your videos and tips are rather old hat for me (I’m in my 60s and have been knitting for decades), so I’m always thrilled to find something new!

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Hi Sande,

      Yay! I’m so glad I came up with something to challenge you a little. I will look into creating a follow-up video for a dropped Old Norwegian cast-on stitch. Stay tuned!

      And I know it’s not as fun to be getting mostly beginner/intermediate tips in your inbox, but the good thing is getting those done frees me up to make more advanced videos. So they’ll be coming!

      Reply
  19. Josephine

    I KNEW there had to be a way! But I wasn’t able to find someone who could show me. Thanks you!

    Reply
  20. Debra Perli

    Bless you, I’ve been wondering how to do this for the longest time. You are AWESOME!!!!! Can’t wait until FRiday.

    Reply
  21. Linda Takagi

    This is so great! I have been knitting for more than 30 years and if I had a dollar for every dropped cast-on stitch, I could increase my stash significantly! I am eagerly awaiting Friday for the opportunity to purchase your new ebook. It will join its fellows in the folder on my desktop labeled simply “Liat.” Thank you for your dedication to teaching.

    Linda Takagi
    Colorado Springs, CO

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Hi Linda! Oh, you are too sweet. I’m so happy to have you as such a dedicated student!

      I want you to know that since we are switching to a new website very soon, and a new desktop app, I didn’t make this ebook downloadable – it’s simply an online course. BUT that means less time that I spend creating 4 or 5 different PDF formats that are going to be replaced anyway, and more time spent filming new ebooks!

      As soon as app comes out, you’ll be able to access every class you have ever bought in the app (on your computer or mobile device). So just a heads’ up – you won’t be able to put it in your folder quite yet… but I still think you’ll be really pleased with it. It’s a fantastic resource.

      Reply
  22. Brenda Gaines

    I’ll be out of state and away from my computer this week because I’m going to my granddaughter’s graduation. I’ll be back on Sunday. Will I still be able to get the video on sale?
    I love your instructions. I was finally able to make a sock without any holes or ugly mistakes. Now I have to figure out how to make it bigger around for hubby’s swollen feet, then on to two-at-a-time and, lacy or cabled or? patterns.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Hey Brenda,

      I love how you are getting creative with your socks! The two-at-a-time toe-up socks ebook class has a formula so that you can make the socks any size. And you are definitely ready for two-at-a-time – it’s not much more difficult than one-at-a-time, and it is twice as fast! Very satisfying.

      And about the sale: YES! The ebook will be on sale to subscribers all weekend long. When you get home from the graduation (congratulations, by the way!), check your inbox and you will see an email from me with a code for 25% off for the weekend sale.

      Reply
  23. Missy k

    This so awesome. I was never able to figure it out. Once I had to cast on 1800 stitches in circular knitting. You can imagine how frustrated I was to have dropped one of the cast-on stitches. I tried to pick it up again, but it never looked right, but I figured, who is going to see that 1 stitch in 1800. I am so happy that I now have this video.

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Noooooo! See, THIS is why I made this video. It’s awful to drop a cast-on stitch- I’ve never been able to get it right until I sat down to figure it out once and for all. Glad this is going to help you!

      Reply
  24. Martha Roseen

    I have to agree with Brian, and I’m not going to tell you how long I have been knitting! Thanks this will most helpful.

    Reply
  25. Brian M

    You are simply amazing. In five-plus years of knitting, I have never even considered replicating a dropped cast-on stitch; I would always just start over. This video makes the actual construction of the stitch so clear and simple that all I can say is, “Why didn’t I think of that?”!

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Thank you Brian! This has bugged me for the longest time, but I’ve never taken the time to figure out how to reconstruct the stitch until now. And now I’m so happy that I “get” how the stitch works!

      Reply
  28. LaDonn

    Liat – I’ve been a subscriber to your Updates for several months now, and I just love how well you explain and demonstrate “sticky” knitting problems. I belong to a couple of knitting groups and encourage knitters who need “at home” help to check out your site. Instructions are crystal clear!
    Thanks!
    LaDonn

    Reply
    1. Liat Gat

      Thank you LaDonn! Oh, you make me so happy. I’m delighted that you have been telling your knitting friends about my site – you have no idea how much that helps!

      Reply

Recent Posts

Scroll to Top

Fix Knitting Mistakes Fast — Free Video Guide

Learn how to avoid the 10 most common beginner mistakes and knit with confidence.

  • Rescue dropped stitches without panic
  • Stop knitting too tight
  • Fix ribbing, gauge, and bind-offs like a pro
  • Knit confidently, knowing you can fix mistakes fast
Top Ten 10 Mistakes All Self Taught Knitters Make Book Cover