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The Long-Tail Cast-On

Knitting Videos » Cast-Ons » The Long-Tail Cast-On


Category:
Cast-Ons

Video: The Long-Tail Cast-On





Long-Tail Cast-On
Long-Tail Cast-On


Characteristics: recommended
Difficulty: Easy

The long-tail cast-on is a beginner cast-on.

It is fast and easy to do and is moderately stretchy and sturdy.

To prepare for  the long-tail cast-on, estimate how much tail you’ll need and make a slipknot that far into the working yarn.

Put the slipknot on your right-hand needle, stabilize the slipknot with your right index finger, and position the yarn in slingshot position.

Abbreviation: LTCO



Instructions

  1. Catch the strand of yarn on your thumb.
  2. Catch the strand of yarn on your index finger.
  3. Pull that loop through the one on your thumb.
  4. Let go of your thumb yarn and get back in position.
  5. Repeat Steps 1-4 until you have cast on as many stitches as you want.

Tips

1. Don’t pull your Long-Tail Cast-On too tight. When you snug up the stitches as you cast on, tug with your thumb more than your index finger - this will tighten the knot and not the stitch itself. If you’ve casted on with good tension, you’ll be able to slide the stitches around on the needle, but they should not slide by themselves.

2. When you do any kind of long-tail cast-on, you are creating the first right-side row of knitting as you do your cast-on. This means that you need to start your knitting by doing a wrong-side row, otherwise you'll get purl bumps on the front of your work.




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