Knitting

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A Cheat Sheet for Cast Ons

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As a knitter, I have always been a long-tail cast-on person. It’s been my go-to cast on method for a long time, and I know that it’s not always the best choice for every project. But, I find it easy and familiar, so I often default to it.

When I teach knitting, I usually teach the knit cast on method. This is because it’s a versatile cast on method that can be used for most projects, and once you know how to knit cast on, you also know how to knit! This saves time and is less fiddly for kids.

However, I also know that there are many other cast on methods available, each with their own unique benefits. Kate Atherley, a renowned knitter and author, has spent a lot of time thinking about and experimenting with different cast on methods. She recently rounded up some of her favorite ways to start a knitting project over at Modern Daily Knitting. Her article provides a great overview of different cast on methods and their uses, and it’s a great resource for knitters looking to expand their skills and try new techniques.

As a knitter, I highly recommend exploring different cast on methods. Each method has its own unique benefits and can be used for different types of projects. And it’s always good to have more than one cast on technique in your knitting toolbox.

 

Click over to see swatches using different kinds of casts on and a little bit about the properties of each one. If you want actual tutorials you’ll still have to Google it or search on YouTube or your favorite knitting reference book.

There’s also a printable chart that shows different purposes for which you might need to cast on stitches, as well as different methods that are a good option for those situations. So handy!

[Photo: Modern Daily Knitting.]

Looking for printed hard-copy knitting books? Check out these Knitting Pattern books 

 

Comments

  2. I was going to say socks. I don’t seem to have the book I learned about that cast on from anymore so I looked online and Ashley Little at Bluprint said it’s medium stretchy and looks good on both sides so it’s good for things you see both sides of like blankets and scarves.

Have you read?

Knitting Machine Scarves with a Fun Twist

One of my favorite things to make on a circular knitting machine is scarves, because they’re a great way to use leftover yarn and certainly faster than knitting by hand. 

But if you pay attention to the colors you’re using and how you are using them, you can make fun knitting machine scarves that look like something different when you roll them up. 

One of the first versions of this I saw was the sushi scarf, are there are a lot of variations on this one. For example this one from Flower and Anchor that uses five colors of yarn, or this one from Three Threads NE that uses four. These generally are made to look like California rolls, but you could change up the colors to make them different things if you like. Just make sure the outside of the “roll” is black or green to indicate the nori. I found another version on Pinterest if you’re looking for a free pattern, but there’s no image of it rolled up. 

Another popular variation is making a scarf that rolls up to look like a mug with coffee, tea or another fun beverage inside. This collection of three mug scarf circular knitting machine patterns from Idaho Cottage Creation includes green tea, a pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream and a candy cane colored confection (which honestly reminds me of the Grinch since it has a green mug!). Again you can change the colors of the mug part and the drink part. The little handle looks like it’s crocheted on these, and it doubles as a loop you can thread the scarf end through when you wear it.

Again there’s a version of the green tea scarf on Pinterest with crocheted elements. I also found a latte done with a striped yarn and a red mug that’s pretty cute and gives you an idea what a different beverage would look like. 

I also love this pumpkin pie scarf designed by Jodi Favish Saunier. It has a bit of crocheted edging to give it a fancy crust but you can omit that if you don’t crochet. These are all on Facebook but she also has a watermelon and lemonade pattern that are super cute.