Lively Loop

Long-tail cast-on

An all-purpose cast-on for most projects: stretchy, neat, and it gives you the first row right away.

thumbindexneedle
1. Yarn tail over the thumb, working yarn over the index finger. The needle with the first stitch is in the middle; the strands form a slingshot
thumbindexneedle
2. The needle goes UNDER the front strand on the thumb, catches the strand from the index finger and pulls it back through the thumb loop. Drop the loop off your thumb and gently snug up the stitch

How to do it

  1. Measure a tail ≈ 3 times the width of the edge (or 1 cm per stitch for medium-weight yarn).
  2. Tail over the thumb, working yarn over the index finger, both held against the palm.
  3. With the needle, go up through the front strand on the thumb, catch the strand from the index finger and draw it through.
  4. Drop the yarn from the thumb and gently snug the stitch.

Tip

For a top-down sweater neckline, cast on over two needles held together or a needle 1 mm larger: the cast-on must stretch over the head.

Common mistake

A tight cast-on pulls the edge in and keeps the sweater from going over the head.

More in this section «Casting on»

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