Knitting: How to Cast On
By: Adrian Monterosso

Casting on is the foundation row of stitches on your needle. If you are learning to knit you may want to look at our website below to get pictures as well as the instructions. This is an important part of knitting and you are required to learn this as part of your basic skills for knitting.

To begin, you make a slipknot:
Pull the yarn strand from the center of the ball. Make a loop 120 or 150 cm from the end by putting the tail in front, then let the rest of the tail fall slightly behind the loop:

Then with the ball from go to the back of your needles

Insert the tip of your right needle, from the front to the back into the loop on the left needle. The needles will cross with the left needle remaining on top of the right needle.

You are required to adjust your thumb so that you gently grip both needles between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand.

You need to hold the yarn with your right hand then wrap the yarn around the tip of the right needle in a clockwise motion.

Secure the loop you have just made with your right pointer finger. Pull the tip of the right needle towards you, below the left needle through the center of the stitch.

This is a learned skill and with a bit of practicing you will get it, do not give up please! Knitting is about practise and the more you practise knitting the better you will be.

The tips of your needles now cross with the right one on top and the left one.

Now you have one loop on each needle. Elongate the pulled-through loop.

Insert the tip of the left needle into the loop on the right needle, slip the stitch off. You now have 2 loops on your left needle.

If you are learning to knit, i will simplify these steps so you can follow them carefully.

In summary;

Make a slip knot about 120 -150 centimetres from the end of the yarn

Step 1.
Place the loop onto one of your needles and tighten.
Step 2.
Place your index finger and your thumb between the two pieces of yarn Step Step 3.
Grab the pieces of yarn with your other fingers below your index finger and thumb and spread your index finger and thumb apart.
Step 4.
You should of created two "loops" of yarn by now, one around your index finger, and one around your thumb. Send your needle down in front of the "loop" of yarn on your thumb.
Step 5.
Push your needle up from below through the "loop" of yarn on your thumb.
Step 6.
Send your needle to the "loop" on your index finger and push the needle through the "loop", this time from above.
Step 7.
Take your needle back down to the "loop" on your thumb and go through, only this time, go through from above the loop.
Step 8.
Carefully slide the "loop" off of your thumb. This will leave a hanging loop of yarn.
Step 9.
Put your thumb inside the second piece of yarn coming from the grasp of your lower fingers. Use your thumb and index finger to tighten the "loop" onto the needle by spreading them and the yarn pieces apart.

Step 10.
Now you are back to the same position as you were in step 3 and ready to repeat step 4 through step 9 for another cast on stitch.

Learn to knit using this foundation skill and you will be able to knit almost anything in no time. Knitting requires you to learn a few different skills and then you are on your way to knitting a couple of projects.