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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?

Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork. 

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn. 

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look. 

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me. 

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. 

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.