What’s the Best Cast On Method for Knitting? Beginner-Friendly Cast Ons Explained

I’ve learned a lot of different cast on methods through the years, and taught a lot of them, too, whether in person or online.

My absolute favorite to teach new knitters is the knit cast on because once you know how to cast on you basically know how to knit, too. And because of that it’s also pretty easy for people to remember how to do it when their teacher is gone or if they stopped knitting for a while and are picking it back up again.

When it comes to my own knitting, thought, I’d say more than 90 percent of the time I use the long-tail cast on. It’s easy and fast once you get the hang of it, and the most efficient way I know of to cast on a whole lot of stitches at once.

But it’s not always the best cast on method or even one that you can use. You can’t use a long tail cast on in the middle of a row (or even the middle of a project) for example.

I’ve collected some of my favorite cast on methods and the pros and cons of using them over on Our Daily Craft. This post is a quick summary of six different cast on methods and when to use them, but within the post there are links to tutorials for how to work each of them, if any of them happen to be new to you.

I’m sure I’ll keep adding to this collection (it needs provisional cast on for sure, I just don’t have a tutorial for that yet) but if you know these six methods that will get you through a lot of different knitting situations.

At the end of the day, the “best” cast on is usually the one that suits the project in front of you — and the one you can do without muttering too loudly at your yarn. A stretchy cast on is lovely for hats and cuffs, a firmer one works beautifully for structured edges, and a simple beginner-friendly cast on is sometimes exactly what you need to get the stitches on the needle and actually start knitting.

If you’re still new to knitting, don’t feel as though you need to learn every cast on method at once. Pick one or two reliable favourites, practise them on scrap yarn, and add new techniques as your projects call for them. That’s how most of us build our knitting toolkit — one slightly wonky practice swatch at a time.

So now I’d love to know: what’s your favourite way to cast on? Are you a loyal long-tail knitter, do you prefer the knit cast on, or do you have a stretchy cast on you swear by?

How to Fix a Dropped Cast On Stitch

A Cheat Sheet for Cast Ons

How to Make a Knit Cast On

Learn to Knit: Cable Cast On

It’s a common complaint among women and femme dressing folk that our clothes do not include enough (and enough useful) pockets. And even if your clothes do have good pockets, there’s always a chance that you’d rather have another pocket to put some essentials in rather than having to carry a whole bag.

But because we are knitters, we can take this problem into our own needles and knit ourselves some auxiliary pockets.

Beatrice Mase did just that, with a kind of fancy toolbelt pocket accessory that they call VELVET Pockets.

The stitch pattern has a plush, sort of velvet effect, thus the name, but it’s worked with regular fingering/sock weight yarn. (The sample uses wool, but you could experiment with other fibers, too.) It calls for 776 yards of 710 meters, which you might just have in your sock yarn stash.

The pattern includes several pockets of different sizes, with the main body of the pocket worked flat in one piece and the exterior pockets sewn on at the end. You also have the option of adding screw rivets and a coordinating clasp that make it look even more toolbelt chic.

The design is worked with a loop of knit fabric at the top so it can slide onto a belt. The pattern includes explanatory diagrams, photo and video tutorials and is adjustable to fit different sizes of belts.

It’s almost enough to make me want to start wearing belts again, even though I haven’t for years. Because who wouldn’t want a few extra little pockets to hold things when you don’t have enough to really justify carrying a bag around?

The pattern is available in English and French on Ravelry and you can also buy a kit complete with the yarn, rivets and clasp (the pattern is not included in the kit) direct on Etsy.

[Photo: Beatrice Mase]

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