If you could only know one, general purpose, cast-on, this is the one I would recommend. It’s handsome, sturdy, has enough stretch for most circumstances, and is fast to do.
1) Long-Tail Cast-On, English Style
2) How to Improve your Long-Tail Cast-On
3) The Purl Long-Tail Cast-On, Thumb Style
4) The Long-Tail Bind-Off
This is not technically about the cast-on, but for those of you who like the tidiness of having your cast-ons and bind-offs match, this is for you.
Awesome lessons in long tail cast on but the bind off with the yarn needle is totally amazing to be identical to cast on!
Thank you so much for the videos on the long tail cast on. The information was extremely helpful.
Again, you are so welcome.
I am so pleased to find your video on Purlwise Cast On Thumb Method as my new project calls for alternating stitches in the Cast On. I have never mastered the Slingshot method so this was a great relief. You are one of my trusted knitting resources. Thank you
You’re so welcome Judy!
I really enjoy your videos, Cheryl. Thanks for sharing them!
I’ve been knitting for over 50 years but am still wondering when a
purled cast on would be needed. I’m sure you can help!
Thanks Nan. Some people like to use it when casting on a ribbing, i.e. casting on one knitwise, then one purlwise all the way across. Or with a basket-weave pattern, or any place you think it looks good, really. It’s just something fun to play with and see if you like the look.
Interesting. Thanks, Cheryl. I’m going to try it out!
Hi Cheryl, thank you so much for your videos! It is so great that you share all this with us. I started knitting again after 30 years and was a bit stuck in what I learned back then.
About the longtail cast on do I have to count the slipstich as a stitch? It looks like not but then what I do with this slipstitch?
Hello Cheryl, thank you very much for posting these four videos. I normally use the cast on English style which I learned from my mother. So now, you encourage me to continue using it. I like the knitting you do and how your stitch’s are tight. My favourite video is number 4 this is very new for me. It is very stylish and neat. I will try to use this method and I hope to succeed. You are a wonderful teacher and lots to learn from you. Wish you all the best and I love to watch your videos.
Thank you Magdabasta and you are so welcome. I do love this cast on.
Hi Cheryl
With the tightness that can happen when casing on a method I was taught as a child was to use a larger needle rather than 2 needles. It works really well.
Thanks for the videos they are really informative.
Angela
Hi Angela. If you watch the second video of the series you’ll see that I recommend AGAINST casting on with 2 needles or even larger needles though I did the latter for many years until I figured out that it was only affecting the size of the loops and not the size of the half-hitches. It seemed to work well enough but maybe I was also separating the stitches.
I just have to say that I love you… you have taught me so much already and I’m new to your site. Been knitting since I was 5, but, now that I’m retired, I want to get better and learn more. You are doing that for me. Thank you so much. You’re a great, great instructor! Love and hugs.
Barbara, you are too kind. Thank you for this lovely comment, and I’m delighted that I’ve been able to help.
Barbara . . . you are too kind. I am happy that my work has helped you and thank you for this generous comment.
I think lots of us appreciate your help more than You will ever know.
Thank you Marlyn. This is such a kind comment.
You are such a great and patient teacher. Your ability to declassify the mystery of knitting methods to common sense application puts you in a league of your own. I am really glad I had the opportunity to knit and share life stories with you on the Ooosterdam. Debby in Tacoma
Thank you Debby!!! You are kind and a very good student. I enjoyed our time together on the Oosterdam . . . good conversations, fun (you are very funny), and knitting, what’s not to love? I’m grateful for that whole adventure.
Thank you for your very helpful videos! I have long wanted to know how to do the “thumb” method for the long tail cast on. And, I never even knew the long tail bind off existed. It’s really beautiful. One question about it: How stretchy is the bind off in comparison to Judy’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off? I also have a request: Would you please consider making a video on the different types of selvedges and when you would use which edge stitch? Thank you again for helping me to be braver in my knitting.
Hi Fern. It’s not as stretchy as JSSBO and I already have some videos on edge sts. Start about here: https://youtu.be/Nni2cc50oZ8?list=PLNNpR4lw08r39g-3__pU6VpzfjEKOQ5l9
Cheryl: Excellent video. I am anxious to try the knitted cast-on. I had so much fun with you in Alaska. Debby in Tacoma
Thanks Debby. Both my friend Joni and I had fun with you too. I hope you aren’t as socked in with smoke down there as we are here. I’m praying for the people suffering from those fires . . . and those floods. :/ Remember Donna (and Tammy and Sunny)? There is a huge fire just south of their place in Southern Oregon. Her husband had already lost some heavy equipment by the time she got home. I’m especially holding her and her family in my thoughts.
Thank you for the video of casting on stitches. You make knitting so much more fun and easier.
Dear Cheryl, thank you very much for sharing these videos. In this way I’ve learnt the long-tail bind off with plesure and I’ve already used it to finish the first stripe of an afghan I’m kniiting right now. I have a question for you: sometimes I use the cable cast on method because I like it best (well… I make it tidier than the long tail one…); do you know if there is a cable bind off method or something similar so that both ends of the knitted piece would look the same? Thank you very much for your help. I wish you a very Happy Easter! Yours sincerely, Dina
Hi Dina,
I’ve been thinking about this since you posted this comment. I’ve never seen such a method and so far haven’t been able to manipulate anything in my head that would do it. ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE HAVE AN ANSWER TO DINA’S QUESTION? THANKS.
Cheryl…..a link to Youtube showing the cable cast-on….which actually doesn’t have anything to do with knitting cables. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=60&v=3xRrTJDWf0E
Hope this might be of some interest to you. Personally, I cannot see how it could be mimicked on the bind off of the fabric….perhaps being more experienced than I am, you or someone else, might. – Ann
Thank you so much, that is very helpful.
I have struggled with the long-tail cast-on, and you have made it east.
Thanks again.
The first video was awesome. The second video ROCKED MY WORLD!!! I’m going to use this Purl cast on! The “right edge” is right where I want it when I’m ready to knit my first row if it’s a right side row! Thanks a MILLION!
You are so welcome Paula! Probably a million times back. 😀
Again, thank you for making everything so easy. Your videos are great!
Thank you Lola and you are so welcome.
Very helpful, thank you Cheryl!
Irena
Hello Cheryl,
I appreciate this video, and mainly the long-tail cast off. I have never seen it done like this before and “what a difference it makes.”
I also want to ask about your choice of music. Is this melody from Pride and Prejudice? I am a PandP fan and have been since I was young. The music reminds me of the older versions of this movie.
The music is from a CD of my harpist friend of many years. The song is “Simple Gifts,” an old folk song? Hymn? I’m not sure which but I’ve always liked it, and I do aspire to a simple life.
Just love your videos…… So informotive your a great Teacher.
Michelle (UK)
Thank you for this kind comment Michelle.
Cheryl
Thank you SO much for showing the proper way of doing the long tail cast on and off. This really helped me a lot!! Keep up the good work and thanks for “teaching” me the difficult ways made easy 😉
Kindest regards
I’m not sure that it’s the “proper” way but it’s one good way to do it. 😀 And you are most welcome.
Thank you for all this information, you explained it so clearly, love your videos.
You are so welcome Mary. Glad they help you.
hello and thank you for this video, what type of cast on would you recommend is best for knitting socks to do the 2×2 rib, only I can’t get my head round this Julie’s long tail cast on that everyone is raving about thank you
I would do either a lace cast-on (which is very loose) or a tubular cast-on. I have videos on both of these on YouTube. Just search for my name and the name of the cast-on and see if they come up. I’ve never heard of Julie’s long tail cast-on. I’ll have to look it up. Thanks.
I knit Continental but gave your thumb method of the long tail cast on a try. I like it. I like the purl too. How would you go about doing a twisted longtail cast on using your thumb?
I’m not sure Nancy. You’d have to play with it. My first thought is to knit the thumb loop off by inserting your needle into the back leg rather than the front leg. Make sense? When do you like to use a twisted long-tail cast-on?
Hi Cheryl, so you count the cast on row as row one? I just made a little sweater set for my grandaughter who is due any day now! It was a big success! My LYS, there was no right or wrong side for the ribbing! I will follow your lead in the future. Thank you
This is a great question Sophie. Technically, you are creating the bottom edge and knitting the first row when you do a long-tail cast on. I tend NOT to count that first row of “stitches” formed by the cast-on as a row, but in practical application it doesn’t usually matter much. Cast on and knit 1 x 1 rib for 2 inches, for example. It doesn’t matter how you classify that first set of loops that look like a row.
Congratulations Grandma! And what a lucky baby to have a new sweater set.
There is no “right” or “wrong” on this, but I like the more tailored-looking side to the public side. It’s just a matter of personal taste.
Thank you so much for this information on long tail cast on. I use to freak out when I had to cast on a large number of stitches. This made it so simple.
I wanted to push the like button and subscribe, but couldn’t find either. If I can still subscribe, I would like to do so.
I also would like to ask a guestion about Entrelac Knitting. I was 2/3 done with a Entrelac scarf and ought-o, l made a mistake. I pulled out some stitching and had to keep pulling out more stitching because it was all interlocked with next rows. Is there a way to fix this, or do I just have to start all over? If you can guide me, l sure would be grateful.
I’d have to see a photo, at the very least, to be able to figure it out. I’m guessing, depending on the type of mistake, that you can probably fix it without ripping it all out, especially if it’s within one of the “blocks.”
And I’m not sure what you want to subscribe to . . . my YouTube page or my email group. Thanks for getting in touch and asking.
Thank you for the Long Tail Bind Off. I have often wondered about how to cast off this way but had never found it demonstrated! You explain these techniques in a way that makes it easy for me to learn. It is much appreciated!
You are so welcome Deb. Thanks for commenting.
Great little collection of videos, thanks! I’m planning to share them at our next “Yarn Over”. (You know, “Bring your yarn and come over!”) Your logical approach helps me understand what it is I’m actually doing with these edges, rather than just mindlessly getting the yarn on (or off) the needles so I can proceed.
What a great name!! Yarn Over. 😀 And I’m glad you’re thinking about the edges you are making. They are critical to a well-finished piece.
Thanks for these videos Cheryl. I learned something hew.
I used the long rail cast on when I needed 800 stitches. It was for a little girls coat by Noni. Then I marked every 50 stitches for ease of recounting.
Hi Mary Ann . . . yes! I’ve used this technique before. It makes it so much easier to count. Thanks for mentioning it here so that others can learn it.