how to cast on a row of knitting

As promised, I have made a video about how to cast on a row of knitting. Before you watch, here are the basic steps.

First of all you need to make what is known as a slip knot. I do this by making a small loop with the wool, with the short end on top/across bit attached to the ball of wool. Bring the short end underneath the loop and pull it through the top. It should look a little bit like an A, and you should be able to pull the short end to make the loop smaller.

Put your slip knot on your left hand needle and pull it tight, but not so tight that you can't get your other needle through.

Put your the needle in your left hand underneath the right hand needle and through the back of the loop. Keep the loop close to the ends of the needles, but don't let it fall off. Wind the long end of the wool anticlockwise over the RH needle, from underneath the needle to the top.

Hold the left hand needle still for this next part, and keep in mind that the two needles should never be too far from each other. Pretend they are magnetic or something.

Bring the RH needle from the back to the front. You should be able to see the wool that you wound round it before as a loop around the needle. You can now pull the two needles apart slightly. You'll be able to see the loop properly now. That is your new stitch!

Hold the new stitch still on the right hand needle and use your left needle for the next bit. The left needle needs to go through the middle of the loop from the side that is closest to your hand. This move transfers the stitch back onto the left hand needle and completes the casting on process.

Carry on in the same way. Put your RH needle through the loop - or let's get serious and call it a stitch - underneath your LH needle. Wool round the needle anticlockwise from underneath again. Hold the LH needle still while you move the RH needle from back to front. Separate the needles and see your new stitch. Put the LH needle through the new stitch from the side nearest your hand (couldn't think of a better term for this).

You'll see in the video that I keep my needle in the stitch after I put it back onto the left hand needle. This is just a habit of mine that speeds up the casting on process.



There are a few parts where I accidentally move the knitting out of frame, so I might do a follow up video of these parts close up. I hope it is somewhat helpful.