Knitting Cast On Methods

Knitting Cast on Methods  by Janice Jones 
|Updated 06-01-2023

Before you can begin that first project you need to know how to cast on your stitches.  This is a beginner tutorial on how to  cast on so you can begin to learn to knit.  

If you are here, you may be wondering why there are so many different ways to cast on stitches so you can begin to learn to knit.  That's a very good question which I hope to answer below.

Methods of Casting on Knitting Stitches

By now, you may have figured out that there are more than one way to cast on or place stitches on knitting needles so you can begin to knit.  In this article, I will be discussing several methods:

  1. Backwards Loop Cast On
  2. Long-Tail Cast On, Sling Shot Method
  3. Long Tail Cast on Thumb method
  4. Knitted-On
  5. Cable Cast-On

Backward Loop Cast On

This is the easiest, but necessarily the best cast on for a foundation row as it creates a less than sturdy beginning row.  Use it for when you might need to cast on extra stitches in the middle of a row.

Long-tail cast-on or Sling Shot Method

This is an easy cast-on method for beginners.  It uses one needle and a double strand of yarn.  You might see this method referred to as the slingshot method because it looks like you are holding the yarn like a slingshot.  

It's also called the long-tail method because you need to pull out a length of yarn before you begin.   

How much yarn do you need for the long tail cast on?

There are several ways to do this.

  1. To estimate how much yarn you will need to pull out, measure out about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per cast-on stitch for worsted weight yarn. For thinner yarns, you'll need a little less, and for chunkier yarns, you'll need a little more. 

  2. You can also cast on about 10 stitches and then rip them out noting how much yarn you needed for the tail.  Multiple that length by the number of stitches you plan to cast on.

  3. Start at the very end of the yarn and begin wrapping the yarn around the needle, one wrap per stitch.  So if you need to cast on 20 stitches, make 20 wraps.  Remove the wraps from the needle and make your slip knot at the end of the wraps.

Step 1:  Measure Out the Amount of Yarn to Use

Pull out a length of yarn you need for the number of stitches to cast on.  

Step 2: Slip Knot and Position Yarn

Make a slip knot and slide it onto your needle.  Give a little tug to tighten but not too tight.

Hold the needle in your right hand. With your left hand, grab both the tail and the working yarn in the palm of your hand.  Use three fingers to hold this yarn in place.  Using your thumb and index finger, spread the center apart, so it looks like you will use a slingshot.

Step 3: Cast on Stitches

Using the tip of your needle, grab the loop of yarn you are holding with your thumb.  Move the needle's point over and around the strand of yarn held by your index finger.  Bring the needle's point through the loop and tighten.  You should have a stitch on your needle.

Step 4: Repeat Until You Have The Number of Stitches Needed.

Repeat for as many stitches that you need.

How Does Your Cast On Look?

You should follow your pattern, but if you are working in a stockinette stitch pattern, you have choices.

You can either knit the first row or purl the first row.  The right side of your fabric will look different.

A knitted swatch showing the cast on and bind off edge. The first row is purled.After casting on, the first row is purled, creating a smoother edge.
A knitted swatch is show with the cast on edge and the first row is knittedAfter casting on, the first row is knitted, creating a bumpy edge.

Knitted Cast-On

The knit-on method uses both needles and one length of yarn.  There is no need to measure a long tail of yarn, but still begin with about a five to six-inch tail.  This is another beginner method because it uses the basic knit stitch 

Step One:  Knitted Cast-on

Make a slip knot. Slip the slip knot onto the left needle.   

Step 2:  Knitted Cast-on

Insert the right-hand needle into the stitch on the left needle as if to knit. 

Step 3:  Knitted Cast-on

Wrap the yarn around the right needle, and pull through, but don't drop the stitch from the left needle.  

Step 4:  Knitted Cast-on

Slip the new stitch from the right needle to the left needle. Tug a little to tighten.  

Step 5:  Knitted Cast-on

Continue doing this until you have the number of stitches required.

Cable Cast-On

This is another beginner-friendly cast-on and is very similar to the Knitting Cast-on.  This method is also used when additional stitches are needed at the end of a row or making buttonholes. 

Notice that the first four steps are similar to the knit-on method, but once you have two stitches on your left-hand needle, the method changes slightly.

Step 1:  Cable Cast-on

Make a slip knot. Slip the slip knot onto the left needle.   

Step 2:  Cable Cast-on

Insert the right-hand needle into the stitch on the left needle as if to knit. 

Step 3:  Cable Cast-on

Wrap the yarn around the right needle, and pull through, but don't drop the stitch from the left needle.  

Step 4:  Cable Cast-on

Slip the new stitch from the right needle to the left needle. Tug a little to tighten.  

Step 5:  Cable Cast-on

Insert the needle into the space between the first two stitches.  Wrap the yarn as if to knit and pull the stitch through but do not slip any stitches off the needle.

Step 6:  Cable Cast-on

Bring the new stitch up and slide it onto the left-hand needle.  Repeat the process by inserting the needle between the last two stitches until you have made the required number of stitches.

Last Words

There are other ways to cast on, but these seem to be the easiest for beginners to master quickly.  You can use these methods on just about any easy project you choose.

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